Opportunities for Teens

If you’re in middle school or high school, the Girl Scouts is the place to be! In Girl Scouts, you can explore your dreams, strengthen your leadership skills, and make great friends. Whatever it is you want to do, learn, or try, Girl Scouts is there to help you along the way!

Scholarships

Girl Scouts of the USA has compiled the following list of universities/colleges, foundations, and Girl Scout councils that offer scholarships, awards, and grants to Girl Scouts.

View GSUSA Scholarships

Girl Scout Devon Murphy compiled a list of regional leadership scholarships.

View Regional Scholarships

For additional information on college scholarships, you may want to contact your high school guidance counselor, reach out to the financial aid office of the school you wish to attend, and/or check the Web sites at right. With some targeted research, you can uncover all sorts of helpful information on securing grants and scholarships. As with any online application, always be careful of the information you share. Before beginning your search, it’s a good idea to take the Girl Scouts internet safety pledge.

Check out the additional information about the Girl Scout Gold Award.

Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Gold Award Scholarship Program

Earning the Girl Scout Gold Award qualifies a girl to apply for the Girl Scouts of Silver Sage Gold Award Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded based on achievement in Girl Scouting, academics, leadership and service.

Applications are due no later than 5:00pm, June 1.

The Lifetime Membership Scholarship recognizes an outstanding graduating Girl Scout Ambassador living in the Girl Scouts Silver Sage Council area, who has been active in Girl Scouting and her community and will be graduating from high school in the 2019 year. The girl who earns this Lifetime Membership is a dedicated Girl Scout who has shown leadership, service, and commitment to the values of Girl Scouting in all areas of her life. The Girl Scout Gold Award will enhance a candidate’s chances, but it is not a requirement. This award will be judged on the following: 1) Application and 2) Essay and another form of art (song written by self, painting, poem, etc.) that expresses what Girl Scouts mean to her and what it means for her future. Please see the second page for details on essay and art

The Gloria Barron Prize
The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes invites applications for its 2017 awards. The Barron Prize celebrates inspiring, public-spirited young leaders ages 8 to 18 who have made a significant positive impact on people, their communities, and the environment. Each year, 15 winners will receive $5,000 to support their service work or higher education. The application deadline is April 15. Find more information and to apply here.

The Congressional Award Program
The Congressional Award program, sponsored by the United States Congress, honors youth for setting and accomplishing goals in the areas of voluntary public service, personal development, physical fitness, and expedition/exploration. This award is given to youth ages 14 to 23 who complete a given number of hours across each area. To date, over 7.4 million hours of service have been contributed to communities across the country as a part of the Congressional Award program and there are currently over 45,000 youth enrolled. Hours accumulated through Girl Scout Gold Award projects or other Girl Scout activities can be counted toward a candidate’s goal as long as activities are in compliance with the award program guidelines. (Please note that hours accumulated by Girl Scouts prior to registering for the Congressional Award do not count.)

Youth can earn up to six different honors: Bronze, Silver, and Gold certificates and Bronze, Silver, and Gold medals. Gold medal recipients will be recognized by members of Congress at an event in Washington, DC and are eligible to receive scholarships and other opportunities through schools and universities. All deadlines are rolling; Girl Scouts can start working towards a Congressional Award at any time. To access the Congressional Award program guidelines and instructions for logging hours, visit the Congressional Award website.

Teen Advisory Committee

The Teen Advisory Committee (or TAC) are Girl Scouts of Silver Sage girl members from all areas who work to cultivate new ideas for the council and represent the interests of girl members.

Interested in serving on TAC?

2016-2017 Teen Advisory Committee Applications are now being accepted. Please complete the application and send to program@girlscouts-ssc.org or mail to:

Girl Scouts Silver Sage Council
Attn: Program Department
1410 Etheridge Lane
Boise ID 83704

Additional information and application forms:

Mentoring Awards

When girls guide or teach others, they act as mentors. As mentors, Girl Scout Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors gain experience by sharing skills, testing knowledge, and trying out new leadership roles. For the girls being mentored, it means a chance to be with and learn from teens — some of their favorite people!

Mentoring Awards include Leader in Action, Program Aide, Counselor-in-Training I & II and Volunteer-in-Training. By earning these awards, girls in grades 6-12 can deepen their understanding of what leadership development means and get excited about guiding others.

The Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting for Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors includes descriptions of the Mentoring Awards girls can earn at their grade level:

Cadettes earn Leader in Action (LiA) (Requirements found in the Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting)

Cadettes earn Program AideThe PA leadership opportunity is designed to help Cadette Girl Scouts discover their talents in mentoring and leading younger children, gain the confidence knowledge and expertise needed to guide younger girls, and prepares them to hold future leadership positions within and outside of Girl Scouting. Specifically, PAs are girls who become proficient in a specific area of interest and share their specialized knowledge with younger girls in a troop or group setting.

Eligibility:

Cadette Girl Scout Program Aide: Any registered Cadette Girl Scout in grades 6-8.

Council-wide training opportunities will be posted here as they become available. These Program Aide Trainings will also be advertised in the Program Chat Newsletter as they become available.

Other Program Aide Trainings may be organized on the local level for girls in a specific area. For more information, please contact program@girlscouts-ssc.org.

Seniors and Ambassadors earn Volunteer-in-Training (Formerly known as leader in training)

The VIT leadership opportunity is designed to help Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts discover their talents in mentoring and leading younger children, gain the confidence, knowledge and expertise needed to guide younger girls, and prepares them to hold future leadership positions within and outside of Girl Scouting. Specifically, VITs are teen girls who have an interest in mentoring who through training acquire the skills and confidence necessary to guide a group of younger girls, and hold future leadership positions within and outside of Girl Scouting.

Eligibility:

Any registered Senior or Ambassador Girl Scout in grades 9-12.

Training Requirements:

VIT Training: Designed to foster the development of basic leadership skills and to give girls a basis for working with younger girls. Topics include basic understanding of Girl Scout program, developmental characteristics of younger girls, and the role and responsibilities of the Volunteer in Training. Additionally, participants will learn how to select, plan, and present age-appropriate activities and use problem-solving strategies.

Internship Requirement:

Once the VIT selects the grade level with which she would like to work, has taken the trainings and completed required paperwork, she can either locate a troop/group in her local area with whom she would like to work or she can obtain council assistance. She must then work with the same troop/group on an ongoing basis and commit at least 4-6 sessions of service to her assigned troop/group.

Council-wide training opportunities will be posted here as they become available. These Volunteer in Training trainings will also be advertised in the Program Chat Newsletter as they become available.

Other Volunteer in Training trainings may be organized on the local level for girls in a specific area. For more information, please contact program@girlscouts-ssc.org.

Leadership and Service Awards

These awards can be earned each year of Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors. Hours used to earn one award cannot be used for another award. Please submit the Leadership Project Time Log for Girls form when purchasing the awards to the Boise Council office.

The Torch Award: This award recognizes Cadettes, Seniors and Ambassadors who act as leaders in their communities. Requirements are in the Girl’s Guide to Girl Scouting.

Community Service bar: When girls earn the Community Service bar, they are making a difference in their community – and practicing the values of the Girl Scout Law. It’s also a great way to get involved with a particular cause they care about. Girls complete at least 20 hours of service to earn the bar.

Service to Girl Scouting bar: Girls who choose to volunteer at least 20 hours to the Girl Scout organization, can receive the Service to Girl Scouting bar. For example, girls might volunteer time at a special event for younger girls, volunteer at the council office or at service unit leader meetings babysitting, or help with special projects.

National Young Women of Distinction: Every year, ten exceptionally inspiring Girl Scout Gold Award recipients are chosen as National Young Women of Distinction (NYWOD).

This honor is given to Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors whose Gold Award projects demonstrated extraordinary leadership, had a measurable and sustainable impact, and addressed a local challenge related to a national and/or global issue. These young women are taking matters into their own hands, generating much-needed change!

The NYWOD program perfectly reflects our mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. The program provides these young stars with the opportunity to be an inspiration to girls around the world and throughout the Girl Scout Movement—and serve as incredible examples of what it means to be a G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™.

Find out how to apply here.

Travel

Travel the world with Girl Scouts! The opportunities are endless.

Learn more about Travel

Earn the Gold Award

Impact your community and go for the Gold! Gold Award recipients make community connections and are eligible for special college scholarships.

Learn more about the Girl Scout Gold Award.

Attend a Gold Award Training.

2 positions are available for Girl Board Member. Application and more info can be found here.

Additional Teen Resources.

Cookie Captain Program

Cookie Captain The Cookie Captain Program provides service-oriented Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors the opportunity to mentor Daisy and first-time selling Brownie Girl Scouts in the art of selling Girl Scout Cookies.