Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines As one of 112 Girl Scout councils chartered by Girl Scouts of the USA, Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines serves nearly 26,000 girl members and more than 9,000 adult members across 41 central and eastern North Carolina counties. With the administrative headquarters in Raleigh, regional service centers in Goldsboro, Fayetteville, and Wilmington, the Council continues to deliver leadership programming, and provide relevant and engaging opportunities for all girls.
The Girl Scout Gold Award Since 1916, Girl Scouts have successfully answered the call to Go Gold, an act that indelibly marks them as accomplished members of their communities and the world. The Girl Scout Gold Award stands for excellence and leadership for girls everywhere, and is the highest and most prestigious achievement in Girl Scouting. When a Girl Scout embarks on her award journey, she commits to take action and create a lasting change in her community. She demonstrates significant leadership, planning, networking and organizational skills as she spends, on average, one to two years working to complete her Gold Award Take Action project. Awarded to fewer than six percent of Girl Scouts annually, girls who earn the Girl Scout Gold Award join generations of young women who have made a difference in their communities both locally and globally. In recognition of their achievements, Gold Awardees who join the United States Armed Forces enter at one rank higher than other recruits. Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines congratulates each of our 2015 Girl Scout Gold Award recipients for achieving their goals and earning this distinguished honor. In 2016 Girl Scouts is celebrating 100 years of girls changing the world. The Girl Scout Gold Award Centennial Celebration recognizes all young women who have earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, or its equivalent, since 1916 as courageous leaders and visionary change makers. This year-long celebration recognizes the power behind each recipient’s dedication to not only empowering and bettering herself, but also making the world a better place for others.
Girl Scouting’s Hightest Award Since the Council’s unification in 2007 which established Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines, 491 Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors have achieved the highest award in Girl Scouting. Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines takes great pride in recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of the 58 young women who earned the Girl Scout Gold Award in 2015. Hats off to all of our award recipients for demonstrating courageous leadership, advocacy and compassion, and taking action to make a difference in the world.
Steps to the Gold Award Fulfilling the requirements for the Girl Scout Gold Award starts with the completion of two Girl Scout Senior or Ambassador Journeys; or having earned the Girl Scout Silver Award and completing one Senior or Ambassador Journey. After the Journey requirement has been fulfilled, girls spend a suggested minimum of 80 hours of work and service towards their Gold Award projects, which includes these steps: • Identifying an issue • Investigating it thoroughly • Inviting others to participate and building a team • Creating a plan • Submitting a proposal to the Girl Scout Gold Award Committee • Gathering feedback • Taking action • Educating and inspiring others
2 | The Girl Scout Gold Award
2015 Girl Scout Gold Award Recipients Sadhana Anantha
Savannah LeeAnn Hudson
Allison Marie Renke
Elizabeth Baggot
Janey Rivers Jones
Leslie Heather Reynolds
Anne E. Bagnal
Cassie Marie Joynes
Katie Richardson
Allison Chapman Barrow
Parker Renee King
Danielle Marie Rozansky
Sarah Jessica Bolin
Kayla Nicole Klinc
Hannah Grace Scanlon
Brittnay Nicole Braddy
Jacqueline Dolores Lanier
Virginia Leigh Schnorenberg
Carly Renee Burnette
Alyssa Michelle Lee
Dakota Gabrielle Shepherd
Caroline Elizabeth Butler
Danielle Victoria Matrejek
Nadia Vera Sheppard
Caitlin Elaine Chastain
Joanna Lee McDonald
Caroline Allyn Smith
Alexandrea Allana Nichole
Cortney Renee McLamb
Tiffany Nicole Smith
Chavis
Jennie Alexis Morton
Casey Nicole Sparks
Alyssa Marie Coleman
Milan Simone Moshay
Brianne Vasarhelyi
Alexis Lin Crites
Suzanna Arrington Mosley
Kylie Rosa Verbiest
Sara Kathryn Feggeler
Morgan B. Murray
Emily K. Vickery
Jaime Michelle Fullerton
Madeline Olivia Muston
Emilie Ann Vitt
Kelsey Garvey
Emily Christine Neville
Ashley Nicole Weingartz
Alissa Victoria Goode
Christine Barbara O'Connell
Lacy Ellen Wicher
Alyssa Lynn Heinze
Elizabeth Jane Pedersen
Rachel Ruth Wilson
Rose V. Holden
Catherine Elise Potter
Lindsey Elizabeth Wright
Rachel Layne Hopkins
Adelaide Teresa Pritulsky
2015 Recipients | 3
Sadhana Anantha
Elizabeth Baggot
Anne E. Bagnal
Cary, Wake County
Cary, Wake County
Wilmington, New Hanover County
Project: Ebola Awareness Lab
Project: Library for Refugees and Immigrant English Students
Project: A Better Start to a Better Education
Issue: Adult Literacy
Issue: Education Gap
Inspired to help facilitate the assimilation of immigrants and refugees to a new country, Elizabeth created an adult literacy program in her community. Knowing the value of accessible reading materials, she increased access to level-appropriate content and created a lending library for newly arrived refugees and immigrants. She worked closely with Highland United Methodist Church and the English as a Second Language (ESL) program at Wake Technical Community College. Elizabeth collected books for every ESL level and created an easy check-out system to equip students with the tools to improve their reading and vocabulary skills, build their confidence, prepare for higher education opportunities, and improve their overall quality of life.
Anne’s project generated awareness about the educational gap between children from high and low income households. As part of her awareness campaign, she solicited support from her community to provide Winter Park Elementary School students and members of Wilmington Youth for a Better Education with needed school supplies. She also organized a back to school rally where she encouraged participants to develop an interest in learning through educational activities focused on subjects such as math, science, English, social studies, and the arts. Through her project, Anne demonstrated that supporting basic needs in a classroom setting can facilitate educational success.
