THE G LD STANDARD GIRL SCOUT GOLD AWARD TOOLKIT FOR SENIORS AND AMBASSADORS
Table of Contents Introduction...2 Proposal Status... 12 Prerequisites... 3 Helping Hands...13 Take Action!...4 Helping Hands (continued)... 14 Take Action! (part 2)...5 Your Interview... 15 From Good to Gold...6 Money and Safety... 16 Red Flags... 7 Sample Letter...17 Being a Leader...8 The Finish Line... 18 Your Proposal...9 Celebrate... 19 Proposal Submission... 10 Signature Page... 20 Helpful Hints... 11 CONGRATULATIONS on wanting to earn the highest award in Girl Scouting, the Gold Award. For over 100 years Girl Scouts have worked hard to fulfill the requirements to achieve this prestigious award. The Gold Award Standard is a helpful tool that will answer all your questions and set you on your path to Gold. The Gold Award makes you take a closer look at your community to see where you can make a difference. SEVEN STEPS TO GOLD 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Choose an issue: Use your values and skills to identify a community issue you care about. Investigate: Research everything you can about the issue. Get help: Invite others to support and take action with you. Create a plan: Create a project plan that achieves sustainable and measurable impact. Present your plan and get feedback: Sum up your project plan for your Girl Scout council. Take action: Take the lead to carry out your plan. Educate and inspire: Share what you have experienced with others. Happy reading! -2-
Prerequisites WHERE TO BEGIN? First, complete your Gold Award prerequisites: Be a registered Senior or Ambassador Girl Scout Earn the Girl Scout Silver Award as a Cadette, and complete one Senior or Ambassador Journey OR Complete two Journeys at the Girl Scout Senior and/or Ambassador level Next, read through the Girl Scout Gold Award Guidelines. Now s a good time! This Guidelines booklet must be completed to be approved to earn Gold. Register to attend a Take Action for the Gold Award Workshop, this is not mandatory, but highly recommended. Whether or not you attend a workshop, you MUST read and sign page 20 of this booklet (the Gold Standard) and attach it to your Gold Award proposal. Finally, you re ready to tackle this booklet, The Gold Standard. This will give you all the important information you need to Go Gold. WHAT S MY TIMELINE? Each girl will set her own timeline, but here are some helpful dates. Gold Award Proposals are accepted all year long: October 1 High School Seniors Only-Gold Award proposals are due, last chance to earn your Gold! March 31 All completed final paperwork due to GSNC to be in the current year s ceremony September 30 After High School graduation-ultimate deadline to earn Gold. You will be invited to the following years ceremony -3-
Take Action! WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A TAKE ACTION PROJECT AND A COMMUNITY SERVICE PROJECT? Community service: comes from your heart Y Service is a passive role where you help out on something that is already in place Major decisions have been made and you are following someone else s directions Collecting and donating items a one-time fix of a problem Beautification and renovation without an educational or awareness raising component Take Action project: comes from your heart Y, but uses your head to develop long lasting impact You are the leader of the project = an active role in decision making You create a Take Action project based on your observations of an issue Tackle the root cause of this issue to make a long lasting impact Ask why is this issue happening? What caused it? = root causes You develop your leadership skills by exploring your community, brainstorming, planning, organizing, and putting your plan in motion = you are the CEO! WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A JOURNEY TAKE ACTION PROJECT AND A GOLD AWARD TAKE ACTION PROJECT? The Journey Take Action Project should be looked at as the practice run for the Gold Award Take Action Project. The only difference is the Journey Take Action Project is topic specific, the project must relate to the Journey and what you have learned. It can be completed as a Troop, but each girl needs a leadership role. The Gold Award Take Action Project must be done individually and the topic is of your choosing. You will need to identify an issue in your community that you want to improve or help solve. Tackling the root cause of this issue will help make a bigger impact on your community and help sustain the project. You will gain Leadership skills in developing the Journey Take Action Project, and build upon these acquired skills to complete a quality Gold Award Take Action Project. -4-
examples report 80 hours Describe impact Pathway Gold GSLE Date LEADER Girl gsnc nassau county JUNE mentor deadline Award community DEVELOP time CONNECT committee LEADER Sustainability project final report Girl Scout GSUSA TAKE DISCOVER others COUNSELOR june SKILLS Action Troop FINAL impact GLOBAL target Scout HOURS 80 connect Advisor earn project proposal presentation Take Action! A GOLD AWARD TAKE ACTION PROJECT......has national and/or global links Your issue may be as local as saving the ash trees in the town park. Now step back and look around. Forests across the country are being devastated by borer beetles, which are spread when people transport firewood. Linked! Then when your project is completed, share it with the world to inspire others....is sustainable How will your project stay alive even when you re done? Will someone else be able to pick up where you ve left off? Can you involve school clubs? Change curriculum? Start a non-profit? Partner with your community or an organization? Advocate for change in local government or beyond? Will the education you ve provided live on in people s memories and habits by starting a grassroots movement?...takes approximately 80 hours 80 hours of your own time starts with Girl Scout Gold Award Step One, Choosing an Issue, before you even submit your proposal, so keep a detailed Hour Log....addresses an issue you care about You care about. Not your grandma, dad, best friend, or leader. You. So be brave. Take a stand. Find your passion....has an awesome Project Advisor This person should have specialized knowledge that relates to the topic of your Gold Award Project. You can ask someone from your community, organization, or school. It cannot be your GS Leader or a relative. -5-
From Good to Gold Putting together recruitment materials for a local non-profit organization to > Assessing your community s needs and approaching a non-profit to ask if you can partner with them to help fill those needs. Creating sustainable programming for that organization and training new volunteers to run the program. DON T work alone! DON T do a project focused on collection! Volunteering to collect games and food at the mall for a teen center. to > Creating a health access booklet for teens in the community. Arranging a teen health fair with various organizations presenting their services. Admission is canned goods for the teen center. Writing a form letter to your senator to ask for better food options in schools. to > Starting a Facebook group to advocate for school lunch reform. Working with students to teach them about healthy food decisions. Delivering the letters from these two campaigns to your member of Congress in person. DON T be afraid to advocate! DON T plan a project just for Girl Scouts! Working with your troop to host Girl Scout Thinking Day! to > Using your Troop mates, as well as others in your community, as volunteers for a program promoting tolerance. Videotaping participants insights and posting footage to a blog dedicated to building peace through relationships. -6-
