2008 National Young Women of Distinction:
Call for Applications

10 Young Women of Distinction will be honored during a presentation at the National Council Session in Indianapolis, Ind.

Please circulate this announcement and encourage girls to apply!

Who can apply?

• Any girl that has completed her Girl Scout Gold Award between October 1, 2006 and April 30, 2008. There is no limit on the number applications a council or Overseas Committee can submit to GSUSA

Submissions requirements:

• Projects must reflect a passion a girl has for a cause
• Leadership Skills
• The impact of the project and sustainability (locally, nationally or globally)
• Addresses the three Girl Scout keys to leadership:

Discover: Understand their values and their world
Connect: Care about, inspire and team with others
Take Action: Act to make the world a better place

Deadlines:

• Girls must submit their applications to their councils or Overseas Committees by May 15, 2008
• Applications from councils or Overseas Committees must be postmarked by June 30, 2008 and received at GSUSA no later than July 7, 2008
• Applications arriving after July 7, 2008 will not be considered

Please see the announcement flyer (PDF, 154KB), application procedures (PDF, 90KB) and application (Word), or application (PDF, 27KB).

Any questions or concerns about the National Young Women of Distinction event please email ywod@girlscouts.org.

Girl Scouts and Leadership
Girl Scouts of the USA has a 96-year tradition of building leadership skills in girls. Research shows that Girl Scout alumnae represent 70 percent of women serving in Congress and 66 percent of women of professional achievement. Illustrious alumnae include Sandra Day O'Connor, the first female to sit on the Supreme Court of the United States; Eileen Collins, the first woman space shuttle commander; Dr. Drew Gilpin Faust, the first female president of Harvard University; and Katie Couric, the first woman to anchor a network evening newscast.

About the Gold Award and National Young Women of Distinction Honor
The Gold Award has evolved from a long line of Girl Scout leadership awards going back as far as 1919. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award a Girl Scout between 14 and 18 can earn. Currently between 5-6 percent of eligible Girls Scouts earn the Gold Award annually. The Gold Award recognizes the work of Girl Scouts who demonstrate leadership culminating in 65 hours or more, dedicated towards a service project that has lasting effects in their community. In 2007, Girl Scouts of the USA will recognize the extraordinary achievements of Girl Scout Gold Award projects by honoring a select group as the 2007 National Young Women of Distinction. Find out more information on the Girl Scout Gold Award.

About Girl Scouts
Founded in 1912, Girl Scouts of the USA is the preeminent leadership development organization for girls with 3.6 million girl and adult members worldwide. Girl Scouting is the leading authority on girls' healthy development, and builds girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place. The organization strives to serve girls from every corner of the United States and its territories. Girls Scouts of the USA also serves American girls and their classmates attending American or international schools overseas in 90 countries. For more information on how to join, volunteer, reconnect or donate to Girl Scouts, call (800) GSUSA 4 U (800-478-7248) or visit www.girlscouts.org.

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