Other Girl Awards

Girls and adults can earn various awards and honors. Whether for exemplary service as a troop leader or as part of bridging to their next level in Girl Scouting, it's important to recognize and support the accomplishments of our girl and adult members.

Girls and adults can earn some award badges and pins by meeting the requirements for the corresponding award. Other honors require nominations, either by peers, or by an adult who is familiar with how a girl exemplifies courage, confidence, and character in her everyday life.

Meet this year's award recipients >>

Meritorious Service Awards

Every Girl Scout is prepared to do heroic things! These awards are reserved for those Girl Scouts who have performed heroic acts beyond the degree of maturity and training to be expected at their age. These awards are only given out by GSUSA through a council nomination.

Lifesaving Awards

Lifesaving Awards are national awards given to a registered Girl Scout who has saved or attempted to save human life under circumstances that indicate heroism or risk of her own life. These awards are reserved for those Girl Scouts who have performed heroic acts beyond the degree of maturity and training to be expected at their age.

Download the Lifesaving Award application (PDF) >>

MEDAL OF HONOR
Given to a Girl Scout who has shown presence of mind and true Girl Scout spirit in an emergency.

BRONZE CROSS
Given to a Girl Scout who has shown extraordinary heroism or risked her life to save another’s.

Presidential Volunteer Service Award

Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan is a certifying agency for the President's Volunteer Service Award, which is issued by the Corporation for National Community Service on behalf of the President of the United States.

The President's Volunteer Service Award recognizes Girl Scouts that have achieved a certain standard—measured by the number of hours of service during a 12-month period. For GSSEM, this period runs from March 1 to March 1 every year.

To log your hours during the above time period, use this sample spreadsheet and email it to Katelyn Snover at ksnover@gssem.org prior to the yearly March 1 deadline.

President's Volunteer Service Awards are given to:

Youth ages 5-14 who have completed 50 or more hours of volunteer service.
Individuals 15 and older who have completed 100 or more hours of volunteer service.

Note: The Lifetime achievement is not available at this time.

Presidential recognition sets you apart from your peers. It's a tremendous honor. Even though you may not seek recognition, your example can deliver a powerful message that encourages others to take action.

Girl Leadership & Mentoring Awards

Cadettes, Seniors, and Ambassadors can earn awards for mentoring younger scouts. Requirements to achieve the Program Aide and Volunteer in Training (ViT) awards are outlined in the Girl's Guide to Girl Scouting.

Program Aide - Cadettes

How to earn a Program Aide award:

Working with Brownie scouts to earn the LiA award
Completing a council-designed Program Aide training course
Planning a series of at least 6 activities with Brownie scouts

Leadership in Action (LiA) - Cadettes

How to earn an LiA award:

Assisting a Brownie group on any of their National Leadership Journeys

The above involves sharing your organizational skills, using one of your special talents (such as creating and demonstrating a science experiment or craft), teaching Brownies something important from their Journey (such as making healthy snacks or getting exercise), and reflecting on your experience.

There are 3 different LiA awards, one for each of the Journey series:

For more information about each LiA, network with the adult volunteers guiding Brownie groups in your Girl Scout community. Complete requirements can be found in their Brownie Leadership Journey adult guides.

Volunteer in Training (ViT) - Seniors/Ambassadors

How to earn a ViT award:

Working with a mentor and Daisy, Brownie or Junior scouts for 3-6 months
Completing a council-sponsored leadership course
Creating a journey or badge-based activity for younger scouts with 4 or more sessions

Check out our calendar of events for trainings and program opportunities.

Special GSSEM Girl Recognitions

The Jennifer Barnum Spirit Award and the Tammie Murray Award are designed to recognize outstanding Cadette, Senior, and Ambassador Girl Scouts. Awardees exemplify the Girl Scout spirit through leadership, actions, and involvement. Each award is given in memory of two exceptional Senior Girl Scouts, Jennifer Barnum and Tammie Murray. Jennifer and Tammie led by example and were committed to the values embraced by the Girl Scout Promise and Law.

Award Nominee Deadline and Requirements

Nominees must be a registered Cadette, Senior, or Ambassador Girl Scout with at least two (2) years membership with Girl Scouting.
Nominations for both awards must be received by Tuesday, March 1, 2022.
Nominations can come from an individual or group familiar with the candidate.
Applications must be completed by the nominator with an explanation of the candidate's worthiness and include two (2) letters of endorsement from individuals who know the candidate well (not from the nominee’s family).
For the Jennifer Barnum Spirit Award, one of the recommendation letters must come from a Cadette, Senior, or Ambassador Girl Scout.
Nomination forms can be found further down this page.

If you have any questions, please email Leatrice Thompson at lthompson@gssem.org.

Jennifer Barnum Spirit Award

The Jennifer Barnum Spirit Award is presented to a Cadette, Senior, or Ambassador Girl Scout who has demonstrated the true Girl Scout spirit.

Nominees must show the courage and enthusiasm needed to embrace the Girl Scout spirit, not only during Girl Scout events but in her day-to-day activities. Girls must demonstrate the highest ideal of character, conduct, patriotism, and personality in interactions with others.

Recipients should be the embodiment of this quote by Juliette Low: “We shall make scouting so much a part of our life that people will recognize the spirit and say, 'Why, of course, she is a Girl Scout!'"

Download the Jennifer Barnum Spirit Award nomination form (PDF) >>

Tammie Murray Award

The Tammie Murray Award is given to a Cadette, Senior, or Ambassador Girl Scout who is actively involved in Girl Scouting and personifies the Girl Scout Law throughout all of her activities.

She must have given outstanding service to others and her community, and she must have served as a role model and mentor to younger girls. She also must have demonstrated leadership and commitment to her goals, such as academics, sports, or mentoring younger girls.

Download the Tammie Murray Award nomination form (PDF) >>