RED FLAGS WHY SO MANY RULES, YOU ASK? Because a Girl Scout Gold Award Take Action Project is about creating the greatest impact possible, so you make the world a better place! Avoiding these simple traps will help you do just that. x Canned Projects What NOT to Do because a canned project is pre-designed and demands only that you implement someone else s project (i.e. a blood drive or annual clean-up). A Gold Award Take Action Project requires you to act in a leadership position from the get-go, designing a sustainable service or advocacy project on an issue that you have carefully researched. x Collection Projects because collecting items for an organization does not elicit the creativity or leadership required by the Gold Award. Collections are also a short term fix of a problem, which does not tackle the root cause. x Fundraising Projects because Girl Scouts, whether girls or adults, are not allowed to raise money for other organizations. x Girl Scout Inward-Focused Projects because the Girl Scout Gold Award is about reaching out to the community beyond the borders of the Girl Scout world. -7-
Being a Leader You the leader Your Team adults (including experts/professionals/ organizations friends volunteers Troop mates these people go in the chart in your proposal Your Target Audience people you re educating organizations you re working with groups you re advocating for or toward Your Wider Audience everyone you ll share your story with once you complete your Gold Award Take Action Project The Gold Award process is girl-led. That means that you are responsible for writing your proposal, turning in your paperwork, attending your interview and contacting your Gold Award Mentor with any questions. Follow these tips, and you ll be unstoppable! write thank you notes call or email people yourself be okay with making mistakes keep a friendly smile don t be afraid to ask for help lead your team with confidence -8-
Your Proposal THE GIRL SCOUT GOLD AWARD PROJECT PROPOSAL Consider This: This is your chance to make an impression and tell the Gold Award Committee about your Take Action Project idea. Your Project Proposal allows the Committee to form their questions for you. The following is a guide to what type of information they will be looking for in your proposal. A: Describe the issue your project will address and who is your target audience. Remember your 15-second pitch. What will you actually be doing? What issue concerns you, who are you aiming to involve by addressing this issue, and how will you go about doing this? Be thorough this is the first thing the Gold Award Committee will read about your project! B: Discuss your reasons for selecting the project. Why is this particular project of interest to you? How does it relate to your skills, interests, other community involvement, or future plans? What makes this project personal? C: Outline the strengths, talents, and skills that you plan to put into action. What skills do you hope to develop? What comes naturally to you that you plan to put into action? What s a bit harder for you that you plan to make stronger by stretching yourself during your Gold Award Take Action Project? D: Describe the steps involved in putting your plan into action, including resources, facilities, equipment, and approvals needed. Attach a detailed project plan and timeline! What tasks do you need to complete? What are all of the resources you will need during your project? Plan location, transportation, develop curriculum/workshops, train your team, etc. Do you need to have any special training or to have others with special skills participate in your project? All equipment, supplies and approvals need to be planned out in advance. Don t make assumptions that others will help you ask in advance or have a backup plan. E: Enter the names of people or organizations you plan to inform and involve. Beyond the team you put together, what is the name of each person or organization benefiting from and collaborating with you on your project? Who will you be informing of what you are doing? Example: I will contact the local Elks club to request help with my project. F: Estimate overall project expenses and how you plan to meet these costs. How much money will you need to make your project a reality? How do you plan to earn money to cover the costs of your project? Even if you hope to have items donated, how will you come up with the money to cover the costs of items that are unexpectedly not covered by donations? What is your backup plan to cover all costs? G: What methods or tools will you use to evaluate the impact of your project? Your evaluation needs to be something tangible. Will you have pre & post participant surveys? Will you interview participants/volunteers? Will you measure success by number of participants, by number of people who benefited? H: How will your project be sustained beyond your involvement? How will your project continue to have an impact in the future? How will your project stay alive even when you re done? Will the education you ve provided live on in people s memories and habits? (need to measure this with surveys) Will another person or group be able to pick up where you ve left-off? Will you advocate for change with a local government or beyond? I: Describe how you plan to tell others about your project, the project s impact, and what you have learned. (Web site, blog, presentations, posters, videos, articles, and so on.) How will you spread the word about your project to people in the community? If you make a display, where will you put it? If you make a video, where and when will it be viewed? If you create a web site, how will people find out about it? -9-
Proposal Submission GO GOLD ONLINE Complete the Girl Scout Gold Award Guidelines for Senior & Ambassadors booklet at Go Gold Online, and then it populates your Gold Award Proposal...nice! Keep an Hour Log of the time you spend it counts toward your 80 hours. Please answer all questions in detail, so it makes your proposal stand out and we understand your plan! Upon completing Step Four, move on to Step Five by submitting your proposal. You can look it over and revise before sending-make sure it has plenty of details. It makes reviewing your project a breeze! See the Helpful Hints on page 11. GSNC GOLD AWARD PROPOSAL FORM Complete the Girl Scout Gold Award Guidelines for Senior & Ambassadors booklet, paper version. Keep an Hour Log of the time you spend it counts toward your 80 hours. Guidelines for Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors Prior to starting your project, submit this propsal to: Council Name: Council Address: City: State: Zip Code: Email: Phone: SUBMIT THIS PROPOSAL BY THE DATE(S) ESTABLISHED BY THE LOCAL COUNCIL Name: Address: Girl Scouts of Nassau County 110 Ring Road West City: State: Zip Code: Email: Phone: Age: Grade: School: Troop/Group Number: Troop/Group Volunteer: Troop/Group Volunteer s Phone: Email: Girl Scout Gold Award Project Advisor: Girl Scout Gold Award Project Proposal Your Name: Garden City New York 11530 goldaward@gsnc.org 516.741.2550 Use the GSNC Gold Award Proposal Form. Save it to your computer first, then fill it out so you can save your work. Be sure to include a detailed plan of your project. The more details the better, so the Gold Award Committee can have a good understanding of your project idea and plan. Gold Award Project Log 1 Project Advisor s Organization: Name: Phone: Gold Award Mentor: Name of Project: It is required to keep a detailed Hour Log as you work on your Gold Award. Your Gold Award Mentor will be asking to see it along the way. When you have completed your 80-hour project an Hour Log MUST be submitted to your Mentor for approval before the Final Report information is sent to you from Council. Date Activity Time Spent* Project Advisor s Phone: Email: NATIONAL YOUNG WOMEN OF DISTINCTION* The benefit of using the Go Gold Online system is that Girl Scouts of the United States of America uses this system to select the National Young Women of Distinction. Every year GSUSA selects 10 National Young Women of Distinction. These young women have earned the Gold Award with outstanding projects and receive scholarship money in the $10,000 range as a result of this honor. If you wish to be considered as a NYWOD you are required to use Go Gold Online to submit your Gold Award Proposal and Final Report. * In 2015, Julie Kapuvari from Girl Scouts of Nassau County was recognized as a National Young Woman of Distinction. -10-