Issue: STEM Education With the goal of increasing local youth participation in science, Sadhana set up a science lab as part of NC Museum of Natural Science’s Micro World Investigation Laboratory. By informing youth about clinical science, including diagnostic methods utilized to identify various diseases such as Ebola, she educated younger generations to be well-informed about current global events. She also designed a simulation activity in which museum-goers performed a mock Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) test, which provided a hands-on demonstration of diagnosing the Zaire Ebola virus. Additionally, as a junior volunteer at the museum, she helped to educate over 600 young participants about clinical science.
4 | The Girl Scout Gold Award
Allison Chapman Barrow
Sarah Jessica Bolin
Goldsboro, Wayne County
Greenville, Pitt County
Project: The Chance to Dance
Project: Vamos a Leer! - Let’s Read!
Issue: Diversity and Inclusion
Issue: Health and Literacy Education
Inspired to share the world of dance with children who may not have had the opportunity to take traditional dance classes, Allison developed a summer dance camp for children with special needs in partnership with the School of Goldsboro Ballet. Working first with the Edgewood School to observe classrooms to learn about the needs of potential campers, she then developed lesson plans and choreography specifically designed for the students. Incorporating a fun and exciting circus theme into her camp that catered to preschool and early elementary school students, her program provided an opportunity for campers to explore the joy of dance and interact with other children.
Witnessing the need to support children of local migrant farm workers, Sarah tackled the issue of providing much-needed resources around health and education for these families while inspiring them to take action on these important issues. The inspiration for Sarah’s project came through her volunteer work at the Grimesland Free Medical Clinic. She identified that the clinic serves a large population of Hispanic families, but lacked resources for the Spanish-speaking community. To address the issue, Sarah created bookmarks that offered health tips in Spanish and also collected books and coloring books in Spanish and English to be given away at the clinic. Sarah also hosted mini health lessons for the children waiting to see a physician.
2016 marks the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouting’s highest award. Approximately one million Girl Scouts have earned the Girl Scout Gold Award or its equivalent since 1916. The Girl Scouts’ highest achievement honors young women who demonstrate extraordinary leadership skills.
2015 Recipients | 5
Brittnay Nicole Braddy
Carly Renee Burnette
Caroline Elizabeth Butler
Greenville, Pitt County
Raleigh, Wake County
Apex, Wake County
Project: Shelter Music Series
Project: Reading Buddies Program
Project: Ronald McDonald House
Issue: Programming for Homeless
Issue: Childhood Illiteracy
Issue: Family Support
After learning about a music therapy program in a homeless shelter located in Boston, MA, Brittnay sought to generate awareness about homelessness while providing Greenville Community Shelter residents with interactive and fun entertainment. Brittnay teamed up with local musicians and developed a series of live music shows where shelter residents were provided with the opportunity to experience a range of different music styles including jazz, rock, country, and classical. At the residents’ request, she also integrated a Christian show into her planned series.
Concerned about the rise of illiteracy rates in her community, Carly decided to take action by creating a tutoring program for North Ridge Elementary School students. Knowing early intervention can help reduce the high rates of illiteracy, she engaged her peers at Millbrook High School to volunteer as tutors and support teachers by working with students who needed more help. In addition to the tutoring program, Carly organized a successful book drive, which resulted in the donation of over 400 books for classroom libraries. To ensure the sustainability of the tutoring program beyond her involvement, she secured a commitment from Millbrook High School’s INTERACT club to continue the project.
While cooking meals with her troop for the Ronald McDonald House of Durham, Caroline noticed many families seemed isolated and had very little interaction with the other families in residence. To help foster a stronger support community and connection between families, she created an engaging and interactive after dinner program including games, activities, and craft projects that appealed to all ages. Caroline also developed a binder with game starters, activity instructions, and tips for organizing and facilitating future events. She also enlisted the assistance of a local faith organization to continue to facilitate the program.
6 | The Girl Scout Gold Award
Caitlin Elaine Chastain
Alyssa Marie Coleman
Fayetteville, Cumberland County
Alexandrea Allana Nichole Chavis
Project: An Easier Transition
Dunn, Harnett County
Issue: Dying with Dignity
Project: The A.L.L.I.E. Project
Project: Protecting Eastern Wetlands
After learning that Medicaid only supported semi-private rooms during end-of-life care, Caitlin was inspired to create her project as an effort to generate awareness about dying with dignity. She worked with the Village Green Rehabilitation & Health Care Center to design and decorate a room for the terminally ill. This room provides a calm and serene space for residents and their families to spend their last moments together in privacy. Additionally, she created a brochure about her project, distributing it to various long-term care facilities with the hope that other organizations will create similar spaces for their patients and loved ones.
Issue: Music Therapy
Issue: Ecosystem Preservation
Inspired by her grandmother’s hospice experience, Alexandrea witnessed how music could have a profound effect on the hearts and minds of patients in this setting. As part of her project, her goal was to use music to help ease fear, symptoms of depression, anxiety, and other feelings associated with being in hospice care. The result of her work was the “Audio Listening Learning Integration Education” project, also known as the A.L.L.I.E. project. She collected donations while generating awareness about her project through local media, flyers, speeches, a website, and Facebook. The A.L.L.I.E. project was implemented by Liberty Home Care and Hospice and is now offered at their facilities in three states.
Alyssa partnered with A Time for Science, a non-profit science and nature educational center, to inform the public about the importance of wetlands conservation. She created and delivered presentations about the benefits of wetlands and various ways in which human habits are harming them. She spoke to community groups, including the Jarvis Unit Boys and Girls Club, and inspired them to participate in a “take action” day, which she coordinated and led. Alyssa and the volunteers planted carefully chosen trees and plants, cleaned up trash, removed invasive plant species, built a bath house, and added a bench and walking path.
Greenville, Pitt County
2015 Recipients | 7
Girl Scout Gold Award recipients embody community leadership and leave behind a sustainable legacy.
