Silver Award

Check the GSGLA website for specific award requirements. This is intended as a quick overview, with a lot of suggestions of projects that have been done in the past to give you some ideas.

Not all projects will require the same length of time to complete from planning to sharing and celebration. The time it takes to earn the awards will depend on the nature of the project, the size of the team, and the support of the community. Quality projects should be emphasized over quantity of hours.

After the journey(s) requirement is fulfilled, the suggested minimum number of hours to use as a guide for the Silver Award is a minimum of 50 hours.

When girls work on their Silver Award they have the option to work individually or in a small group setting (3-4 girls total, not typically the entire troop)'

Prerequisites:

  • 6th, 7th or 8th grade
  • registered Cadette
  • completed a Cadette journey

You may want to combine 2 or more of these ideas or build on these ideas to create one of your own. These projects can be as simple or elaborate as needed. If working with someone else you may need to expand these ideas so that each girl will have enough work to do. If your project is for Girl Scouts, be sure to reach out into the community in some way.

  1. BOOK DRIVE - hold a drive to collect used, but in good condition children's books. Make or refinish a bookcase and set it up with the books at a children's hospital or clinic waiting room for the kids. Variation - collect books for women and place them at women's shelters. You might also want to create your own books for small children.
  2. BLANKET DRIVE - have a drive to collect new and barely used blankets for a homelessshelter.
  3. TOY DRIVE - have a drive to collect new and nearly new toys for a children's shelter, clinicwaiting room or low income day care. Clean up used toys and make sure they have all parts.
  4. ANIMAL NEEDS DRIVE - Collect supplies needed by the humane society or other shelter. This might include newspapers, towels, washcloths, blankets, pet treats and food, grooming supplies, detergent, bleach, paper towels, cotton balls, hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol. Also make pet blankets or beds to donate.
  5. HALLOWEEN DRIVE - collect or make simple Halloween costumes for children at a shelter. Include clothing, masks and accessories. Collect or make Halloween bags and fill with treats. Also put on a Halloween party for residents of a shelter, or at a local community center.
  6. BROWNIE/JUNIOR FUN DAY - plan, prepare and carry out a fun day for Brownies or Juniors. Have a theme and include earning at least one try- it or badge. Include lunch or refreshments and awards.
  7. ARTS AND CRAFTS DRIVE - collect arts and crafts supplies and prepare packets of different type crafts for children in shelters. Make and copy an activity or coloring book on happy themes. Distribute with crayons.
  8. TOY DRIVE - collect new stuffed animals for the Red Cross/local Sheriff’s office for young fire victims to choose from a box after they lose everything in a fire, or are involved in domestic violence.
  9. FRIENDSHIP BOXES - Collect items to fill Friendship boxes for the Red Cross. These are 8"X 3" X 2" boxes filled with health, educational and recreational items to send to needy children here and abroad. Items to fill include: pens, pencils, pencil sharpeners, crayons, small rulers, small pads of paper, markers, stickers, small balls, yo- yos, marbles, beads, balloons, whistles, jump ropes, toy cars, hair ribbons and small puzzles. Also handmade cards, bookmarks, beanbags, puppets.
  10. VIOLENCE PREVENTION – Set up a program at a local elementary school to show kids why violence is not the answer. Include activities in conflict resolution.
  11. RECORDED STORIES & SONGS - Record stories on tape for children in hospitals or shelters. Send along with the tapes, either the books themselves or illustrated drawings of the story. Also record songs and make booklets with the words to the songs.
  12. BABY SUPPLIES DRIVE - Collect baby supplies, clothing and furniture for womens’ and children's shelters. Include diapers, diaper bags, lotions, clothes, blankets, cribs, mattresses, strollers, sheets and toys. Or, make baby baskets or attractive packages of baby supplies for new moms at shelters.
  13. MEALS ON WHEELS FAVORS - Make a large assortment of tiny favors, crafts and holiday or everyday cards for Meals on Wheels recipients. Make some for a variety of holidays or special occasions like birthdays, anniversaries or sympathy.
  14. ELDERLY VISITS - Arrange a series of visits to the elderly, sick or homebound in your neighborhood or nearby. Chat with residents, do simple errands, bring simple meals and treats, write letters to relatives, read books to them.
  15. TUTORING - Set up a peer tutoring program in your school or at an after school day care center or the YMCA/YWCA. Arrange for students to come on certain days of the week and help out. Tutor students in different subjects on a regular basis. Get others to help you.
  16. FOOD DRIVE - Have a food drive to collect canned and non-perishable food for a soup kitchen or homeless shelter. Prepare a recipe booklet for recipients to show how to use the foods collected.
  17. WINTER CLOTHING DRIVE - Have a drive to collect coats, hats, gloves and scarves for homeless people for the winter months.
  18. CLEAN UP DAY - Select an area, park, lake or other place that really needs to be cleaned up and organize a work day(s) to get it done.
  19. SCHOOL SUPPLIES DRIVE - Collect paper, pens, pencils, book bags, notebooks and other supplies and distribute them to low income areas or shelters.