Helpful Hints GO GOLD ONLINE When submitting your Girl Scout Gold Award Project Proposal through Go Gold Online (GGO), make sure to: Use Internet Explorer or Firefox as your browser Copy & paste all written answers into a Word document just in case it does not save your work Be detailed in your answers makes for a better understanding of what you are doing Use the drop down items (i.e. calendars) whenever you come upon them Do not leave anything blank for example: if no monies are needed write zero Save your work often Complete the Nassau County GGO Supplemental Form at Step 5 If you encounter any problems contact Girl Experience Awards Manager GSNC GOLD AWARD PROPOSAL FORM Located online at gsnc.org, Gold page, in the Gold Standard Girl Scout Gold Award Toolikit for Seniors and Ambassadors When submitting a hardcopy to the front desk at GSNC make sure to: Be detailed in your answers makes for a better understanding of what you are doing Do not leave anything blank for example: Project Advisor, signatures Type answers or write legibly in PEN no pencil allowed TIMING Please think through your timeline you MUST submit your Gold Award Project Proposals 4 to 6 weeks prior to your estimated start date. There is a review process of your proposal that takes time. GSNC receives Gold Award Proposals most days of the year, so there is always a wait for an interview. We cannot bump you ahead of other girls waiting so timing is important. -11-
Proposal Status When GSNC receives your Gold Award proposal you will get an email letting you know it is beginning the review process. The review can take 2 weeks. When the review is completed you will be emailed by the Girl Experience Senior Manager with the status of your project idea. ALL IS GOOD! Your idea is a solid Take Action project and well planned out. You are ready for your interview. PENDING UPON CLARIFICATION The proposal is sound but is missing some information. For example: no Project Advisor, sustainability plan, or how you will measure your impact. WORK WITH A GOLD AWARD COUNSELOR As written, the project does not meet the standards of a Girl Scout Gold Award. The idea itself may be good, but the project is missing key elements. You may not show your individual mark on the issue, you may need to define your leadership, or the committee may question the project s scope. Projects designated as resubmits have potential, but they must be developed to address the areas of concern raised by the review committee. A Gold Award Counselor can be assigned to you upon your request. You should consult with her as you consider how to further develop this project. Then send your revisions to the Girl Experience Awards Manager for review. APPROVED! The requested information can be emailed directly to the Girl Experience Awards Manager. Once you have submitted the requested info, you will be scheduled for your interview. DENIED AS SUBMITTED Project does not qualify as a Gold Award Take Action Project. Canned, collection, fundraising, Girl Scout inward-focused and group projects will also be given this designation. While projects that are denied cannot be restructured to qualify as Gold Award projects, the issues behind the projects can lead to new project ideas. You can request a consult with a Gold Award Counselor for support and suggestions. Your new proposal will need to go through the review process. DON T DESPAIR! Your proposal status does not judge you as a person. It s just GSNC s way of making sure that you will be successful! -12-
Helping Hands-Who s Who? Gold Award Committee This committee is comprised of volunteers who help girls on their road to Gold. Gold Award Mentors A Gold Award mentor will be assigned to you at your Gold Award Interview. Your mentor will approve your project in the beginning and also upon completion. Key to a successful project is communication-it is important that you check-in with your mentor on a regular basis during your project. If not, your project will not be approved. Your mentor is knowledgeable in the Gold Award process and must approve any flyers or money earning that you do. Your mentor is also there to cheer you on or help with any bumps in the road. You may invite her to attend a portion of your project. Troop Volunteer Your Troop volunteer is your Troop Leader or your parent, if you are an Individual Girl Scout, Non-Troop Affiliated (NTA). They will help you as you complete your prerequisites and can help guide you through the Gold Award proposal submission process. Then they become your cheerleader! Awards Coach Are a local resource in most Associations that can answer questions about the Gold Award. Ask your Leader to help you connect with her. Gold Award Project Advisor You need to seek out a Project Advisor from your community, school, or an organization who has specialized knowledge that relates to your Gold Award Take Action Project. They cannot be your Troop Leader nor your parent, and is outside of your Girl Scout community. Their signature is required on both your proposal and final report. Your chosen Gold Award Project Advisor can help you with: providing content expertise for your project s topic identifying your ideal target audience identifying relevant community issues plan and execute sustainability for your project provide support during the project relate your project topic to a global or national link redesigning your project plan identify areas where you can expand your project -13-
Helping Hands-Who s Who? (continued) Gold Award Counselors You can be assigned a Gold Award Counselor if your project needs some additional work to bring it up to the Gold Award standard. She can help you with: solidifying your idea or issue into words brainstorming on a missing component ideas on how to expand your project brainstorming on sustainability ways to measure your project s impact finding your global or national link ideas for sharing your Gold Award revising your proposal Girl Experience Awards Manager The Girl Experience Awards Manager is the GSNC Council staff member who is responsible for overseeing the Gold Award process and committee. Specific questions related to your project, from approval to implementation, must be asked by you. If an adult has general questions about the process, they may contact the Girl Experience Awards Manager. -14-
Your Interview GSNC interviews girls once a month year round. Your interview date is determined by the date that your proposal was submitted and the number of submissions received. Once your Gold Award proposal is reviewed and accepted you will be invited to your Gold Award Interview via the email address on your proposal. Make sure it is your email, not your parent or guardian s! HERE IS THE LOW DOWN ON WHAT TO EXPECT AND DO! Please rsvp promptly if you cannot attend, we will invite the next girls in the queue and you will be placed in the next group Be sure to read the entire email, so you are prepared for your interview Uniforms are appropriate attire GS vest and a nice outfit if you don t have the entire uniform You will be interviewed by a small group of 2-3 Gold Award mentors You will be asked about your prerequisites: Journey(s) what the Take Action project was and your role in it and/or Silver Award The interview lasts for one hour, parents/guardians are not invited into your interview Do a practice run speak out loud about your Gold Award project idea and plan. This can help you feel confident at your interview Be Prepared. Know your project s issue, root cause, audience, plan, team, partners and be confident, passionate, excited, and not too nervous we are here to help you! Page 20 of this booklet (The Gold Standard) SIGNED Guideline booklet, if you did the paper version BRING: Hour Log-all time spent coming up with and developing your project counts If you did Go Gold Online bring all signature pages required Any other paperwork that pertains to your Journey(s) and/or Silver Award to help you discuss these with the Gold Award Committee-it s open book! To help your interview go smoothly, please be prepared to answer any questions that were sent to you prior to your interview. These would have come from the Girl Experience Senior Manager in the status of your Gold Award proposal review. -15-