8 | The Girl Scout Gold Award
Alexis Lin Crites
Sara Kathryn Feggeler
Jacksonville, Onslow County
Pinehurst, Moore County
Project: Healthy Hand Washing
Project: Moore Healthy Smiles
Issue: Hand Hygiene
Issue: Access to Dental Care
Alexis was motivated to create her project after learning about the norovirus outbreak that occurred recently on various commercial cruise ships. With the hope of increasing awareness about the norovirus, also known as the stomach flu, she developed the Healthy Hand Washing program. She conducted workshops at a local library to educate young children about the importance of hand hygiene. Participants learned how proper hand washing prevents people from contracting viral diseases. In addition, she created a brochure and worked with Carnival FantasyÂŽ Cruise operation to generate hand hygiene awareness on board by sharing the brochure with passengers and by placing copies inside restrooms.
Sara addressed the limited access to affordable dental care for low income residents of Moore County. She worked to increase awareness about the lack of Medicaid-funded dental services and the limited knowledge about existing services. After identifying all the providers in Moore County who serve patients covered by Medicaid, Sara prepared a list of accessible dental practices. She promoted available services via a website and flyer, and through community organizations that assist low income patients. In partnership with the Sandhills Dental Study Club, Sara also gave several presentations about the need for Medicaid-funded services to Moore County dental professionals.
Jaime Michelle Fullerton
Kelsey Garvey
Alissa Victoria Goode
Apex, Wake County
Raleigh, Wake County
Fayetteville, Cumberland
Project: Ronald McDonald House Room Renovation
Project: Body Positivity and SelfLove Seminar
Project: Fascinate-U Museum Enhancement
Issue: Family Care Support
Issue: Media Literacy
Issue: Art Education and Awareness
Inspired to provide families of pediatric patients receiving treatment at local hospitals with a relaxing and comfortable place to go, Jaime took action by remodeling a room for Ronald McDonald House of Durham. In addition to new room dĂŠcor, including artwork and pillows, Jaime painted the walls, cleaned furniture, and worked with an experienced technician to install new light fixtures. By providing a relaxing and warm environment, residents have a calm and comforting space to decompress. Ensuring the sustainability of her project, Jaime secured a commitment from Durham Girl Scout Troop #1899 to maintain the space in partnership with the Ronald McDonald House of Durham.
After learning that the average media consumption by teenagers is roughly ten and a half hours per day, Kelsey decided to address media literacy with her peers. Concerned with mainstream media standards of beauty for young girls and women, she worked to develop a media literacy seminar for girls in seventh through ninth grades. Deconstructing examples of girls and women in the media, Kelsey led discussions around how girls and women are portrayed and how participants can instead focus on body positivity and self-love. In addition to her multi-session seminar, Kelsey posted her presentation online, shared information through various social media platforms, and provided materials to her local YMCA for distribution.
Looking to generate awareness about the continuous decline in creativity among elementary-aged children, Alissa identified an opportunity to create a space to stimulate imaginative and creative development. In partnership with volunteers and museum personnel, she refurbished a space at Fascinate-U Children’s Museum. She painted a room for birthday parties, designed and built a mini-golf course, and volunteered her time working with children at the museum. Alissa also provided guided tours to families and other visitors of the museum. As a result, her project is helping sustain a flourishing environment for youth to foster their creativity.
2015 Recipients | 9
Alyssa Lynn Heinze
Rose V. Holden
Rachel Layne Hopkins
Holly Springs, Wake County
Pittsboro, Chatham County
Raleigh, Wake County
Project: Discovery Bags for Harris Lake County Park
Project: Dig it! Volleyball Clinic
Project: The Thing About the Frogs
Issue: Childhood Obesity
Issue: Amphibian Endangerment
Rose created a program designed to provide physical education and to raise awareness about the dangers of childhood obesity. She designed a fiveday clinic where she educated local middle school-aged girls at Woods Charter School about the benefits of physical activity through fun and interactive training sessions. By introducing volleyball to children, Rose encouraged them to incorporate exercise and healthy eating choices into their daily lives. The clinic also provided the perfect environment for participants to learn social skills and make new friends. In addition, Rose compiled a detailed brochure featuring interactive drills and games for future volleyball clinics which will allow the school coach to offer the program to more students.
Concerned about the rapid decline of amphibian populations as a result of habitat destruction and global climate change, Rachel took action to generate awareness about amphibian endangerment. She tapped into her videography talents to produce a short film, titled A Film About the Frogs, addressing the disappearance of amphibians. The film featured senior members of the North Carolina Herpetological Society who provided facts and statistics about the importance of amphibian species in the ecosystem. The film was shared on YouTube to educate the virtual community about the issue. Her project helped demonstrate simple ways everyone can help protect amphibians, and join the movement to tackle their endangerment.
Issue: Environmental Preservation Wanting to increase awareness about environmental issues, Alyssa partnered with Harris Lake County Park. She developed a “Discovery Bags” program to teach visitors about their surroundings and to enhance their outdoor experience in a fun and interactive way. Each discovery bag contains facts and activities about Harris Lake and specific topics about nature, such as plant and amphibian diversity. Alyssa wrote an article for the park’s website and created flyers to distribute on-site. Additionally, she taught lessons for several groups of young children and led activities about the importance of participating in environmental preservation.
10 | The Girl Scout Gold Award
Savannah LeeAnn Hudson
Janey Rivers Jones
Apex, Wake County
Goldsboro, Wayne County
Project: Prayer Garden
Project: Cheer Presence
Issue: Community Development
Issue: Community Care & Support
Seeking to unite church members and the local community, Savannah’s project provided an opportunity for both groups to work together. She designed and built a prayer garden at Grace Church in Cary, NC, to create a peaceful and beautiful place for prayer. Consisting of a curved bench surrounded by flowers and greenery with an arbor, the garden includes a cross nestled among bushes with purple and yellow flowers. This serene spot is available for church and community members to reflect, relax, and connect with one another.
