Gold Award Girl Scout Celebration
Class of 2023 Saturday, November 18, 2023
Program Meet & Greet Class of 2023 Gold Award Girl Scouts Welcoming Remarks Julie Dale, GSNYPENN CEO Invocation Reverend Msgr. James Lang, Episcopal Vicar for Parishes, Roman Catholic Diocese of Syracuse Luncheon Introduction of Keynote Speaker JoAnne Morak, Vice President Advancement and Retail Operations Keynote Address Marla Velky-Reger, LCSW-R, Girl Scout Alum, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Co-Owner of Cazenovia Community Fitness Recognition of Class of 2023 Gold Award Girl Scouts Zoe Zygmunt, GSNYPENN Awards Engagement Manager Recognition of GSNYPENN Change Makers Serafina Sortino, GSNYPENN Director of Programs Presentation of Gold Award Scholarships Julie Dale Closing Remarks Tiffany Alvarez Smith, GSNYPENN Board Chair
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Girl Scout Gold Award Committee Meghan Barbay Libby Bokal Brenda Bunzey Elizabeth Brando Christine Chady Diane Hughes Sandy Liston Amy Mahardy Shelly Pattison
Bobbie Petrillose Amy Pfiefer Ruth Serafin Gail Sergio Karen Strife Amy Szewc-McFadden Janis Werner Holly Young
GSNYPENN Board of Directors 2023-2024 Officers: Tiffany Alvarez Smith, Board Chair Kathy Burke Barry, 1st Vice Chair Katie MacIntyre, 2nd Vice Chair Susan Duerr, Treasurer Cindy Demo, Secretary 2023-2024 Members At Large: Debbie Calkins Tiffany Campau Judi Dixon Kim Lamar Shelton Michelle McCabe-Szczepanski Carl McLaughlin Karen Roth Mike Sabo Paloma Sarkar Deb Sanderson Sheri Seguin Judy Suddaby Vanessa Teamoh 4
Keynote Speaker Marla Velky-Reger, LCSW-R Girl Scout Alum, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Co-Owner of Cazenovia Community Fitness Marla Velky-Reger, LCSW-R, is a Girl Scout alum and licensed clinical social worker currently in private practice in Cazenovia, NY. Marla works with children, teens and adults providing individual and family therapy. She facilitates workshops and training related to mental health issues and collaborates with a number of local agencies to provide clinical consultation. Marla began her career working with adolescents at Huntington Family Center in Syracuse. She went on to continue her clinical training at Madison County Mental Health where she worked as the Child & Youth Services Supervisor and Madison County SPOA (Single Point of Access) Coordinator, helping children and families navigate treatment and placement needs within the mental health system. She also taught undergraduate classes in human services for several years at Cazenovia College. Most recently, Marla served as Mental Health Coordinator for Cazenovia Central School District, working to implement best practices within the district and expand mental health supports and initiatives. Marla earned a master’s degree in social work from Syracuse University and a bachelor’s degree from the State University of New York at Geneseo. She is active in her community and serves on the Madison County Public Health Board of Directors, as secretary of the Madison County Rural Health Council Board and president of the Madison County Youth Bureau Board. She is also co-owner of Cazenovia Community Fitness where she pursues a passion for teaching fitness classes.