Money and Safety $THE DIRT ON THE GREEN: More information can be found on the GSNC FAQ for Funding a Gold Award Project SAFETY FIRST: Girl Scout girls may ask for in-kind donations of goods and supplies. Keep in mind that Girl Scout girls cannot ask for cash donations. Girl Scout adults can do so on your behalf and with your input. You can describe your project to others, write a letter or create a PowerPoint presentation, but an adult has to do the actual ask. $ All money-earning hours, such as Girl Scout Entrepreneurial Programs and money earning activities, cannot be counted toward your project hours. Example: the hours spent organizing and running a car wash does not count toward Gold Award project hours. Those hours are not specific to the project. All money earning must be approved by your Gold Award mentor. During your Gold Award Take Action Project, keeping yourself, your team, and your participants safe is key! Make sure to ask yourself these questions: Do I have any volunteers or participants under the age of 18? If so, I definitely need to have permission slips for them. Have I thought about having any snacks or meals? What food allergies do my participants have? This is a great question to ask on permission slips. Once I read my permission slips, what allergens might I need to avoid? Are the activities I ll be doing during my project, or activities like them, listed in the online Safety Activity Checkpoints? If so, what do I need to do to ensure the safety of my project participants? Do ALL Girl Scout meetings and activities need a first aider? No, but a first aider is required for: Physically demanding activities Activities involving potential injury such as but not limited to hiking, camping, backpacking, bicycling, caving, climbing, horseback riding, skating, skiing, swimming, and boating. An activity of 24 hours or more -16-
Sample Letter Dear, (Intro Paragraph) My name is Anna, and I am a Senior Girl Scout and completing my freshman year at High School. I am currently working on the highest award in Girl Scouts, the Gold Award. (Write a description of your project & why it is important). For my project, I am creating a multiuse outdoor classroom at Elementary School in Town. Research shows that spending time outdoors in nature improves creative reasoning, decreases children s anxiety and improves their ability to learn new tasks. (Parent Endorsement) My daughter is seeking donations to help fund the purchase of benches, shrubs and dwarf trees for the space. If you would like to contribute to this worthwhile cause and help Anna with her Gold Award Project all donations will be gratefully accepted. (Please note that donations are tax deductible.) Should you need additional information, please feel free to contact us at (516) xxx-xxxx. Donations can be sent to: Name Address Town, NY Zip code Sincerely, (Proud parents of a soon to be Gold Award Recipient. Thank you for your help.) -17-
The Finish Line What To Do When You Complete Your Gold Award Project First, have your Hour Log approved by your Gold Award mentor. This should be easy if you stayed in contact throughout your project, if not she may need clarification. Then, your Gold Award mentor will alert Council of your approval. You will receive an email from the Girl Experience Awards Manager with information on all final paperwork, including your Final Report, Bio Sheet, portrait info and media release. Don t forget, to go over the forms and reflect on your experiences with your Troop/Group Volunteer and your Gold Award Project Advisor. Make sure that you and your Project Advisor sign your Final Report! Finally, once everyone has read and signed your Final Report, send it to Girl Scouts of Nassau County. Make sure to include: Hour Log Bio Sheet Portrait and media release FINAL REPORTS GSNC would like everyone to use the Go Gold Online system to submit your Final Report. This makes you eligible to be nominated for the NYWOD (see pages 10 and 19.) Paper version makes nomination impossible, but you can choose this option. WHY FINISH? WHAT ARE MY DEADLINES? March 31: Meet this final paperwork deadline in order to be included in the current year s Girl Scouts of Nassau County s Gold Award ceremony. September 30th after High School graduation: Ultimate deadline All final paperwork is due. You will be invited to the following year s ceremony. You are now considered an adult Girl Scout and can no longer work to earn your Gold. -18-
Celebrate The Gold Award Ceremony is the official Girl Scouts of Nassau County celebration that recognizes our newest Gold Award Girl Scouts. The event is held each year in June to recognize those girls who earned their award during the 12 months from April 1 to March 31. Every Gold Award Girl Scout who turns in her completed Final Report by March 31 or September 30 (prior year) is recognized at this event. National Young Women of Distinction is the designation given by Girl Scouts of the USA to the top ten Gold Award Girl Scouts in the country each year. Girl Scouts of Nassau County can submit three nominations to Girl Scouts of the USA. Girls must use the Go Gold Online system to be considered for nomination. The nationally recognized National Young Women of Distinction are then honored at a national ceremony. Upon completion of the Girl Scout Gold Award, you become a member of the Gold Award Alliance, a sisterhood of all past recipients of the Girl Scout Gold Award or prior similar awards. As a Gold Awardee you are now a role model for the next generations of girls! We encourage you to stay involved in Girl Scouts. Call us at 516.741.2550 to learn how. -19-
Signature Page ON MY HONOR: I have read through The Gold Standard and the Girl Scout Gold Award Guidelines for Seniors and Ambassadors. Date Girl Scout s Name Signature Troop Number Attach this to your Gold Award proposal as proof of your understanding of what it takes to earn your Gold Award. -20-
Guidelines for Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors
Girl Scout Gold Award Girl Guidelines Your Name: Guidelines for Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors Since 1916, Girl Scout s highest award has stood for excellence and leadership for girls everywhere. Soon, you will be joining the ranks of generations of young women who have made a difference in their communities and beyond. As a Girl Scout, you are part of the sisterhood of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts, a global movement comprised of more than ten million girls worldwide who are using their talents to positively impact their communities. With your talent and passion, you, too, can make changes in your community that can reach people around the world. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest and most prestigious award that Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors can earn. Fulfilling the requirements for the Girl Scout Gold Award starts with completing two Girl Scout Senior or Ambassador journeys or having earned the Silver Award and completing one Senior or Ambassador journey. Each journey you complete gives you the skills you need to plan and implement your Take Action project. After you have fulfilled the journey(s) requirement, 80 hours is the suggested minimum hours for the steps: identifying an issue, investigating it thoroughly, getting help and building a team, creating a plan, presenting your plan, gathering feedback, taking action, and educating and inspiring others. The suggested minimum hours are not a rule; they are a guide for you to plan your time in achieving your goal. Standards of Excellence When you decide to earn the Girl Scout Gold Award, you are on your honor to uphold the Standards of Excellence. These standards set a high benchmark for everything you do and invite you to think deeply, explore opportunities, and challenge yourself. Following the Standards of Excellence challenges you to develop yourself as a leader, achieve the Girl Scout Leadership Outcomes and make a mark on your community that creates a lasting impact on the lives of others. 2
