Weekly Girl Scout Gold Award Spotlight

Check out this week’s sampling of go-getting, innovating, risk-taking Gold Award Girl Scouts—young women who know what it means to lead with true G.I.R.L. spirit!


Shelby, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas

To earn her Girl Scout Gold Award, Shelby took the lead to transform a neglected piece of land into a

valuable asset for her community. Shelby worked with her team to clear the land, which is owned by a local church, and develop an outdoor classroom for the church’s youth group on it. She also added a butterfly garden to support monarch butterflies, a species currently in decline; two geocaches; and a pair of owl boxes. Shelby’s project taught her teamwork and leadership skills—and so much more!

Lexi, Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois

Lexi’s Girl Scout Gold Award project was fueled by her

desire to become a cardiothoracic surgeon. With the knowledge that one in four deaths is a result of heart disease, Lexi decided to host Bless Your Heart to raise heart-health awareness in her community. The event included dancercise sessions, games, heart-healthy food sampling and recipe sharing, and educational sessions for kids—and health-care professionals were onsite to promote awareness and provide free medical screenings. Lexi also held a blood drive to support the American Red Cross, which resulted in more than 20 pints of blood collected.

Learn more about Lexi’s Bless Your Heart project.


Elizabeth, Girl Scouts San Diego

To earn Girl Scouts’ highest award, Elizabeth chose to teach children in low-income communities about nutrition through Community Housing Works. She taught six related classes of 5–15 participants each—and to drive home her message she showed the kids how quick and easy it is to make healthy no-cook snacks, supplying recipes and fun activities throughout. This G.I.R.L. even funded her project by recycling cans and bottles! With her sights set on earning her Girl Scout Gold Award for years, Elizabeth noted that with encouragement from her mentor she was able to “challenge, push herself, and go for the Gold!”

Learn more about Elizabeth’s project.

Jillian, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas

This Girl Scout sprang into action with her Girl Scout Gold Award project after attending local town hall meetings and learning of the need for an automated external defibrillator (AED) at the community’s Twin Coves Park. (Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women in the U.S., as Jillian also learned.) To advocate for women’s heart health, she created a Facebook page with heart-healthy tips and taught girls in elementary school about related habits—and to raise AED funds Jillian hosted AED, CPR, and first-aid training courses that resulted in the certification of nearly 100 people! She concluded her Gold Award project by training four park employees to operate the AED, and even though they hope to never have to use it, they’re now prepared to, thanks to Jillian’s leadership.

Learn more about Jillian’s project.


Gold Award Girl Scouts are recipients of one of the most prestigious awards in the world for girls. By the time they put the final touches on their seven-step projects, they’ll have addressed a significant problem in their community—not only in the short term, but with a plan to sustain the work for years into the future. They’re also eligible for college scholarships and to enter the military one rank higher than non–Gold Award Girl Scouts.


Got a Girl Scout Gold Award story to share? Send the details and relevant photos to socialmedia@girlscouts.org for a chance to have it featured.