By Krista Park, Communications & Marketing Director

Each year, girls who Go Gold demonstrate extraordinary leadership through individual Take Action projects that provide a sustainable, lasting benefit to their larger community. Since 1916, girls have successfully answered the call to Go Gold, an act that forever marks them as accomplished members of their communities and the world.  During 2012, Girl Scouts – NC Coastal Pines was proud to bestow the Girl Scout Gold Award on 43 girls.

The Girl Scout Gold Award represents the highest achievement in Girl Scouting.  This past July, Girl Scouts – NC Coastal Pines honored the 2012 Gold Award recipients at three Gold Award receptions across our council region. These receptions, sponsored by Wells Fargo Insurance Services, celebrated these accomplished Girl Scouts who achieved their goals and this distinguished honor all while serving their communities. Each Awardee also received a special Girl Scout Gold Award bracelet with a commemorative 100^th anniversary charm.

The Gold Award project fulfills a need within a girl’s community (whether local or global), creates change, and is sustainable.  The project is more than a good service project— it encompasses organizational, leadership, and networking skills.  Media literacy, exercise and healthy living, nutrition and childhood obesity, immigration and access to education, economic development, childhood depression, and public safety were among the community issues addressed by the 2012 awardees.  To read more about each Girl Scout Gold Awardee and her project, view our interactive 2012 Girl Scout Gold Awards booklet.

Here are 10 impressive facts about the Girl Scout Gold Award:

1. Approximately one million Girl Scouts have earned the Gold Award or its equivalent since 1916.
2. Awarded to fewer than six percent of Girl Scouts annually, each Gold Awardee spends one to two years on her project.
3. In 2010, the average age of recipients was 17 years old.
4. Gold Award projects involve eight steps: identifying an issue; investigating it thoroughly; inviting others to participate and building a team; creating a plan; presenting your plan; gathering feedback; taking action; and educating and inspiring others.
5. 80 hours is the suggested minimum hours of service for Gold Award projects.
6. A number of college scholarship opportunities await girls who have earned their Girl Scout Gold Award.
7. In recognition of their achievements, Gold Awardees who join the armed services enter at one rank higher than other recruits.
8. Gold Award alumnae are more successful in school, develop a stronger sense of self, and report greater satisfaction with life than their peers.
9. Gold Award recipients have a built-in sisterhood. They join networks of Gold Award recipients and become role models to other girls.
10. Girl Scout Gold Award projects create lasting change.

Girl Scouts – NC Coastal Pines takes great pride in recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of the 43 young women who achieved their goals to earn the Girl Scout Gold Award during the 2012 Girl Scout award year.   Congratulations to all of our 2012 Girl Scout Gold Awardees!