Girl Scout Gold Award Steps and Standards of Excellence Girl Scout Gold Award Steps 1. Choose an Issue: Use your values and skills to identify a community issue you care about. 2. Investigate: Research everything you can about the issue. 3. Get help: Invite others to support and take action with you. 4. Create a plan: Create a project plan that achieves sustainable and measurable impact. 5. Present your plan and get feedback: Sum up your project plan for your Girl Scout council. 6. Take Action: Take the lead to carry out your plan. 7. Educate and inspire: Share what you have experienced with others. Standards of Excellence Live the Girl Scout Promise and Law. Demonstrate civic responsibility. Use a variety of sources: interview people, read books and articles, find professional organizations online. Remember to evaluate each source s reliability and accuracy. Demonstrate courage as you investigate your issue, knowing that what you learn may challenge your own and others; beliefs. Identify national and/or global links to your community issue. Seek out and recognize the value of the skills and strengths of others. Respect different points of view and ways of working. Build a team and recruit a project advisor who will bring special skills to your Take Action project. Lead the planning of your Take Action project. Work collaboratively to develop a plan for your project that creates lasting change. Submit a project proposal to your council that is concise, comprehensive and clear. Describe your plan including the Girl Scout Leadership Outcomes you want to achieve and the impact you plan to make on yourself and the community. Articulate your issue clearly and explain why it matters to you. Accept constructive suggestions that will help refine your project. Take action to address the root cause of an issue, so that your solution has measurable and sustainable impact. Actively seek partnerships to achieve greater community participation and impact for your Take Action project. Challenge yourself to try different ways to solve problems. Use resources wisely. Speak out and act on behalf of yourself and others. Reflect on what you have learned when you present your Girl Scout Gold Award Final Report to your council. Summarize the effectiveness of your project and the impact it has had on you and your community. Share the project beyond your local community and inspire others to take action in their own communities. 3
Girl Scout Gold Award Toolkit Stay organized and keep track of your ideas, contact information, appointments, and plans with the Girl Scout Gold Award Toolkit. This toolkit includes a standards of excellence tracking sheet, tips, planning guides, and advice to help with each step of your Take Action project. Use these tools as you need them and don t forget that your journey(s) include tools and ideas, too! 1. Choose an issue: Use your values and skills to choose a community issue that you care about. Check out the Decision-Making Tips in your toolkit. If you have more than one issue that your are passionate about, interview others to help you decide. Practice making your pitch and see how it feels. You can also make a 15-second video, write a bumper-sticker slogan, or come up with another fun way to sum up why this issue is important to you. Tools: Decision-Making Tips Interview Tips Making-Your-Pitch Tips 2. Investigate: Use your sleuthing skills to learn everything you can about the issue you ve identified. Zoom in on your issue to identify a specific aspect of it that you would like to address, because focused effort has more impact than a big idea that s scattered. Log on: Check news sites and the sites of organizations related to your issue. Explore how the media in other countries cover your issue. Note: Before doing your online research, take the Girl Scout Internet Safety Pledge at www.girlscouts.org/internet_safety_pledge.asp. Go to the library: Find books that offer in-depth analysis about your issue, read your local newspaper, and look for magazine articles that offer different perspectives on your issue. Interview people: Talk to your friends, neighbors, teachers, business owners, and others who can offer information or insights about the issue you ve chosen. Knowing the various causes of a problem enables you to figure out unique ways to solve it. Use the Mind-Mapping Tool in your toolkit to create a diagram that tracks a problem and its possible causes. Tool: Mind-Mapping Tool 4
3. Get help: Invite other people to join your team to support your efforts and help you take action. Consider reaching out to classmates, teachers, friends, and experts from organizations and businesses. Networking with people can make you a more effective leader. Also, the more people you have behind you, the more likely you will positively influence your community. You are the leader of your team plan your project, motivate your team, learn from others. Choose a project advisor, a person with expertise in the topic of your Gold Award project. An advisor can help you identify resources, provide insights, solve problems, and provide additional background information on your chosen issue. Tools: Teaming Tips Project Advisor Tips 4. Create a plan: Going for the Girl Scout Gold Award requires you to address the root cause of an issue and, thus, make a lasting impact in your community take a look at the Sustainability Tips in your toolkit for ideas. Create a plan that outlines the best use of your time and talent, your resources, and your team s talents, making the most with what you have that s your challenge! Tools: Project Planner Planning and Budgeting Tips Sustainability Tips 5. Present your plan and get feedback: Fill out the Project Planning Checklist in your toolkit to organize your thoughts and make sure you have everything you need before you hand in your Project Proposal Form to your Girl Scout council for approval. Include what you ve learned, why your project idea matters, with whom you re teaming, and your plan for making your project sustainable. Girl Scout Council approval is required before you can continue working on your project. Once your project is approved, take a look at your Project Planner from step 4. Do you have everything you need? Tools: Project Planning Checklist Project Proposal Form 5
6. Take action: Lead your team, carry out your plan. Use the tools you have developed in the previous steps and remember to check your journey(s) for tips. If you hit a speed bump along the way, learn from it and find ways to adjust your plan. 7. Educate and inspire: Tell your story and share your results. You can inspire someone who has never before considered taking action to do something! Use the Reflection Tool in your toolkit to identify how this experience has affected you and how your views may have changed. Finally, complete your Girl Scout Gold Award Final Report, which is a comprehensive account of what you ve done, with whom you ve connected, the lasting impact you ve made, and what this experience has meant to you. Tools: Sharing Tips Reflection Tool Girl Scout Gold Award Final Report Congratulations! Celebrate! Be sure to thank your project advisor, your team, and all the other people who helped you along the way. 6