Knowing the value of personal interaction, Janey developed the “Cheer Presence” program at Providence United Methodist Church. Inspired to remind others that personal interactions can make a positive and cheerful impact on those who do not leave home often or are experiencing a difficult time in their life, her project encouraged church members to visit people in need. To achieve her goal, she created weekly “Cheer Presence” baskets which are delivered to community facilities including ReNu Life, Kitty-Askins Hospice Center, and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, by members of the church. The baskets include items such as books, magazines, treats, and basic care necessities.
The Girl Scout Gold Award Take Action project addresses a need within a girl's local or global community and provides a sustainable solution.
2015 Recipients | 11
Cassie Marie Joynes
Parker Renee King
Kayla Nicole Klinc
Wilmington, New Hanover County
Raleigh, Wake County
Wake Forest, Wake County
Project: Recycling Awareness and Involvement at New Hanover High School
Project: Mary’s House - Bringing Teen Moms Hope and Compassion
Project: Mission Service Weekend
Issue: Environmental Stewardship Cassie recognized a lack of initiative among her peers to address environmental issues and, as a result, founded a club at New Hanover High School to raise awareness about related issues and to encourage oncampus recycling. The environmental club provides an educational ground for students to learn about these issues and sustainability. She also created a website that provides general information about local issues and the club’s activities, one of which was coordinating a recycling program on the school’s campus.
12 | The Girl Scout Gold Award
Issue: Teen Pregnancy Support After learning that teens who are pregnant or parenting in Jamaica, even as a result of abuse, are not permitted to continue their education in public schools, Parker researched ways to support this community. Participating in a mission trip with Mustard Seed Communities, Parker volunteered with Mary’s Child Shelter. She was responsible for providing first-aid and toiletry supplies as well as creating fun activities and games for the teens. She also worked along side staff to provide educational opportunities and employment skills to enable these young women to become selfsufficient following the birth of their children. In addition, Parker helped create a much-needed recreation room at the shelter including new paint and curtains as well as artwork to brighten the space.
Issue: Community Volunteerism Seeking to increase involvement of teens volunteering in the community, Kayla organized a Mission Service Weekend program through her local church. Her program encourages high school students to participate in service activities such as making blankets for the homeless, writing cards for children who are chronicallyill, and visiting senior living residents. As a result, over 135 hygiene packets were distributed personally to individuals without permanent housing, lunch was served at a local soup kitchen, and fun was had playing bingo at a senior living community. In addition, Kayla produced a detailed brochure for the youth program at St. Catherine of Siena Catholic Church to continue this project.
Jacqueline Dolores Lanier
Alyssa Michelle Lee
Danielle Victoria Matrejek
New Bern, Craven County
Garland, Sampson County
Wilson, Wilson County
Project: Thanksgiving Gift Drive
Project: A Better You
Project: Sun Safety
Issue: Hunger and Food Insecurity
Issue: Youth Empowerment
Issue: Skin Health
Jacqueline focused on helping members of her community who were in need of food during the Thanksgiving holiday. With the assistance of Craven County Department of Social Services, which provided a list of families in need, she organized a food drive with the goal of providing a meal to each person on the list. To generate food donations, she distributed informational handouts, spoke to community groups and politicians, and contacted local media to advertise her project. Due to her hard work and the generosity of the community, Jacqueline received enough donated food to exceed her goal, and was able to provide Thanksgiving meal baskets to over 200 people.
Inspired to help girls recognize the value of their voice, Alyssa designed a program for girls ages four to eighteen years old to offer them a safe and supportive group environment to discuss important issues affecting their lives. She partnered with Lori’s School of Dance, where she has studied dance for over 16 years, to host the meetings. During the meetings, Alyssa led conversations on mental and physical health, hygiene, exercise, bullying, and goal setting. With her guidance, the participants explored new points of view, set goals for themselves, and were able to express their thoughts and opinions in a safe environment.
Concerned with rising rates of skin cancer, Danielle took action to teach children about the risks of sun damage and how they can stay safe. As part of her project, she educated the community about the dangers of UV radiation, how to prevent sunburn and skin cancer, as well as steps to treat a burn. In partnership with local pools, she created flyers about sun protection, which were distributed and posted at local swimming locations. In addition, she constructed a lifeguard stand for the YMCA’s pool to increase protection for the lifeguarding staff. She also taught day campers about UV protection through fun activities such as crafting hats.
2015 Recipients | 13
In recognition of their achievements, Girl Scout Gold Awardees who join the Armed Services enter at one rank higher than other recruits.
14 | The Girl Scout Gold Award
Joanna Lee McDonald
Cortney Renee McLamb
Cary, Wake County
Lake Waccamaw, Columbus County
Project: Green Hope Growers Club
Project: Venus Fly Trap Terrarium and Butterfly Garden
Issue: Sustainable Agriculture For her project, Joanna addressed the the environmental pollution that results from transporting food from farm to table. Her goal was to educate others about this issue and explain how each person can take action to reduce their carbon footprint. Developing and delivering an educational presentation on the problem, she encouraged others to support local farmers to reduce the consequences of “food miles� by buying local produce whenever possible. Joanna also took action by building a garden on the campus of Green Hope High School, including a hybrid watering system. The Green Hope Growers Club will maintain the project, and all produce grown will be donated to charity.
Issue: Endangerment Awareness Believing that Venus Fly Traps are an important asset to Lake Waccamaw State Park, Cortney was inspired to address the endangerment of these particular plants. She constructed a park terrarium for Venus Fly Traps, which are endangered carnivorous plants and also targeted by poachers. The terrariums help provide shelter and much-needed protection. It was also important to Cortney to create a beautiful environment to attract tourists to the park. Therefore, Cortney constructed a butterfly garden in addition to the terrarium, and produced a detailed information sheet to assist park rangers in generating awareness about Venus Fly Traps.