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The Girl Scout Gold Award & Take Action Project: Standards of Excellence Since 1916, the Girl Scout Gold Award has stood for excellence and leadership for Girl Scouts everywhere. The Gold Award is the highest and most prestigious award that Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors can earn. Today, you join the ranks of generations of young people who have made a difference in their communities and beyond. The Gold Award is the mark of the truly remarkable. The standards required to earn it are demanding but the rewards are many. Through pursuing the Gold Award, Girl Scouts change the world by tackling issues they are passionate about while they learn essential skills that will prepare them for all aspects of life. They problem-solve, inspire, advocate, educate and make a difference. The benefits in their communities and beyond are of lasting, positive change brought about by their efforts. As a bonus, the Gold Award opens doors to a variety of scholarships, preferred admission tracks for college, strong networking and amazing career opportunities, and much more. Girl Scouts earning the Gold Award must meet the following criteria: complete one Senior or Ambassador journey and earn the Silver Award or complete two Senior or Ambassador journeys. Girl Scouts then use their values and skills to identify a community issue that they are passionate about. They research everything they can about this issue and form a team to help them be successful in completing the Gold Award Take Action Project. Each Girl Scout creates a plan for a sustainable project that has a national and/or global link. Once this plan is complete, the award candidate presents their idea to the Gold Award Committee for review and approval. The committee also reviews and accepts the final reports. From start to finish, the Girl Scouts spend at least 80 hours choosing an issue, conducting research and completing their projects. As a Girl Scout, you are part of the World Association of Girl Guides and Girl Scouts (WAGGGS)—the largest voluntary movement dedicated to youth in the world, representing 10 million members from 152 countries! With your talent and passion, you are making changes in your community that can reach people around the world. We applaud the commitment and dedication required to earn this award and are proud of our newest class of Gold Award Girl Scouts! Please enjoy reading summaries of our Gold Award Girl Scouts’ Take Action Projects on the pages that follow. 6
Class of 2023 GSNYPENN Gold Award Girl Scouts Sarah Bacon Camillus, NY Take Action Project: Veteran Gravestone Restoration Sarah honored veterans by repairing and cleaning their gravestones in an abandoned cemetery, while also recruiting others to do the same. One of her favorite Girl Scout memories is whitewater rafting with her troop. Sarah is a graduate of West Genesee High School and currently a student at the State University of New York at Geneseo.
Lilac Burke Mansfield, PA Take Action Project: Serving With Tioga County Pride Lilac increased their county’s awareness of the LGBTQIA2+ community by creating a website for Tioga County Pride, leading a sticker campaign, reaching out to schools and libraries and helping organize the county’s first annual Pride Day celebration. Their favorite memory in our leadership program was a trip to a water park, Splash Lagoon. They will graduate from the Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School and the Center for Performing and Fine Arts. They plan to attend Mansfield University while majoring in music and minoring in visual art.
Hailey Clark Rushville, NY Take Action Project: Rushville Congregational Church’s Website and YouTube Channel Hailey made a difference in her community by connecting people to one another. She created a church website and YouTube channel for members of the congregation as well as others to be able to watch weekly church services. The website includes the history of the Rushville Congregational Church, which is over 200 years old. One of Hailey’s favorite Girl Scout memories is camping when she was little. Hailey is a graduate of Marcus Whitman High School and currently a student at the State University of New York at Oswego where she is studying to become a family consumer science teacher and pursuing a master’s degree in special education. 7
Leighton Eastman Oneonta, NY Take Action Project: Caring vs. Stealing Wildlife Leighton created online resources and pamphlets to educate people on how and when to help hurt, sick or orphaned animals so they can get the assistance they need from professional wildlife rehabilitators. Her favorite Girl Scout memory is attending Camp Amahami every year and traveling to Savannah, Georgia, this past summer. Leighton graduated from Oneonta High School and currently attends the State University of New York at Oneonta where she studies early childhood/childhood education.
Tiffany Gardner Oneonta, NY Take Action Project: A Chance to Dance Tiffany created a series of dance workshops for individuals with disabilities to enjoy the love of dance. Her favorite Girl Scout memory is taking part in a week-long kayaking trip during the summer at Camp Trefoil and meeting many Girl Scouts from the area. Tiffany is a graduate of Oneonta High School and currently attends the State University of New York at Oneonta where she majors in early childhood and elementary education and minors in dance.