Standards of Excellence Tracking Sheets Girl Scout Gold Award Steps Notes regarding your progress and significant dates Standards of Excellence 1. Choose an Issue Live the Girl Scout Promise and Law. Demonstrate civic responsibility. 2. Investigate Use a variety of sources: interview people, read books and articles, find professional organizations online. Remember to evaluate each source s reliability and accuracy. Demonstrate courage as you investigate your issue, knowing that what you learn may challenge your own and others; beliefs. Identify national and/or global links to your community issue. 3. Get help Seek out and recognize the value of the skills and strengths of others. Respect different points of view and ways of working. Build a team and recruit a project advisor who will bring special skills to your Take Action project. 4. Create a plan Lead the planning of your Take Action project. Work collaboratively to develop a plan for your project that creates lasting change. 7
Girl Scout Gold Award Steps 5. Present your plan and get feedback Notes regarding your progress and significant dates Standards of Excellence Submit a project proposal to your council that is concise, comprehensive and clear. Describe your plan including the Girl Scout Leadership Outcomes you want to achieve and the impact you plan to make on yourself and the community. Articulate your issue clearly and explain why it matters to you. Accept constructive suggestions that will help refine your project. 6. Take Action Take action to address the root cause of an issue, so that your solution has measurable and sustainable impact. Actively seek partnerships to achieve greater community participation and impact for your Take Action project. Challenge yourself to try different ways to solve problems. Use resources wisely. Speak out and act on behalf of yourself and others. 7. Educate and inspire Reflect on what you have learned when you present your Girl Scout Gold Award Final Report to your council. Summarize the effectiveness of your project and the impact it has had on you and your community. Share the project beyond your local community and inspire others to take action in their own communities. 8
Decision-Making Tips You are about a make a big decision that will have a significant impact on your life and may even change it forever. Take some time to reflect and get inspired. Start with yourself. What inspires you? Is it something in your school, community, country, or the world? What motivates you into action? Is it people, events, activities, places? What skills, talents, and strengths do you have to offer? How do you want to make a difference? As an advocate for justice? A promoter of environmental awareness? As a trainer, mentor, or coach? As an artist, actor, or musician? As an organizer of petitions or campaigns? As an entrepreneur? Can you think of another role? What motivates, inspires, and interests others? Can you build a team to support your idea? What would benefit the community both immediately and long-term? Check back through your Girl Scout leadership journey(s). What interested you that you might be able to translate into an award project? Need some inspiration? Search through these sites to see what others are doing to address issues in their community. United We Serve: www.serve.gov Global Citizens Corps: www.globalcitizencorps.org Global Youth Action Network: www.youthlink.org Global Youth Service Day: http://gysd.org/share Learn and Serve America: www.learnandserve.gov Prudential: www.spirit.prudential.com Taking IT Global: www.tigweb.org United Nations Millennium Development Goals: www.un.org/millenniumgoals World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts: www.wagggs.org Youth Venture: www.genv.net 9
Interview Tips Find out what you need to prepare and conduct an interview. 1. Making arrangements: Deciding who you would like to interview, contacting the person, and setting up a date and time. 2. Preparation: Gathering research and background information to help you formulate questions to ask the interview subject(s). Use these sample interview questions to get you started, and then add some of your own. If you need help choosing an issue, you ll want to ask the following types of questions: What are the biggest challenges/problems that you have faced or are facing? What do you think is the root cause of these issues? What will it take to address these issues? Are there any resources available to do that? What do you consider to be the strengths of the community? If, on the other hand, you ve already chosen an issue, move ahead to the interview. 3. Conducting the interview: Bring a notebook to take notes. Here are some tips: Find a quiet place where you ll have each others full attention, and agree to turn off your cell phones. Start by thanking the interviewee for her/his time, and then briefly describe your project. Keep questions simple and related to the issue at hand. Do your research. Preparation is key! Ask the person you interview if she or he would like to hear more about your project as it develops. Send a thank-you note to everyone you interview within a week of the interview. Mention the possibility of a follow-up interview. 4. Reviewing information and setting up a possible follow up interview: Your interview is over. Now what? You have to sift through to find the information that s relevant to what you are working on. If there are some gaps that you need to fill, contact your interview subject(s) to get more information and to find out whether or not you have your facts correct. Remember to check and recheck your facts! 10
Making Your Pitch You ve seen the advertisements and most times you even remember the slogans. What makes them memorable? It could be because they re clever or catchy or funny. Now that you ve chosen your issue, think of a way that you can let people know about it. You should be able to describe the issue you ve chosen in about 15 seconds. Here are some tips to help you do that. Make it memorable: Develop a slogan. What makes you remember the slogan in those commercials on TV? How can you incorporate that into your pitch? Target your audience: Who are you trying to reach? If you are aiming for kids, think of a story or riddle that would relate this to them. Young kids love to rhyme. If you re reaching out to adults, no cute stories! Think about your audience and try to tailor your pitch so that it connects with them. How you will help: You ve gotten their attention with your story. Now tell them what your project will do to make their lives better. Personalize it: Why this project? Why this target audience? How will doing this make you a better person? Do it: Put it all together. Explain your idea in a short and motivating way that clarifies for you, your potential team, target audience, and supporters. Remember, 15 seconds. Go! 11
Mind-Mapping Tool Create your own mind-mapping diagram like the one shown here, using one of the issues facing your community. Follow these instructions. Write the community issue in the middle of the paper or any where that works for you. Think about what some of the causes of this issue could be. In this example, one of the main causes of car accidents is bad weather. Notice how many different causes connect from bad weather. Now, try connecting the different causes you come up with to each other and to the main issue. How do the causes connect to each other? Do you see a pattern? This activity will help you come up with different ways to approach a problem, as well as different ways you might go about addressing it. Can t see Road Signs Distracted Drivers Poor Visibility Car Accidents Using Cell Phone Icy and Slick Roads Bad Weather Animals in Roadway Drunk Driving 12
