For more than a century, Girl Scouts San Diego (GSSD) has encouraged girls to explore their interests, challenge themselves, and lead with confidence. From Daisies in kindergarten to Ambassadors in high school, GSSD provides year-round programs for more than 15,000 girls in San Diego and Imperial counties, striving to be the go-to partner for developing and elevating girl and women leaders in the region.
The Girl Scout Leadership Experience is particularly transformative for girls in grades 9-12. At this stage, the Girl Scout Gold Award – the highest achievement in Girl Scouting – encourages teenagers to take action in their communities and emerge as leaders of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.
To earn the Gold Award, each Girl Scout identifies a local, national, or global issue that is important to them, develops an innovative plan to address it, and leads a team to implement their project, which must create sustainable and measurable impact. Girl Scouts dedicate at least 80 hours to Gold Award projects.
“The Gold Award is the pinnacle of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience,” Carol Dedrich, CEO of Girl Scouts San Diego shared with GB Magazine. “I am so proud of the rising stars who lean into the challenge of reaching this impressive achievement. Their commitment to leadership and earning the highest award in Girl Scouting establishes a solid foundation for their next steps as they continue to make a tremendous impact on our world. These Girl Scouts are our future… and it looks bright!”
During the 2025 Gold Award Ceremony to be held this year on June 8, GSSD will honor 62 Gold Award Girl Scouts who made their mark in the areas of environmental sustainability and climate change, mental health awareness, animal conservation, LGBTQIA+ advocacy, disability inclusion and access, civic engagement, STEM, and more. The organization also celebrates 47 ‘Trifecta’ Girl Scouts, Gold Award Girl Scouts who have earned the Bronze and Silver Awards – the highest achievements for Girl Scout Juniors (grades 4-5) and Cadettes (grades 6-8) – showing an exceptional dedication to making the world a better place.
“Through my projects, I gained valuable leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills,” said Trifecta Girl Scout, Sarah P. “I learned resilience when facing setbacks, improved my public speaking through workshops, and developed patience and perseverance.”
Having the Gold Award on a transcript or resume also helps Girl Scouts stand out in college admissions, scholarship applications, internships, and interviews. When Gold Award Girl Scouts join the military, they can enlist at a higher pay grade.
“Every high school student should complete a project like this,” said Ecco C., Gold Award Girl Scout. “Aside from the accomplishment of the award itself, I know that completing the project will give me a huge leg up in my future, since I have improved my communication, confidence, and time management – three skills that are crucial in life.”
Girl Scouts who earn the prestigious Gold Award demonstrate their passion, leadership, and commitment to creating meaningful change in the world. By forging these opportunities and connections, Girl Scouts San Diego continues to advance female leadership in San Diego and Imperial counties.
To donate, volunteer, join, or learn more about Girl Scouts San Diego, visit www.sdgirlscouts.org.