Katie Gorman Athens, PA Take Action Project: Girls Coding Club Katie addressed the underrepresentation of women in computer science by founding a Computer Coding Club for fourth and fifth grade girls at her former elementary school. Her goal is to build confidence and interest to keep more girls involved in STEM as they transition from middle to high school. One of her favorite Girl Scout memories is a kayaking camping trip down the Susquehanna River. Katie is a graduate of Athens Area High School and currently enrolled at Muhlenberg College where she studies computer science. 8
Kylie Griffin Greene, NY Take Action Project: Greene Reflection Garden Kylie created a reflection garden to help improve people’s mental health after COVID-19 and leave a positive impact on the community. She selected a quiet place for the garden where people can reflect on life. She also built a prayer box, bench and installed 288 pavers in front of her church with the help of her team. The pavers are special because people were allowed to customize them by putting a name, positive quote or image onto them. Maria Griswold Oneonta, NY Take Action Project: Climate Change and the Monarch Habitat Maria addressed the issue of climate change and its effects on butterfly habitats, specifically the Monarch butterfly since it was placed on the endangered species list in July 2022. Maria created a display about butterflies and climate change for the Oneonta World of Learning Children’s Museum and tabled at events where she distributed free seeds and led children’s butterfly-related crafts. One of Maria’s favorite Girl Scout memories is a troop trip to Limekiln Lake in the Adirondacks. The troop hiked Rocky Mountain, paddled, swam, went to Water Safari and made lots of memories together. Hailee Johnson Endicott, NY Take Action Project: Butterfly Corner Hailee created a space where students and staff could go for community resources and to learn techniques to help them with their anxiety and ease their minds. She believes that no one should feel alone when it comes to anxiety and depression, especially high school students. Clara Macreery Fayetteville, NY Take Action Project: Dance Classes for Children with Disabilities Clara created a dance instruction program centered around inclusivity and each child’s unique needs. Her favorite Girl Scout memory is the Mommy & Me campout at Camp Amahami. Clara is a graduate of Fayetteville-Manlius High School and currently attends the University of Pittsburgh where she studies civil engineering. 9
Emma Mantione Baldwinsville, NY Take Action Project: Music Book Library Emma created a Music Book Library at Charles W. Baker High School in her hometown. She decided to help her school district and community by collecting music books for local student use through donations gathered during school concerts, community events and from the local library. She also posted flyers locally to not only help with her book drive but to educate people on how music helps with mental health and enhances learning and recall. As part of her project, she also developed a spreadsheet that includes the list of books in the library to use for lending and replacement purposes. Emily Morell Oneonta, NY Take Action Project: Town Pool Emily addressed issues at her local town pool by making changes that benefit the special needs and handicapped community. Her project created more shade by adding to the existing pavilion, installing a handicap-rated bench and repainting the building. Emily’s favorite memory of Girl Scouts is the roller-skating night sleepover she attended every year. Emily is a graduate of Oneonta High School and attends the State University of New York at Oswego where she is majoring in family and consumer science education. Bella Raymond Manlius, NY Take Action Project: Supporting the T1D CommUNITY Bella’s project aimed to help children newly diagnosed with type one diabetes and their families. Her project included creating a packet with common scenarios and advice, low-carb snacks and an outline to help others understand diabetes and how to best support them. Her favorite Girl Scout memories are ones spent with her troop attending Girl Scout camps, selling cookies and the annual Pinewood Derby. Bella is now a freshman at Nazareth University where she is a member of the field hockey team, honors program and majors in psychology with a minor in sports and entertainment management. 10
Sarah Rinzan Manlius, NY Take Action Project: Musical Lending Library Sarah improved access to musical instruments and resources in her community by creating the Musical Lending Library at the Fayetteville Free Library, where library patrons can check out instruments that were donated to the collection and use her instructional website to pursue their musical passions. Sarah graduated from Fayetteville-Manlius High School and currently studies chemical and biological engineering at Princeton University.
Isabella Shiel Newark Valley, NY Take Action Project: Nature Restoration at the Historical Society Isabella’s project consisted of renovating and refacing the trails at Bement Billings Farmstead, a historical site in Newark Valley, NY. She re-marked nearly two miles of trail and completely re-established the White Trail which had been washed out by years of flooding. Additionally, Isabella researched, wrote synopses of tree identification facts and designed and placed new informational educational signposts at 18 different trees throughout the site. The final part of her project was redoing the informational entrance kiosk. She added two sides of educational material, colorful trail maps and specimen photos concurrently interspersed with environmentally focused, inspirational quotes.
Mary Sonnen Vestal, NY Take Action Project: Young History Mary has loved history ever since she was a Daisy. Through her Gold Award project, and in coordination with the Town of Vestal’s bicentennial celebration, she designed five signs each detailing 50 years of Vestal’s history from 1773-2022 which she installed in Vestal parks. She also worked with her high school History Club to engage students in local history by cataloging artifacts from their local museum. The goal of her project was to engage the younger population and make them aware of history’s impact and inspire others to learn more. Mary’s favorite Girl Scout memories are the annual trips with the GSNYPENN GEMINI Astronomy Club to Cherry Springs Dark Park where she observed and camped under the Milky Way with her friends. Currently a Junior at Vestal High School, Mary is actively involved with History Club and Girl Scouts and is co-president of Tech Club, secretary of band, a member of the marching band and on the varsity swim team.