Teaming Tips Think about the people who might be able to help you put your project into action. Choose people who will stick it out until the project is complete. You don t have to limit your team to people your age or just Girl Scouts. Working in a group will help you make a bigger impact and cover more ground than you would on your own. It might be challenging at times, but remember to always be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, and responsible for what you say and do. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you build your team: Promote a sense of trust and belonging Share ownership Clarify roles and responsibilities Communicate regularly and openly Respect diversity Have fun and be creative Be open to new ideas and different ways of working Keep learning and growing Project Advisor Tips Here you ll find tips for selecting and working with your project advisor. Reach out: You ve figured out the issue you re going to address with your project. Now it s time to find an expert to help along the way and give you advice and suggestions. Ask your troop/group volunteer or your council for suggestions. Then, select a few people who are related to your issue area with whom you d like to work. Safety first: Before you meet with new people, talk to your troop/group volunteer for some safety tips and do s and don ts. Make sure your family knows who you re talking to and meeting with. Ask: Start with your first choice, and if she or he can t help, go to your next choice. (Hint: There may be many others who are willing to help!) Approach the people you selected one at a time. Introduce yourself by sending a brief letter or e-mail, explaining what you re working on and the advice you would like. Give some background. Give an estimate, asking about time commitments and which way would be best to communicate. 13
Say thanks: When an individual accepts, send her or him a thank-you note, along with a brief description of your project and a list of areas where you think you ll need the most help. Think ahead when asking for help: Before you compose an e-mail or call your project advisor, think about how you can simplify a problem you re having, so that she or he can offer quick suggestions. Share your progress: Make sure to tell your project advisor (in a quick e-mail or phone call) about your progress and how her or his help is making your project better, easier, and so on. Celebrate together: After your project is completed, invite her or him to your Gold Award ceremony and/or your own celebration. Don t forget to send a thank-you note! Project Planner A Girl Scout Gold Award Take Action project addresses the root cause of an issue, produces impact that is measurable and sustainable, and is a local project that links to a national and/or global issue. Here are a few tips to help you lay out your project plan: Set project goals: What is your project? Why does it matter? Who will it help? The difference I intend to make in the world is Steps to meet the goals: List step-by-step what it will take to reach your goal. Be as specific as possible so that you can put together a timeline and draw on your team to help you reach your goals. Develop a timeline: This will help you determine how much time should be allotted to each part of your project. 14
Think about money-earning: Brainstorm ways to finance your project, if needed, speak with your Girl Scout troop/group volunteer to make sure that your ideas are in line with the Girl Scout policies. Check with your council. Remember, you can make an impact without spending money by influencing policy and so on. Establish a global link: Consider how to connect your project to an issue that affects people in other parts of the country or the world. Use the following questions to help you determine what you need and what you need to do. What is the goal that you would you like to achieve with your project? How do you plan to achieve this project goal? What are the foreseeable obstacles? Aside from your team, troop/group volunteer, and project advisor, do you need any one else to help with your project? What supplies will you need? If necessary, how will you earn money or fundraise? How will you measure your success as you go? How will your project create lasting change? 15
Planning and Budgeting Tips It s budget time! Start by figuring out what you need and where you can get it for little or no cost, if possible. If it s not possible, think about how much it is going to cost and how you can cover those expenses. Many projects are possible when you concentrate on the issue at hand. Use your influence and leadership skills to come up with ways that you can make a difference that might not include earning money. List the Steps to Achieve Your Goal What Resources and Materials Will You Need? Where Can You Get the Resources and Materials? How Much Will They Cost? How Do You Plan to Cover These Costs? 16
Does Your Plan Sound Doable? If not, take a step back and refocus. Try to find a different angle to pursue. Work with your troop/group volunteer, project advisor, and Take Action team to find solutions to problems and obstacles that come up along the way. Sustainability Tips Girl Scout Gold Award projects are not one shot they create lasting change. You can ensure a lasting project by setting clear timelines, collaborating with community organizations, building alliances with adults and mentors, and keeping good records. Sustainability often involves influencing others to pitch in. Here are some examples of sustainable projects. Example #1 Community issue: Food waste from school lunches poses a danger to the environment. Root cause: No community composting or recycling program. Take action: Create a food-waste composting program for the school. Making the solution sustainable: Work with school officials to find biodegradable plates and cups to use in the cafeteria. Work with town/state food waste officials to ensure the system is in place. Implement a plan in your school to separate their cafeteria waste into composting, recycling, and trash bins. (Farmers can use the compost to fertilize crops, improve the quality of the soil, decrease soil runoff, and so on.) Get a commitment from school administrators to carry on when your project is complete. Making your project bigger (national and/or global link): Recruit students at schools in the area to develop the program for their schools and/or contact local and state officials about adopting the program. Global link: Find out how people in other parts of the world deal with food waste in schools. What kinds of programs do they have in place? How can you learn from this? 17
Example #2 Community issue: Teen suicide. Root cause: Lack of awareness and prevention. Take action: Establish an awareness and prevention program. Making the solution sustainable: Produce a short video that can be used in other communities with an online brochure outlining the steps to an awareness and prevention program. Share the video and online brochure with schools and community organizations. Making your project bigger (national and/or global link): Share the program with local youth groups, health/human services agencies, community centers, church/synagogue/mosque community centers, or school district. Project Planning Checklist The answers to all of the questions below must be yes before you submit your plan for council approval. Will your project demonstrate your leadership skills? Have you set your project goal and identified what you would like to learn? Have you chosen your Take Action team? Have you discussed the project with them? Have you created a budget for the project? Have you created a plan to raise funds, if necessary? Have you made a timeline for your project? Does your project address a need in the local community and have you found national and/or global links? Can your project be sustainable? Does your project challenge your abilities and your interests? Once you answer yes to all the items on this checklist, you re ready to submit your Girl Scout Gold Award Project Proposal. 18
Sharing Tips It s time to tell others about what you did, what you have learned, and the impact you hope your project will have on its intended audience. Your story may inspire others to take action to do something to make their community better! Here are a few suggestions for how you can demonstrate your project achievements and share what you learned: Create a Web site or blog or join a social networking site (Facebook, MySpace, and so on) to post updates and details about your project and its impact on the national and/or global community. Log on to some Web sites where you can share your story: o World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts: www.wagggs.org/en/projects o Taking IT Global: www.tigweb.org o Global Youth Service Day: www.globalyouthserviceday.org Create a campaign that showcases your cause. Make buttons, posters, and flyers to let people know about your cause. Present what you have learned and what your project will do for the community at a workshop for community members. Make a video about the effects of your project. Post it online. Invite friends, community leaders, and people from organizations who are tackling the same or a similar issue to take a look at it. Write an article for your local newspaper or create a newsletter about your project. 19