Jennie Alexis Morton
Milan Simone Moshay
Suzanna Arrington Mosley
Wilson, Wilson County
Durham, Durham County
Rocky Mount, Nash County
Project: Grow and Rejuvenate
Project: Short Film – Left Alone
Issue: Soup Kitchen Support
Issue: Youth Abandonment
Project: Awareness and Prevention of Teen Dating Violence
Inspired to support the local soup kitchen in her community, Jennie’s project increased and enhanced the accommodations for the organization’s patrons. After learning that individuals, including the elderly and those with health problems, did not have a place to sit while waiting for service, Jennie took action to solve the problem. She constructed two benches for seating, and two planters to help beautify the grounds during their wait. Jennie also wanted others to learn about the benefits of gardening and help motivate others to eat healthy foods, so she created a small garden to grow fresh herbs and vegetables for use in the kitchen. The garden will be maintained by kitchen volunteers.
Milan combined her passion for children with her love of creative writing to bring awareness to the issue of child abandonment. She created a short film called Left Alone, in which she imparted valuable knowledge about child abandonment and teen homelessness. She wrote the screenplay, cast the actors, and produced the film. With middle school students as her target audience, Milan addressed the major factors leading to child abandonment and teen homelessness, such as impulsive decisions, substance abuse, and financial concerns. She then presented the film to area schools and agencies. Following the screenings of her film, she facilitated group discussions about the issues.
Issue: Interpersonal Violence Wanting to increase awareness about the rise in teen dating violence, Suzanna created an educational pamphlet entitled Awareness and Prevention of Teen Dating Violence. She conducted intensive research in order to provide her community with accurate facts about teen dating violence and prevention, and worked with My Sister’s House, a domestic abuse treatment center, to distribute copies of the pamphlet to middle schools and high schools in Nash County. In addition to creating an educational pamphlet, Suzanna provided bed linens, folding tables, and chairs for My Sister’s House and hosted an Easter party for residents.
2015 Recipients | 15
Morgan B. Murray
Madeline Olivia Muston
Emily Christine Neville
Whiteville, Columbus County
Mount Olive, Wayne County
Linden, Cumberland County
Project: Sensory Garden for Children with Special Needs
Project: Fit and Fabulous
Project: Leadership Harnett Youth Academy
Issue: Developmental Disorders In an effort to generate awareness about Sensory Processing Disorder, Morgan constructed a sensory garden for Edgewood Elementary School students. Sensory Processing Disorder is a global problem affecting children with autism and other disabilities. The garden will provide an intimate space for students to stimulate their senses through interactive activities. In addition, Morgan created an educational presentation and a pamphlet containing information about this important developmental issue, which she provided to members of the school board and her community.
16 | The Girl Scout Gold Award
Issue: Health and Fitness Concerned with the extensive advancement of technology and its impact on healthy living habits, Madeline focused her project on youth health and fitness. To inspire students, parents, and the community, Madeline created an after school program encouraging the students of Grantham Elementary School to unplug from technology and find fun ways to stay active and healthy. Through her Fit and Fabulous program participants learned the importance of physical, emotional, intellectual, and social health, as well as the steps they can take that contribute to a healthy lifestyle. Her program also included a game that tested nutritional knowledge of students, parents and teachers alike.
Issue: Youth Leadership Development Identifying the need for a program to enrich youth leadership development in her community, Emily developed a week-long youth academy for high school students. Working with Leadership Harnett, an adult leadership development program, she was able to create a similar experience at a local camp and retreat center for a group of students. During the academy, participants learned essential leadership skills and explored career opportunities. Activities encouraged students to step out of their comfort zone, connect with others, explore new learning experiences, and gain a “behind the scenes� perspective as they interacted with leaders in the community.
Christine Barbara O’Connell
Elizabeth Jane Pedersen
Catherine Elise Potter
Cary, Wake County
Cary, Wake County
Wilson, Wilson County
Project: Adopt a Senior
Project: Educational Activities for Haitian Children to Learn English
Project: Survivor Camp
Issue: Appreciating Different Generations Wanting to increase connections between generations, Christine developed a letter-writing program connecting a local preschool and senior center. Working with First United Methodist Church and the Woodlance Terrace Senior Living Center, Christine developed a curriculum where students can engage in activities to learn about older generations along with their experiences, and coordinated a letter-writing and photo sharing opportunity between them. In turn, the two groups shared holiday experiences, in addition to gaining a deeper appreciation and insight into what was happening in others’ lives. To support her project, Christine also created posters and presentations to spread awareness of her program.
Issue: Childhood Literacy After learning many Haitian communities live in poverty and few children learn to read, Elizabeth reached out to the Ryan Epps Home for Children, a local organization which supports Haitian refugees, many of whom are orphans. To support the children’s literacy growth and transition to an English-based culture, she created English as a Second Language (ESL) learning materials to assist teachers and volunteers at the Home. Designed for a range of ages, her materials incorporated the use of photography and other images to help build a common vocabulary for the children. Hoping to inspire others to give back and volunteer, she produced and distributed educational pamphlets to generate awareness about the organization.
Issue: Healthy Living Concerned with children’s exposure to unhealthy snack and food advertisements, Catherine focused her project on healthy eating habits and exercise for youth. In partnership with her local YMCA, she conducted an interactive nutrition camp for elementary-age children. As part of the program, Catherine provided information about healthy eating and demonstrated how to read nutrition labels and make fresh snacks. She also encouraged participants to keep a meal journal, document new foods they tried and how those items made them feel. Through her project, Catherine helped campers identify easy steps they can take to improve the quality of their diet.
2015 Recipients | 17
Adelaide Teresa Pritulsky
Allison Marie Renke
Leslie Heather Reynolds
New Bern, Craven County
Cary, Wake County
Durham, Durham County
Project: See, Educate, & Achieve (SEA What?)
