Congratulations to our 2019 Gold Award Earners!
Girl Scouts are busy! Look closely, and chances are you will see young leaders doing amazing work in your community every day. Most likely you are also watching our Gold Award earners hard at work!
Created in 1916 by Girl Scouts’ founder, Juliette Gordon Low, the Gold Award challenges youth to change their communities – and the world – in a way that has a sustainable and memorable impact. It’s the highest award a youth member can achieve in Girl Scouts, and less than six percent of all Girl Scouts ever receive the award!
Youth members must undergo a rigorous project design and execution process that shows their commitment to changing the world. This year, we honored 33 powerful, inspirational, and thoughtful Girl Scouts from western Washington at the annual Gold Award Gala, held in June at the Museum of Flight. We applaud your commitment, Girl Scouts!
Victoria Alkin created a free two-hour workshop teaching music, songwriting, and music production for kids. Now, the community organization where she hosted the workshops is leading these.
Alexandra Ash created coding curriculum to fill the gaps for an elementary robotics club to give students the tools to be coders.
Lily Bates established a FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics team at a Title 1 school in her community to provide STEM opportunities for students outside of the classroom.
Catherine Baxter started an American Sign Language Club at an elementary school in her community, working to make sure everyone in society has a voice. She also made ASL Youtube videos for people outside her community.
Hannah Cargill mobilized the community to build an artificial chimney to divert Vaux’s Swift birds from damaging active chimneys in her community.
Kathryn Doolin taught elementary level art classes at schools and community centers to children who don’t receive art education at their schools. The STAR Center in Tacoma now uses her curriculum for monthly Kids’ Night Out events.
Justine Faller transformed the small inefficient music cabinet at her high school into a large mobile cabinet with a capacity to serve over 250 students.
Mia Felt, partnered with an organization in Everett that prepares meals for homeless members of the community to create a useful kitchen guide and volunteer training tools.
Mary Fletcher engaged the residents at an assisted living community in creating reusable seasonal decorations to be used to improve the atmosphere throughout the year in the facility.
Jen Gard worked with Camp Waskowitz to create lasting educational materials at camp with a plant of the week and an animal of the week display and a video used to prep students before coming to camp.
McKenna Glover created a play place at the Redmond Youth Eastside Services Center and created a system to provide toys to the youth served by the center.
Alyssa Gries worked with local Tacoma youth to enhance awareness of the challenges teens face from social pressures related to bullying through social media through a theater production.
Melissa Hamling created tools to support students in navigating the private high school application system.
Maria Harsvik created and facilitated six science lessons for children experiencing homelessness at a center in Kirkland, WA. The center provides this curriculum to other groups of volunteers to continue serving children with this enrichment.
Sarah Hartman filled a gap in library service in her community by installing a little free library which has seen lots of use since its installation.
Tara Heiland organized a Great Gatsby themed dance for a senior living community which was very well-received and was the first of many such events.
Leanna Rose Henion sought to increase volunteerism in teens in her community, and worked with the Northwest Art Center to create a system to engage and support volunteers.
Elizabeth Hildebrand led a community effort to install a Mason Bee habitat to increase the population of pollinators and encourage widespread ecological understanding.
Rebecca Hofmann implemented a Varsity Letter in Community Service program at her school district.
India Hutson organized a team of volunteers to build a tiny house in Whittier Heights and advocated for affordable housing.
Mora Kozleski worked with the International Rescue Committee in Seattle to provide art and school supplies to Syrian refugees, including art kits with simple step-by-step instructions.
Katie LaRue held free First-Aid workshops in the community so children would be confident in knowing how to respond when someone gets hurt, and developed materials so the workshops can be operated in the future.
Marina Latimer undertook a large improvement project for a community softball field and organized an inaugural tournament to increase support and enthusiasm for girls’ athletics.
Cora Lyon made a 3-D printed prosthetic hand and established an E-Nable chapter, an open-source organization that partners with people in need of prosthetic fingers and hands.
Amelia Mitchell partnered with local yarn shops to provide handmade hats to the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance.
Kristina Norris partnered with the annual “Back to School Blessing” in her community and organized a clothing drive to fill the gap for students.
Ali Owen organized a toy drive at her school to support Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital and ensured that it will become an annual tradition.
Arina Poggioli established two FIRST LEGO League robotics teams at an elementary school in her school district which will be supported by high school robotics students.
Margot Reynolds reorganized and restored a greenhouse at her middle school which had fallen into disarray. She worked with the teachers to create tools to support the garden program.
Brittany Sarto partnered with “Let’s Recycle Right” and the local parks department to attach lasting signs to garbage and recycling bins to clarify proper disposal methods.
Brooke Stuart created an after-school reading club at a school where a large number of students were reading below grade level. Her help allowed them to become more confident readers.
James Wall established an online literary magazine with content by and for LGBTQ+ youth, with a local editorial board. The online readership has reached over 40 countries!
Isobel Williamson advocated for arts education in schools promoting creative reuse as an inexpensive outlet to integrate art with other subjects.
A big round of applause for the inspiring work these amazing young leaders have done to make their communities a better place. It reminds us what our founder, Juliette Gordon Low has said: “The work of today is the history of tomorrow, and we are its makers.”