Reflection Tool Reflection is more than talking about your feelings; it s about thinking critically, solving problems, and interpreting and analyzing the results of your experiences so you can gain a better understanding of who you are. After you complete your project, take some time to assess yourself. 1. Which values from the Girl Scout Promise and Law did you employ? 2. Which new leadership skills have you developed? 3. How are you better able to advocate for yourself and others? 4. How has your access to community resources and relationships with adults changed as a result of this experience? 20
5. How important has cooperation and team building been in developing your leadership skills? 6. What changes would you make if you were to do this project again? 7. Has this helped you get an idea of what your future career might be? 8. Now that you have planned, developed, and taken action on your project, how are you better equipped to pursue future/life goals? 21
Gold Award Project Log Name: Phone: Gold Award Mentor: Name of Project: It is required to keep a detailed Hour Log as you work on your Gold Award. Your Gold Award Mentor will be asking to see it along the way. When you have completed your 80-hour project an Hour Log MUST be submitted to your Mentor for approval before the Final Report information is sent to you from Council. Date Activity Time Spent*
Date Activity Time Spent* *Hours Logged should total 80 or more
Girl Scout Gold Award Project Proposal Your Name: Prior to starting your project, submit this propsal to: Council Name: Council Address: City: State: Zip Code: Email: Phone: SUBMIT THIS PROPOSAL BY THE DATE(S) ESTABLISHED BY THE LOCAL COUNCIL Name: Address: City: State: Zip Code: Email: Phone: Age: Grade: School: Troop/Group Number: Troop/Group Volunteer s Phone: Troop/Group Volunteer: Email: Girl Scout Gold Award Project Advisor: Project Advisor s Organization: Project Advisor s Phone: Email: 1
Girl Scout Gold Award Project Proposal Your Name: Prerequisites: Two Senior or Ambassador journeys or one journey and he Girl Scout Silver Award. List two journeys that you have completed along with your troop/group volunteer s signature. Senior/Ambassador Journey Books Date Completed Troop/Group Volunteer s Signature 1. 2. Girl Scout Silver Award Completion Date Council Where You Earned the Award List the names of individuals and organizations that you plan to work with on your Take Action project. This is a preliminary list that may grow through the course of your project. More Team Members Affiliation Role 2
Girl Scout Gold Award Project Proposal Your Name: Take Action Project Project Title: Proposed Start Date: Proposed Completion Date: Describe the issue your project will address and who is your target audience. Remember your 15-second pitch. Discuss your reasons for selecting this project. Outline the strengths, talents, and skills that you plan to put into action. What skills do you hope to develop? Describe the steps involved in putting your plan into action, including resources, facilities, equipment, and approvals needed. (Attach a detailed project plan.) Enter the names of people or organizations you plan to inform and involve. 3
Girl Scout Gold Award Project Proposal Your Name: Take Action Project What is the problem/issue you are addressing? What are the underlying causes (root cause) to this problem/issue that you will be tackling? Tell us why your issue is important to you and why should it matter to others. 3a
Girl Scout Gold Award Project Proposal Your Name: Estimate overall project expenses and how you plan to meet these costs. What methods or tools will you use to evaluate the impact of your project? How will your project be sustained beyond your involvement? Describe how you plan to tell others about your project, the project s impact, and what you have learned (Web site, blog, presentations, posters, videos, articles, and so on). Your Signature: Project Advisor s Signature: Council Representative Approved: Date: Date: Date: 4
Girl Scout Gold Award Project Proposal Your Name: Impact Planning Using the Impact Planning Chart, describe the impact you hope your project will have on your community, your target audience, and you. Impact On... Goals Potential Impact Community What community issue do you plan to address? What examples of the project impact might you see in the future? Target Audience (workshop participants, other youth, community members, and so on) What skills, knowledge, or attitudes will your target audience gain? How will you know that the target audience gained skills or knowledge? 5
Girl Scout Gold Award Project Proposal Your Name: The following is a list of the 15 Girl Scout Leadership Outcomes.* Which do you think you will develop through this project? Discover: I will develop a stronger sense of self. I will develop positive values. I will gain practical life skills. I will seek challenges in the world. I will develop critical thinking. Connect: I will develop healthy relationships. I will promote cooperation and team building. I will resolve conflicts. I will advance diversity in a multicultural world. I will feel more connected to my community, locally and globally. Take Action: I will identify community issues. I will be a resourceful problem solver. I will advocate for myself and others, locally and globally. I will educate and inspire others to act. I will feel empowered to make a difference in the world. *Want more information on the Girl Scout Leadership Outcomes? Visit www.girlscouts.org/research/publications/outcomes/transforming_leadership.asp. 6
Girl Scout s Name: GSNC Supplemental Proposal Paperwork Detailed Gold Award Project Plan What is your goal? What do you hope to accomplish and the impact you want to make? Continued on next page>
The Who, What, Where, and When: Tell us in detail about your Gold Award project plan. This should include a timeline or outline. (Remember Projects are 80 hours minimum; approximately 75% prep and 25% implementation.) Continue on next page if necessary>
FAQ for Funding a Gold Award Project Q. Does a Gold Award Project need to cost a lot of money? A. Most Award Projects don t cost a lot of money and sometimes nothing at all. Part of expanding girls leadership skills is finding creative ways to get supplies donated. This aspect of the project also helps the girls to begin to develop networking skills and counts toward project hours. Q. If money is needed, how should we begin? A. The first way to fund your Gold Award Projects is to use Troop funds to cover expenses. Girls can vote to use Troop funds to cover the cost of award projects. Easy ways to build Troop funds: Fall Product Program Cookie Program Q. After you have taken part in Council product sales and you still don t have enough funds what do you do? A. You can move on to money-earning activities. The money earning activities are planned and carried out by girls and supported by adults to earn money for the Troop treasury. Examples: Gift-wrapping for the holidays Babysitting at Town meetings, school meetings, or other public places Spaghetti Supper Car wash Garage sale Raking leaves, shoveling walks, weeding gardens Birthday party service Craft sale Collect & redeem recyclable materials Be creative! There are many more ways in which you can earn money! You must have participated in the Council-sponsored Mags&Munchies AND Cookie product sales programs before any other additional money earning activities can be approved.