NEW! Coming in Fall 2025

Silver Award Planning Workshop Series for Cadettes

Put your ideas into an action plan

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The Girl Scout Leadership Experience teaches girls to explore their community, identify the root cause of an issue and create a Take Action Project that addresses the root cause through direct action, education and advocacy.
WHat is the SILVER award?
The Silver Award is the highest Award that a Cadette Girl Scout can earn.   It is a 50-hour Take Action project, usually completed with a small team of 4 or less Girl Scout Cadettes.  Take Action projects address the root cause of a community issue through direct action or advocacy. 
WHo can earn it?
It can be earned by registered Girl Scouts in the 6th-8th grade or equivalent.
How Does a journey or TAKE ACTION AWARD PREPARE YOU FOR THE SILVER AWARD?
To earn a Journey, Cadettes plan and carry out a Take Action Project addressing an issue covered during the Journey. 
To earn a Take Action Award, Cadettes start with a badge they have earned and "level up" by planning and carrying out a Take Action Project addressing an issue covered in the badge.
Both types of Take Action Awards prepare the Cadettes for the Silver Award because the planning steps are the same.
Great SILVER Award Examples
We have gathered some great Silver Award project examples to inspire you HERE.
​WHEN SHOULD GIRL SCOUTS START WORKING ON THEIR SILVER AWARD?
Cadette Girl Scouts begin Silver Award as soon as they have completed a Cadette Journey including the Take Action Project or one of the new Girl Scout leadership Awards.
A suggested timeline is:
6th grade - Earn badges to build skills and explore your interests. Try upleveling a badge by earning a Take Action Award. Build your project planning skills by earning a journey (available until Sept. 2026). Build your confidence by earning the True North Award.
7th grade - Explore your community by volunteering. This will help narrow down your Silver Award issue. If you are still uncertain, earn some badges & complete Take Action Awards to explore topics/issues.
 mid 7th/8th - Read GSUSA Silver Award materials. Attend Silver Training (if required). Begin your Silver Award Proposal. Carry out your project.​

Silver Award Resources

  • GSUSA CADETTE WORKBOOK FOR EARNING YOUR SILVER AWARD 
  • GSUSA ADULT GUIDE FOR EARNING THE SILVER AWARD ​
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The GSUSA Cadette Workbook for Earning Your Silver Award Guide is the place to start. It is designed as a resource for Cadette Girl Scouts to use to plan their Silver Awards.
​The GSUSA Silver Award Guide is found on your Council's Silver Award page or you can download it here. 
The GSUSA Adult Guide for Earning the Silver Award Guide  It is designed as a resource for adults who are assisting Cadettes. It is on your Council's Silver Award page or you can download it here. ​

​The GSUSA guides above are the best place to start, but here a few more tips for successful Silver Awards.

​UPLEVEL YOUR BADGES WITH A Take Action Project
 A Cadette Take Action Award project is excellent preparation for the Silver Award.  It is the same steps on a smaller scale.  Keep those steps in mind when you help them plan their Silver Award.
  • ​Make sure they pick an issue they truly care about. 
  • Ensure that each Cadette has an active role in the project.
  • Challenge the Cadettes to reach outside their comfort zones.
  • Include education and advocacy to go beyond community service. 
Learn the difference between Community Service and Take Action Projects
​A community service project is a one time thing or a short term fix.  Examples are collections, volunteering at an event, fixing or beautifying things, and filling food boxes. Community service is wonderful, but the need will still be there next month when the donated items are gone or more food boxes need to be filled.
​A Take Action Project meets a need in the longer term by addressing the cause through direct action or education. When they  Take Action to earn their Silver Award, the Cadette Girl Scouts find an issue or community need, figure out what they could do to "fix" it, decide who they need to reach out to or help, and advocate for their issue. Click here for more information and examples. Click here  for an interactive quiz to see if you understand the difference!
Help the CADETTES to identify what they care about
When Cadettes create a Journey Take Action project, they have a limited choice of topics. 
For their Silver Award, they are free to choose whatever topic they like. This can be overwhelming.
How do you help them choose?
  • Expose the Cadettes to topics through field trips and small service projects.
  • Think back on activities that you have done that the girls enjoyed.
  • Ask the girls the following questions:
    • If you had 50 volunteers, where would you send them and why?
    • ​What problem do you see in your community that you wish someone would solve?
    • What do you know more about than other people that you could teach?
    • What do you think is unfair that people should know about?
Look at the topics that they identify in their reflections. Have them brainstorm which ones they could tackle and have the most impact. 
Look for the "spark" when the girls get to certain topics. When they find the one they want, the girls should be excited about it.
Make sure the girls know what they are doing and why it matters
Ask your Cadettes the following questions:
  • Why did you pick this idea?
  • Why does this idea matter?
  • Who will this idea help?
  • ​What can we do to make a difference? How will we know that we did?
  • What result do we hope to have?
​ SUSTAINABILITY  AT THE silver AWARD LEVEL
 Create a permanent solution that can be used after the project is complete.
 Educate and inspire others in the community or within Girl Scouts to be part of the change.
 Advocate to change a rule, regulation, or a law and encourage others to join.​