Amaris, individually registered Girl Scout from Chicago
Amaris noticed that small winter accessories and seasonal items aren’t easy to come by through coat drives and similar projects designed to help those in need. So she did what Girl Scouts do—she took action to give back. For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Amaris created flyers and presented PowerPoint slides to inform people in her community about the items needed. She then collected donations of hats, gloves, scarves, sunblock, water, and wipes, which she distributed to areas with significant homeless populations in Chicago. When asked about highlights of her project, Amaris mentioned feeling good about being able to make even a slight difference in people’s lives.
Carrie, Hornets' Nest Council
“Bee Aware”: the future looks bright with innovators like Carrie taking the lead. To address the decline of native bee populations in South Carolina and attract more pollinators to the area, Carrie created a certified wildlife garden on Winthrop University campus, providing food, shelter, and other living accommodations so that bees can mate and lay eggs. She selected and planted foliage without using pesticides, and to meet the sustainability requirement of her Girl Scout Gold Award project Carrie teamed up with the university to come up with a plan to maintain the garden’s habitat. The most rewarding part of her project? “Visiting the garden after its completion to find baby bees hatching in the shelter.”
Learn more about Carrie’s project.
Maria, Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania
“Bee Aware”: the future looks bright with innovators like Carrie taking the lead. To address the decline of native bee populations in South Carolina and attract more pollinators to the area, Carrie created a certified wildlife garden on Winthrop University campus, providing food, shelter, and other living accommodations so that bees can mate and lay eggs. She selected and planted foliage without using pesticides, and to meet the sustainability requirement of her Girl Scout Gold Award project Carrie teamed up with the university to come up with a plan to maintain the garden’s habitat. The most rewarding part of her project? “Visiting the garden after its completion to find baby bees hatching in the shelter.”
Learn more about Carrie’s project.
Maria, Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania
For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Maria worked with the Autism Society of Pittsburgh and her local government to make a park in Allegheny County more accommodating of children with autism and sensory needs. She installed three sensory-friendly play panels equipped with bongos, chimes, and clicking gears; she also replaced a trash can and four deteriorated benches and removed dead trees for safety. Lastly, Maria added a little pizazz with ornamental grass and flowers. Talk about leaving a place better than you found it, Gold Award style! Also, it’s no wonder Maria’s council named her 2018’s Girl Scout Humanitarian.
Learn more about Maria’s project.
Olivia, Girl Scouts of Connecticut
Representation matters—that’s why Olivia’s Girl Scout Gold Award project, We Are All Works of Art, is making a big impact in her community. To raise awareness about the values of diversity and inclusivity, this Girl Scout partnered with Booth Hill Elementary School to design and paint an interactive mural depicting the world. The diverse kids holding hands around the globe reflect unity and are intended to open up dialogue about students’ families’ heritage and highlight the fact that all people bring unique contributions to the community. In addition, Olivia met with a fourth-grade teacher to come up with a lesson plan that teaches the meaning of multicultural versus monoculture environments. In true Girl Scout fashion, this G.I.R.L. is determined to promote an understanding of world citizenship, because she believes “diversity is a beautiful thing”—and we couldn’t agree with her more.
Learn more about Olivia’s project.
Gold Award Girl Scouts are recipients of one of the most prestigious awards in the world for girls. By the time they put the final touches on their seven-step projects, they’ll have addressed a significant problem in their community—not only in the short term, but with a plan to sustain the work for years into the future. They’re also eligible for college scholarships and to enter the military one rank higher than non–Gold Award Girl Scouts.
Got a Girl Scout Gold Award story to share? Send the details and relevant photos to socialmedia@girlscouts.org for a chance to have it featured.