  20. SPORTS CLINIC - hold a clinic for sports to introduce kids from low income areas, day care centers or youth groups to different sports and people that are in these fields. Choose one sport or many and have people come in and work with the kids on skills and teamwork. (Check with coaches and sports teams for help with this)
  21. MUSIC CLINIC - hold a clinic for music to introduce kids from low income areas, day care centers or youth groups to different sports and people that are in these fields. Choose different types of music and let the kids try out different instruments. (perhaps a music store/ band teacher could help you with this)
  22. CAREER FAIR - hold a career fair for younger scouts or other groups of kids. Bring in different workers from various careers and have them talk about their jobs. This could help Cadettes earn the Dreams to Reality Patch or a Brownie/Junior Try- it or Patch.
  23. ENCAMPMENT EVENT - Host an event with a theme at a Brownie or Junior Encampment. This could be a personal development class, skills or advancement workshop, or badge/try- it event.
  24. SCOUT CEREMONY - Plan and carry out a ceremony for a Girl Scout or other occasion. It could be Thinking day, Bridging, Girl Investiture, Rededication or Awards.
  25. COMMUNITY BROCHURES - Research and produce a public service brochure for the community on a subject that is important to you. It could be Drug or Alcohol abuse, Smoking, Literacy, Peer Pressure, Fitness, Teen Pregnancy, Teen Suicide, or other subject. (Stay away from religious or political subjects). Produce and distribute this brochure to schools, churches, hospital waiting rooms, libraries, youth and community centers, and other places interested people might congregate.
  26. BUILDING EQUIPMENT - Plan and build picnic tables or playground equipment for a day care center, camp or other facility. Get lumber donated by stores and some expert help.
  27. EMERGENCY NUMBERS - Paint house numbers on the curbs of a neighborhood that does not have them. This aids emergency vehicles in finding someone in an emergency. Be sure to get homeowner approval and use reflective paint.
  28. COMMUNITY PLAY - write, cast, produce and direct a play about an issue important to you such as substance abuse, conflict resolution, peer pressure etc. Put on the play for various youth groups or day care centers.
  29. BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT - Plant flowers and plants in a public area that is now an eyesore. Be sure to get approval for this project from the landowner.
  30. CULTURAL AWARENESS EVENT - Plan an event in or out of Girl Scouting that showcases how much alike we all are, rather than different. Bring together those with racial or ethic differences or include those with physical or mental disabilities.
  31. ELDERLY CLASSES - plan and hold a series of classes at a retirement or nursing home on cooking, crafts, or nature.
  32. MIDNIGHT MADNESS - plan and carry out a Midnight Madness event for 1st yr. Cadette Girl Scouts. This would take girls out into the community to various businesses at night and introduce them to different careers to earn parts of the Dreams to Reality Patch.
  33. TROOP/SERVICE UNIT WEB SITE – Plan, develop and maintain a web site for your troop, group, service unit or other charitable organization. Arrange for someone to keep the site running and updated. Be sure to make use of community resources.
  34. SCIENCE DAY - Plan and coordinate a science day for younger girls or a day care center.
  35. SCIENCE EXHIBIT – Plan and build a special science exhibit for your local museum.
  36. COMPUTER CENTER – Collect used computers and set up a computer center at a local Senior’s home and teach the residents to use the Internet and email.
  37. FOOD PANTRY– Establish a food pantry in your community.
  38. TEACHING VIDEOS – Create a video to teach a skill, introduce your community, council, or Girl Scout traditions or just to entertain shut-ins. Make copies and share them in your community or council. You might also create a booklet to go with these.
  39. RECYCLING PROGRAM – Start and arrange to sustain a recycling program at your school or in your community.
  40. PERFORMING ARTS – Plan and carry out a song festival or dance festival for a senior center or day care. Encourage audience participation.
  41. DRUG PREVENTION – Organize and carry out a drug prevention program in your school, council or community.
  42. COOK BOOK – Create an outdoor cooking cookbook for your council.
  43. GAME CART – Put together a book and game cart for a local homeless shelter
  44. HOLIDAY MEALS – Plan and prepare a meal for a homeless family or shut- in seniors, or prepare a holiday party at a local nursing home.
  45. HOLIDAY DECORATIONS – Have a drive to collect holiday decorations and then decorate the homes of elderly residents or maybe a nursing home. Arrange to remove the decorations and store them after the holidays.
  46. UNIFORM DRIVE – Collect Girl Scout uniforms that are no longer in use. Set up a Uniform closet at your council or service unit. Girl that need a uniform can borrow one. Arrange to keep track of what sizes/styles are available and who has them. Be sure to reach out into the community for this.
  47. COLORING BOOKS – Design coloring books for hospital waiting rooms or children’s shelters. Make each book have a theme, such as health or safety. Donate them along with collected crayons.
  48. CLEANING PROJECT – Arrange a cleaning brigade to clean the homes of elderly residents. Wash windows, vacuum, rake leaves, scrub sinks. Check with a local social service agency to find seniors that might want this service.
  49. NATURE TRAIL – Arrange with a group to clean and mark a local nature trail that is in need of repair. You could also make signs to show the names of trees and plants.
  50. SPORTS EQUIPMENT DRIVE - Collect used sports equipment/uniforms for various sports. Donate to a community center to use so low income kids can participate in sports teams.