Check out this week’s sampling of go-getting, innovating, risk-taking Gold Award Girl Scouts—young women who know what it means to lead with true G.I.R.L. spirit!
Samantha, Girl Scout Council of the Nation's Capital
After walking into a physics lab and feeling out of place, Girl Scout Samantha was inspired to fight the underrepresentation of black women and girls in STEM. For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, she founded STEM Up!—an afterschool program that has 10 middle school girls and boys meeting up twice a week for fun educational activities such as building “gravity cars.” Although she found the process challenging at times, Samantha collaborated with the school’s science department to develop and coordinate a curriculum of activities and lessons that will be used for years to come. Through STEM Up! and tremendous G.I.R.L. spirit, this Gold Award Girl Scout has been able to builds girls’ confidence and see their science skills flourish; she even inspired one girl to pursue a career as an engineer!
Komal, Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council
As Confucius is thought to have said, “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” Girl Scout Komal set out to promote career diversity and encourage members of her community to pursue careers they’re passionate about. To go for her Gold, Komal organized two workshops, an open mic that included an art show featuring local artists, and a dance performance. The second event highlighted three guest speakers from different career backgrounds to showcase career diversity. Komal also created a blog and Facebook page to spread her message about the value of career individualism, and she hopes her Girl Scout Gold Award project “inspires others to fulfill their individual dreams and not see societal beliefs as a boundary.”
Learn more about
Komal’s project.
Sofia, Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana
There’s a lot to be said for reading books that let your imagination take you places, which is why Sofia’s G.I.R.L. Agenda is so necessary. To improve literacy and reading comprehension skills among kids in her community, for her Girl Scout Gold Award project Sofia created 80 grade-specific literacy kits filled with books (including dictionaries), pens, stickers, bookmarks, and games, as well as a list of relevant websites and other resources to help parents help their kids, such as local library information and info about things like free-admission days at
local museums and zoos. With her project, Sofia has already opened doors to education for many kids in her area and helped them get excited about reading.
Emily, Girl Scouts San Diego
Adopt, don’t shop! Ever since Girl Scout Emily was in middle school, her family has fostered dogs who’ve suffered physical or emotional trauma, which is why she’s now raising her voice on behalf of our furry friends. Taking action to advocate for dog adoption, Emily teamed up with the nonprofit Pup Package to make doggy care packages for new dog owners, filled with leashes, collars, harnesses, waste bags, towels, and information about Emily’s project. Last year Pup Package made and distributed 100 packages, and with Emily’s help and G.I.R.L. spirit, they were able to make 175 this year, most of which were distributed to dog rescue groups in the San Diego area. To spread awareness about dog adoption, Emily also created a
website and an Instagram account, leaving no doubt that this Girl Scout’s Gold Award project will make a pawsitive impact in her community for years to come!
Read more about
Emily’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.
