2026 Recognition of Excellence

On Saturday, April 25, 2026, Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois will honor our outstanding Highest Award Girl Scouts and Adult Award recipients at our fifth annual Recognition of Excellence ceremony. Girl Scout families and supporters from throughout Southern Illinois are invited to gather at DoubleTree in Mt. Vernon to celebrate these achievements.

Congratulations to all of our award recipients!

Awards Presented at Recognition of Excellence

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Girl Scout Silver Award
The Girl Scout Silver Award is the second highest award in Girl Scouting and the highest honor a Girl Scout Cadette can achieve. For their Silver Award, Cadettes focus on an issue they care about, learn the facts, and take action to make a difference. They gain the confidence and skills that will catapult them to lifelong success.

Learn more about the Girl Scout Silver Award.

Girl Scout Gold Award
Since 1916, Girl Scouts have been making meaningful, sustainable change in their communities and around the world. The Girl Scout Gold Award, the most prestigious award in the world for girls to earn, and only offered by Girl Scouts, recognizes leadership, effort, and impact that Girl Scout Seniors and Girl Scout Ambassadors have on their communities. Only about 5 percent of eligible girls take the rigorous path toward earning this prestigious award, and those who complete the journey change the lives of others and their own in amazing and significant ways.

Learn more about the Girl Scout Gold Award.

Girl Scout Trifecta Award
Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois members would like to honor girls who have truly reached for the stars and earned the Trifecta Award. The Trifecta Award recognizes Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois who have earned the Girl Scout Bronze Award, the Girl Scout Silver Award, and the Girl Scout Gold Award.

Outstanding Graduating Girl Scout Scholarship Award
The Outstanding Graduating Girl Scout Scholarship is awarded to Girl Scouts who demonstrate extraordinary leadership in the Girl Scout movement, in school and in their community. Along with sharing their achievements and contributions, applicants submit an essay entitled “What Girl Scouts Means to Me” along with a reference letter. Congratulations to our 2026 recipients!

Medal of Honor Award
Since 1913, the Girl Scouts of the USA have been honoring Girl Scouts for deeds that help save lives with the Medal of Honor Award. Girl Scouts are trained in health and safety, as well as to have presence of mind and be of service to others. Lifesaving Awards, however, are reserved for those Girl Scouts who have performed acts of heroism beyond the degree of maturity and training expected for their age.

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Living Her Legacy
The Living Her Legacy award recognizes a leader, co-leader, and/or member of the leadership team (Troop Treasurer, Troop Product Program Manager- Fall, Troop Product Program Manager - Cookies) that started a troop as kindergarten Daisies and continued the same troop until the girls became graduated Ambassadors.

Sustained Service
The Sustained Service Award recognizes a long-term Girl Scout volunteer who has continued to provide exemplary service at the service unit level for at least 10 years.

Heart of Gold
The Heart of Gold award recognizes the long-term impact a volunteer has had on girls and adults in his/her community through involvement in Girl Scouting. The service of this volunteer has been an integral part of maintaining and recruiting new girls and/or adults in one or more areas of the council.

Congratulations to our 2026 recipients!

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Volunteer of Excellence
The Volunteer of Excellence Award recognizes volunteers who have contributed outstanding service while partnering directly with girls to implement the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE) through the use of the National Program Portfolio or who have contributed outstanding service in support of the council's mission delivery to girl and adult members.

Appreciation Pin
The Appreciation Pin recognizes an individual's exemplary service in support of delivering the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE). This service, which has had measurable impact on at least one service unit, contributes to expanding the council's reach and surpassing its mission-delivery goals for that area.

Honor Pin
The Honor Pin recognizes an individual’s exemplary service in support of delivering the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE), and has had a measurable impact on two or more service units, contributing to the goals of the council to reach and surpass its mission-delivery.

Thanks Badge
The Thanks Badge honors an individual whose ongoing commitment, leadership, and service has had an exceptional, measurable impact on meeting the mission-delivery goals and priorities of the entire council or the entire Girl Scout Movement.

Thanks Badge II
The Thanks II Badge honors a previous Thanks Badge recipient who has continued to provide exemplary service in a leadership role resulting in a measurable impact that benefits the entire Girl Scout Movement.

President’s Award
The President's Award recognizes the efforts of a service unit team whose exemplary service in support of delivering the Girl Scout Leadership Experience surpassed team goals and resulted in significant, measurable impact toward reaching the council's overall goals.

Congratulations to our 2026 recipients!