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Girl Scouts of the USA National Gold Award Scholarship 2023 Recipient: Sarah Rinzan Manlius, NY Take Action Project: Musical Lending Library GSUSA’s national scholarship recognizes one outstanding Gold Award Girl Scout per council whose project exemplifies the award’s core standards. Sarah is among a group of 110 Girl Scouts from across the U.S. who received scholarships this year made possible in part by the Kappa Delta Foundation in addition to funds from GSUSA and its National Board. She received $10,000 to be used to help defray college tuition costs. Read about Sarah and her project on page 11 of this program booklet.
GSNYPENN Change Makers Change Makers are GSNYPENN Girl Scout members who’ve accomplished the incredible feat of earning all of Girl Scouting’s highest awards: Bronze, Silver and Gold! We’re excited to honor 15 Change Makers today!
Class of 2022 Gold Award Girl Scouts
GSNYPENN Class of 2022 Gold Award Girl Scouts at last year’s celebration.
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GSNYPENN Silver Award Recipients The Silver Award is the highest award a Cadette (grades 6-8) can earn. Cadettes team up with a small group of fellow Girl Scouts or work on their own to research an issue they care about, make a plan to address it and then take action to improve their community. Congratulations to our Class of 2023 GSNYPENN Silver Award Girl Scouts, some of whom have joined us today!
Brynn Akins Gabriella Anderson Annabelle Arthur Claire Baliva Abigail Barrett Kate Bertrand Evva Branagan Marina Brown Olivia Carey Kaylie Case Mia Case Melanie Clark Kaylee Corey Andrea Creller Alexa Davis Avery Dietrich Mara Dietrich Charlotte DuBois Sydney Durant Jillian Fishner
Mora Fitzgerald Amelia Froebel Sophia Garza Gabriella Graham Jolene Grooms Emma Hall Addison Holden Olivia Homer Hope Hrycko Edith James Riley Kozub Katherine Kuhl Sophia Lamphere Abigail Mantione Lily Marr Maya Mclean Kaylee Merrit Laryssa Moore Makenna Naples Gabriella Nuwer
Lily Pate Emily Pedersen Brianna Randall Rowan Reinagel Alexus Reny Amelia Roux Ellie Russell Ava Ryczak Faith Sass Hannah Scheuerman Wren Scott Kaylee Scott Addison Shelley Haiden Stack Madison VanGorder Addison Vergamini Lauren Weaver Corinne Westmiller Tia Zlotnick
Congratulations again on earning your Silver Awards. We can’t wait to see what you pursue for your Gold Award Take Action projects!
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GSNYPENN Gold Award Girl Scout Scholarships Four of our Gold Award Girl Scouts will be awarded GSNYPENN Scholarships today. GSNYPENN has raised $10,000 this year to be used by the girls toward advancing their education at an institution of higher education and/or a vocational training program. The majority of scholarship funds are raised through our annual Women of Distinction event, in addition to donations to the council. The recipient’s project must demonstrate the highest level of leadership, sustainability, measurability and national/global links among the current class of Gold Award Girl Scouts. To be considered, a Girl Scout must successfully complete their Gold Award as a member of the GSNYPENN Council. No separate application is required. We hope that this fund continues to grow over the years to support the lifelong learning that builds young people of courage, confidence and character beyond their Girl Scout experience. Three named scholarships are presented today in memory of special Girl Scout sisters we lost in 2019: Marie Hepworth Lifelong Girl Scout, Executive Director of Legacy Council Indian Hills for 20+ Years (in the amount of $4,000) Kelly Perkins Lifelong Girl Scout, Silver & Bronze Award Girl Scout, GSNYPENN Summer Camp Staff Member (in the amount of $3,000) Kerrie Black Lifelong Girl Scout, GSNYPENN Regional Support Manager for Broome & Delaware Counties (in the amount of $2,000) The Women of Distinction Donor Scholarship will also be awarded today thanks to the generosity of our 2023 event patrons. (in the amount of $1,000) 14
Girl Scout Mission, Promise & Law
Girl Scout Mission Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. Girl Scout Promise On my honor, I will try: To serve God and my country, To help people at all times, And to live by the Girl Scout Law. Girl Scout Law I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout.
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