Project: Beat Up Bullying: Signs, Prevention, and Empowerment
Project: Translation, Organization and Teaching
Issue: Marine Biology Education
Issue: School Safety
Issue: Accessible Services
Inspired by her passion for both marine biology and education, Adelaide partnered with the North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher to design the See, Educate, & Achieve (SEA What?) training guide for the aquarium’s website. The guide, available in both English and Spanish, serves to inform middle school aged children about coastal North Carolina and the marine life indigenous to the state, while providing fun and educational activities for students. Adelaide also worked as a volunteer at the aquarium to help raise awareness about conservation issues and inspire students to get involved with efforts to protect marine life in North Carolina.
In order to promote a respectful school environment, Allison worked with Wake County Public School counselors to promote bullying prevention amongst female elementary students as they prepare to transition to middle school. She developed an educational presentation highlighting how bullying is a growing problem, detailing the warning signs, and exploring various prevention strategies. To generate more awareness, she also conducted empowerment activities with students at various local schools and made her presentation available to staff, faculty, and parents through the school system’s website.
Leslie’s project addressed existing language barriers preventing Spanishspeaking families from fully utilizing various forms of hippotherapy, a form of physical, occupational, and speech therapy, conducted through the incorporation of equine movements. She worked with Compadres Therapy in El Paso, Texas, to expand materials for Spanish-speaking children and their families. Her work included translating resource materials and replicating a Spanish-language website for the facility. In addition, she worked alongside the staff and local community to recruit more Spanishspeaking volunteers to help support the program and generate awareness about hippotherapy.
18 | The Girl Scout Gold Award
Katie Richardson
Danielle Marie Rozansky
Chapel Hill, Orange County
Wake Forest, Wake County
Project: ABC Stepping Stones with Games
Project: Enhancing a meeting room at the DHHS
Issue: Literacy and Education
Issue: Foster Care Support
Addressing early childhood education and literacy was important to Katie, so she worked with a local school to create a fun, outdoor educational experience for young children learning to read. She created a stepping stone garden in a courtyard on the campus of South Greenville Elementary School which will help increase children’s excitement for and love of learning. She also created a website listing games that classes can play in the courtyard, making this resource available to teachers and staff at the school. Through her stepping stone games, students will build letter identification and spelling skills, while developing an appreciation for learning in the outdoors.
Danielle redesigned and refurbished a family meeting room at the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS). When the Department places children and teens into foster care, the organization works to help the children reconnect and rebuild relationships with their parents whenever possible. Prior to Danielle’s project, the foster children were meeting with their parents in a sparsely decorated room that offered very little comfort. Danielle took action by reaching out to her church family for donations to refurbish and redecorate the space into a warm and engaging space for families to interact and heal.
The Girl Scout Gold Award is more than just a community service project. It requires organization, leadership, and networking skills.
2015 Recipients | 19
Girl Scout Gold Award recipients represent our most successful and engaged Girl Scout alumnae.
20 | The Girl Scout Gold Award
Hannah Grace Scanlon Raleigh, Wake County
Virginia Leigh Schnorenberg
Project: Training Obstacles
New Bern, Craven County
Issue: Equine Therapy
Project: How to Help: A Guide to Special Needs
With a desire to offer peace and comfort to children in need, Hannah partnered with Hope Reins to design and construct an obstacle course to expand the facilities at the ranch. The horses at Hope Reins, many of which are rescued, are known as equine counselors. Children who are struggling with difficult situations such as abuse, illness, or family issues are given a session with a horse during which they can groom and ride the horse, as well as learn about ranch life. Hannah carefully designed and constructed six obstacles to cover a wide range of challenges designed to address the needs of each horse and rider.
Issue: Disability Awareness Virginia was inspired to create her project as an effort to educate her local town about individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, and ways to support this community. In particular, she focused on how to better integrate students with disabilities into a classroom learning environment as well as identify any potential conflicts that may arise and steps to resolve them. Virginia decided to further involve herself in the community by volunteering with Camp SMILE, a summer camp for children with varying disabilities. While at the camp, she helped participants develop social skills and educated their siblings with helpful tips and strategies for greater interactions.
Dakota Gabrielle Shepherd
Nadia Vera Sheppard
Caroline Allyn Smith
Wake Forest, Wake County
Chapel Hill, Orange County
Raleigh, Wake County
Project: Extracurricular Groups and Organizations
Project: Educating Girls Worldwide
Project: Chemmie Caps
Issue: Universal Primary Education
Issue: Cancer Patient Support
Choosing to focus on the educational barriers faced by girls in third world countries, Nadia sought to make a tangible contribution that would help promote education and empowerment for girls. To help educate her peers, she created a club at Chapel Hill High School to serve as a think tank and discussion forum for international education issues. With the help of Girls Learn International, the club was partnered with a school in northern Pakistan where Nadia was able to learn more about the issues and donate laptops for the girls. To further reach the community, the club held a screening of the film, Half The Sky, which addressed international issues impacting young women’s access to a quality education.
Inspired by her aunt’s experience as a survivor of breast cancer, Caroline conducted a hand-crafted caps project for chemotherapy patients at Duke Raleigh Hospital. She coordinated and organized three workshops where she taught volunteers basic knitting and crochet skills, how to cut patterns, and how to use a sewing machine. In addition, she prepared instructional packets for others to contribute to the cap project. While starting out as a locally-focused project, crafters across the country contributed to Caroline’s project, with over 300 caps being donated to the hospital. Crafting circles at both Soapstone United Methodist Church and Magnolia Glen in Raleigh have committed to continuing this patient support project long-term.
Issue: Hunger and Food Insecurity After learning that a lack of food donations from the community was contributing to Care & Share of Franklin County’s inability to serve all individuals and families who were food insecure, Dakota took action to help solve the issue. Partnering with student organizations and clubs at Franklinton High School, including HOSA – Future Health Professionals, Dakota was able to raise awareness about the status of the food bank’s donations and also collected enough cans of food to restock the pantry. HOSA will continue to hold a food drive annually at the high school in support of Franklin County’s families in need.
