Girl Scouts of the USA Celebrates Nearly 3,200 Girl Scouts Earning the Movement's Highest Honor: The Gold Award

The 2023 Gold Award Girl Scout Class tackled pressing issues in their communities, volunteering more than 300,000 hours and raising more than $2.5 million

NEW YORK, Aug. 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) proudly celebrates the nearly 3,200 members of the 2023 Gold Award Girl Scout Class. Earning the highest honor in Girl Scouting, these individuals identified issues in their communities and dedicated their time, energy, and resources to develop and implement forward-thinking solutions to help address them. These projects include tackling the stigma surrounding mental health, contributing to environmental solutions within cities and towns, closing the gender gap in the world of STEM, and so much more. In the process of developing and putting these solutions to work, the 2023 Gold Award Girl Scout Class devoted nearly 300,000 service hours and invested over $2.5M back into their communities.

"What Gold Award Girl Scouts do best is tackle issues that are important to them to drive meaningful and lasting change in their communities and beyond," said GSUSA CEO Bonnie Barczykowski. "I'm so proud of the 2023 Gold Award Girl Scouts Class, because I know that this is just the beginning for them—they're the change-makers the world needs more than ever right now."

From projects centered around how teens are dealing with their mental health post COVID-19 to projects addressing pollution concerns in local communities, Gold Award Girl Scouts across the globe are taking charge in creating a better, brighter future for all.  

According to recent research, Gold Award Girl Scouts are more likely to fill leadership roles at work and in their personal lives and are more civically engaged than their non-Girl Scout peers. In a report from this year, eighty-eight percent (88%) of the 2023 Gold Award Girl Scout Class agreed that they put project management skills into action through their Gold Award projects. Further, eighty-five percent (85%) reported demonstrating community problem solving and seventy-nine percent (79%) reported demonstrating a strong sense of self through the project process. All the skills developed and honed through earning the prestigious Gold Award can be utilized to excel in any environment.

Earning the prestigious Gold Award creates a lasting impact on Girl Scouts' lives. Gold Award Girl Scouts join an elite group of leaders who have gone above and beyond to create impactful change on a local, national, or even global scale. Gold Award Girl Scouts go on to earn college scholarships, enter the armed forces one rank higher than other recruits, and demonstrate higher educational and career outcomes than their peers. Gold Award alums become tenacious leaders in the worlds of STEM, politics, medicine, education, entertainment, and much more. Notable Gold Award recipients include model/entrepreneur Tyra Banks, actress Casey Wilson, entrepreneur Kristin Carbone, senator Tammy Duckworth, and GSUSA National Board President Noorain Khan. Regardless of where life may take them, Gold Award Girl Scouts have the confidence, courage, and character needed to change the world.

GSUSA is proud to present 3,144 members of the 2023 Gold Award Girl Scout Class. In addition, this year Girl Scouts of the USA awarded 110 Gold Award Girl Scouts from across the Movement a scholarship, made possible in part by the Kappa Delta Foundation, alongside philanthropists Robyn and Aldo Manzini and Diane Tipton. 

To view the list of the 3,144 Gold Award projects, visit: girlscouts.org/goldawardclass.  

Girls in grades K–12 can join Girl Scouts any time during the year to begin their Girl Scout journey. As girls grow with Girl Scouts, they learn hands-on leadership skills they'll use to make their mark through the Gold Award and beyond. To join or volunteer, visit www.girlscouts.org/join.  

Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs from coast to coast, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. To join us, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, visit girlscouts.org.   

SOURCE Girl Scouts of the USA