2015 Recipients | 21
Tiffany Nicole Smith
Casey Nicole Sparks
Brianne Vasarhelyi
Four Oaks, Johnston County
Mount Olive, Wayne County
Cary, Wake County
Project: Reading Materials
Project: Therapeutic Art
Issue: Library Renovation
Issue: EC Curriculum Enrichment
Project: Operation Outreach Resources Database
As an avid reader, Tiffany spends many hours at her local library and noticed that the James Bryan Creech Public Library did not have appropriate space and shelving for its book collection. Through community donations, she received several old bookcases which she sanded and painted to ensure proper space for the overflow of books, magazines, and board games. She also donated children’s computer games for the computer lab, created learning kits for children, and added a community news bulletin board. Working with West Johnston High School, she created a volunteer program for the library and reestablished the school’s Literacy Club and former literary magazine, Mosaic.
When she learned that the students in the exceptional children’s life skills class did not have the opportunity to participate in a separate art class, Casey decided to take action. For her project, she developed a needs-based art curriculum for Southern Wayne High School. Developing therapeutic art lessons that involved painting, crafts, drawing, and making collages, she guided the lessons in the school’s classrooms. To ensure that her project would be sustainable beyond her involvement, Casey donated all of the art materials and made a lesson plan notebook for other students to continue the program.
22 | The Girl Scout Gold Award
Issue: Health and Human Services Volunteering with the pastoral care department at St. Michael The Archangel Catholic Church, Brianne recognized a need for an accessible database of community organizations that would allow churches and service organizations to connect those in need with appropriate services. To solve this issue, she researched and contacted numerous community organizations, including homeless shelters, transportation services, food banks, and hospitals. She then created an easily searchable database by category of community resources with updated contact information, a description of services, and a website link. She also held a training session on how to use and update the database which was attended by officials from churches and other service organization professionals.
Kylie Rosa Verbiest
Emily K. Vickery
Durham, Durham County
Wake Forest, Wake County
Project: Cyberbullying
Project: Happy. Healthy. Baby.
Issue: Healthy Relationships
Issue: Maternal and Child Health
With multiple forms of social media being used by teenagers on a daily basis, Kylie recognized that cyberbullying is common and dangerous. Concerned that not all teens know how to protect themselves online, she utilized digital art technology and new media to raise awareness about these issues and the available resources for support in her local community. Using her artistic talent to create an online visual novel, she worked to educate her classmates, a local church youth group, her Girl Scout troop, and a number of youthserving organizations about this growing trend. To increase the reach of her project, she authored a blog post about cyberbullying and its effects for the Every Woman Southeast Coalition.
Emily sought to help young single mothers in her community by connecting them with local resources and offering weekly workshops featuring a variety of healthy living tips. Her project included a four-hour event where approximately 150 community members gathered, set up booths, and shared information about available family services. Participants included Wake Forest Parks and Recreation Department, local Girl Scout and Boy Scout troops, and a fitness expert. Emily also organized and presented a series of workshops for the residents of Galilee House, which provided information on healthy cooking, financial literacy, and fitness. In addition, she created a resource binder for the House that included healthy recipes, exercise tips, and community resources.
99% of Girl Scout Gold Award recipients say belonging to Girl Scouts has positively impacted their life.
2015 Recipients | 23
Belonging to Girl Scouts has left a number of unique, powerful, and lasting impressions on Girl Scout Gold Award recipients.
24 | The Girl Scout Gold Award
Emilie Ann Vitt
Ashley Nicole Weingartz
Zebulon, Wake County
Greenville, Pitt County
Project: See, Hear, and Read
Project: Elm Street Park’s Helping Hands
Issue: Literacy Support To support students learning to read or struggling with reading at grade level, including English as a Second Language, Emilie learned that listening to books while following along with the text can positively impact the learning process. Partnering with the Rotary Club of Wendell, her project developed audio recordings of books for donation to local elementary schools. Her work began by ensuring copyright rules were followed and that the necessary permissions were gained in order to record the content of the books. She then recruited volunteers to read aloud and record each book onto an audio CD, which were donated along with books to five area schools.
Issue: Public Park Improvement Designed to bring awareness to the benefits of public parks and to educate the community on recreation area maintenance, Ashley’s project provided needed improvements to Elm Street Park. Expansions of a new stadium at the park gave rise to new maintenance needs and Ashley took action to engage volunteers in the cleanup, as well as create a long-term plan for service projects at other public parks. She partnered with community organizations, including Greenville Little Leagues and the local Jarvis Boys and Girls Club, to clean and improve area parks and also provide a hands-on introduction for local youth to the park system.
Lacy Ellen Wicher
Rachel Ruth Wilson
Lindsey Elizabeth Wright
Greenville, Pitt County
Greenville, Pitt County
Morrisville, Wake County
Project: Summer Fun Math Camp
Project: Eastern Elementary Outdoor Classroom and Garden
Project: Tabbies not Tigers: The Risks of Big Cat Ownership
Issue: Childhood Obesity
Issue: Large Cat Animal Rescue
After evaluating societal issues such as childhood obesity, poor nutrition, and inactivity, Rachel constructed an outdoor classroom garden for Eastern Elementary. To compliment the outdoor learning experience, she coordinated an afterschool program encouraging students to develop healthy eating habits as an effort to fight childhood obesity. The program includes hands-on learning activities and lesson plans that allow students to explore what it means to have a healthy lifestyle while enjoying the great outdoors. Her project makes it possible for students to develop a greater appreciation of fruits and vegetables, to learn to take care of one’s body through their eating habits, and to gain knowledge about the cycles of plant growth, types of soil, and natural science education.
Addressing the issue of private ownership of large cats and the dangers associated with keeping wild cats in captivity, Lindsey partnered with Carolina Tiger Rescue, a non-profit wildlife sanctuary in Pittsboro. She developed a program to raise awareness about the dangers of large cat captivity and the need for a state law restricting private ownership of these animals. She created a handbook for volunteers at Carolina Tiger Rescue to utilize when holding educational programs, facilitated training programs with middle and high school students, and provided a hands-on opportunity to engage students in the project while creating “enrichment boxes” for the animals at the sanctuary.
Issue: Mathematics Education Addressing some of the existing educational barriers for children in her community, Lacy developed a summer math camp for students from underresourced families. She reached out to children who needed extra assistance with their math skills or who did not have a stable tutoring presence at home. During her four-day math camp, which included an assessment at the beginning and end of the camp, Lacy was able to track and gauge student progress. Through a number of lessons and individual student support, each camper showed at least a twenty percent improvement by the end of the camp. To ensure the program continued, Lacy created ongoing tutoring support opportunities for the students.
2015 Recipients | 25
Girls often partner with community organizations when working to earn their Girl Scout Gold Award. The following organizations were reported to play a part in the 2015 Girl Scout Gold Award projects. A Time for Science
Girl Scout Troop #1899
Onslow County Public Library System
Boy Scout Troop #213
Girls Learn International
The People’s Channel
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Coastal Plain, Jarvis Club
Grace Church
Pinehurst Endodontics
Grantham Elementary School
Providence United Methodist Church
Green Hope High School
ReNu Life
Greenville Little Leagues
Ronald McDonald House of Durham
Grimesland Community Resource Center and Clinic
Ryan Epps Home for Children
Brookdale Senior Living – Wake Forest Carnival Fantasy® Cruise Carolina Tiger Rescue Chapel Hill High School Community Crossroads Center, Greenville Community Shelter Community Soup Kitchen of Wilson County Compadres Therapy Craven County Department of Social Services Creekside Recreational Therapy Services Developments in Literacy Duke Raleigh Cancer Institute Duke Raleigh Hospital Durham Public Schools Eastern Elementary School Edgewood Community Development School Edgewood Elementary School Elm Street Recreation Center Family Violence & Rape Crisis Services Fascinate–U Children’s Museum First Health Dental Care Center First Presbyterian Church of Rocky Mount Galilee House
26 | The Girl Scout Gold Award
Harris Lake County Park
Saint Raphael the Archangel Catholic Church
Hope Reins of Raleigh
Sandhills Dental Study Club
Jamaica Ministry of Mustard Seed
The School of Goldsboro Ballet
James Bryan Creech Public Library
Seymour Johnson Air Force Base
Kitty-Askins Hospice Center
Southern Wayne High School
Lake Waccamaw State Park
St. Catherine’s of Siena Catholic Church
Liberty Home Care and Hospice
St. Michael the Archangel Roman Catholic Church
Lori’s School of Dance Marine Corps Base Library, Camp Lejuene Millbrook High School My Sister’s House New Hanover High School
Village Green Rehabilitation & Health Care Center Wake County Parks & Recreation Wake County Public School System
North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher
Wake Forest Parks, Recreation & Cultural Resources Department
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services
Rotary Club of Wendell
North Carolina Division of Medical Assistance
Wilmington Youth for a Better Education
North Carolina Herpetological Society North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences North Ridge Elementary School
West Johnston High School
Wilson Family YMCA Winter Park Elementary School Woods Charter School
Scholarship Information Jane S. Barringer Award Girl Scout Gold Award recipients are eligible to apply for the Jane S. Barringer Award. This award is a cash scholarship established to honor Mrs. Barringer, an outstanding teen advisor. A group of her former Girl Scouts, along with Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines, has instituted an award in her name to be given to an individual who embodies the principles and spirit “Mrs. B” works to instill. Mrs. Barringer was recently recognized for 50 years of membership in Girl Scouting.
Misty Crabtree Eastham Memorial Scholarship The Misty Crabtree Eastham Scholarship was established to honor the memory of lifelong Girl Scout Misty Crabtree Eastham, and provides scholarships for Gold Award recipients to help defray college expenses. As a girl in foster care who earned her Girl Scout Gold Award, Misty felt that Girl Scouting had a tremendous impact on her life and provided opportunities that she may never have had a chance to pursue. This scholarship embodies Misty’s sense of selflessness, generosity, drive and determination. For more information about these and other council-sponsored scholarships, please visit the council website at www.nccoastalpines.org.
2015 Recipients | 27
Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines
Our Counties Beaufort
Duplin
Hoke
New Hanover
Richmond
Bladen
Durham
Johnston
Northampton
Robeson
Brunswick
Edgecombe
Jones
Onslow
Sampson
Carteret
Franklin
Lee
Orange
Scotland
Chatham
Granville
Lenoir
Pamlico
Vance
Columbus
Greene
Martin
Pender
Wake
Craven
Halifax
Moore
Person
Warren
Cumberland
Harnett
Nash
Pitt
Wayne Wilson
Board of Directors
Members
Girl Board Members
Jean Gordon Carter, Chair Bonnie Hancock, First Vice Chair Valerie Quiett, Second Vice Chair Melissa Reed, Third Vice Chair Ann “Scottie” Bryan, Fourth Vice Chair James E. Peterson, Treasurer Michelle Lewis, Secretary
Wendy Burden Cheryl Burns Linda Foreman Susan Garrity Jenna Green Kristen Hess Manju Karkare Natalie Perkins Adrian Reeder Marywalker Romanus Karine Stallings Sue Stevens Marie VanHeusen Frank Westmeyer
Dymon Atkinson Sarah Bland Hillary Jacobs Zara Mehta Mikayla Sortisio Danielle “Ali’ Woods
Lisa M. K. Jones Chief Executive Officer
Gold Award Committee
Jane Barringer Carol Day Eileen Emer Emily Hayne Jennifer Jones Cathy Klinc Roxanne Manuel Angie Taylor Kristin Vickery Trisha Wilson Lori Winkelstein Staff Liaison: Eileen Miller