Gold Award Girl Scouts | Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts

Gold Award Girl Scouts

2022-23

Gold Award Girl Scouts Change the World

Gold Award Girl Scouts are change-makers. They have changed the world, changed their lives, and earned the most prestigious award in Girl Scouting.

To earn the Gold Award, a Girl Scout identifies an issue in their community, drafts a plan to address a root cause, and leads a team of volunteers to implement it. When the project is complete, the Gold Award Girl Scout and their team have made a sustainable impact on the world that continues to last beyond their involvement.

It’s a huge accomplishment that also impacts the Gold Award Girl Scout as a person. How they see the world—and how the world sees them—is forever changed. It’s also a credential that will be with them for the rest of their life; having the Girl Scout Gold Award on a high school transcript or resumé can make a Girl Scout stand out when it comes to college admissions, scholarship applications, internships, and job interviews.

We Are Girl Scouts

Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life as they work together to build a better world. Through programs from coast to coast, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them.

Gold Award Committee

Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts would like to thank the following individuals for their significant commitment of time and talent reviewing and approving proposals, supporting girls as they complete their projects, and officiating the completion of projects. Through their dedication to the Girl Scout mission, they are making a difference in the lives of girls who, in turn, are making the world a better place.

• Katherine Albert

• Shannon Connors

• Vicki Crosson

• Kerin Deely

• Amy Fong

• Sydney Gabrielson

• Sara Grady

• Christine Harnett

• Carolyn Hely

• Mikayla Hopkins

• Kathy Horigan

• Diane Kimball

• Susan Kohlman

• Eileen Koury-Judkins

• Katelyn Lantz

• Cathy LeBlanc

• Caitlyn LeBlanc

• Courtney Medlin

• Natalie Oakes

• Jessi Robinson

• Olivia Rosenblum

• Lisa Silletti

• Gail Spring

• Anne Valade

• Sally Webster

• Judith Wilchynski

2022-23

GSEMA Gold Award Girl Scouts

Claudia Castro Acton

Empowering Young Women’s Health: Endometriosis Awareness and Education

Claudia was diagnosed with endometriosis during the spring of 11th grade, after a lifetime of assuming that debilitating menstrual pain was normal. She noticed a gap in her school’s health education curriculum, and developed a lecture-based lesson plan that focused specifically on endometriosis and all-things-periods. Claudia focused her time on educating current ninth graders at her school, as well as health educators who could carry on with this curriculum in the future. Despite some struggles to get the project up and running, Claudia created a sustainable, educational program that will be taught as a pilot program within her school system for the next several years.

“Since my diagnosis, I have met and learned about many women who lived in pain for years because they didn’t know how to advocate for themselves.”

Aparna Kamath Acton

Eating Disorder Awareness and Education

Aparna knew that eating disorders were prevalent in teens, but felt alarmed and discouraged by her and her peers’ lack of knowledge about the warning signs, the impact of improper nutrition on one’s health, and ways to provide support to someone who is struggling. Aparna felt like early-on education at the high school level would be a good way to combat societal pressures many teenagers feel about eating and appearance. She worked collaboratively with her school’s physical education department and guidance counselor to create a video and presentation about eating disorders. Aparna spread the word throughout her town, in addition to her peers, by writing an article for her school’s newspaper and by having an Acton TV station stream her educational video on multiple platforms. Her project will remain an active part of Acton-Boxborough Regional High School’s health and wellness curriculum, sustaining far beyond Aparna’s personal involvement with the project.

“I learned that I have become far more confident over the past year, allowing me to easily communicate with adults and present my project to the freshman health classes.”

Supria Shroff Acton

Project Special Connections: An At-Home Interactive Resource for You and Your Special Needs Child

Supria recognized the struggle of many specialneeds children who were missing structure due to increased at-home time as a result of COVID-19 quarantines. To aid in making these children more comfortable during this difficult time, Supria created a interactive sensory book that children could use to develop their fine motor skills in the absence of in-person therapy sessions. Supria provided copies of her book to her local library, held activity demonstrations for interested families via Zoom, and provided PDFs on a public website should individuals from other areas want to replicate the book at home. Two different therapy groups enjoyed Supria’s work so much, they will continue to check books out to children in need of the enrichment.

“I really wanted to earn my Gold Award and I was passionate about helping the special needs and youth community. So, even though I had a lot of obstacles, I learned that I can get a lot done if I am passionate about what I am doing.”

Ellen Pechinsky Andover Sweet “Greens” Are Made of This

Ellen wanted to make sure that students in her school district were well-versed in the topics of gardening and its environmental benefits. By developing a “Green Team” for middle-school students, Ellen was able to teach her community about pesticides, the importance of pollination, and the benefits of maintaining locally sourced native plants to maintain a healthy ecosystem. With the help of some of the Andover Youth Center staff members, the Green Team was able to create a vertical garden to benefit the community. Additionally, the group was able to collaborate by designing an environmentally conscious landscape for a town center. Ellen’s work will be sustained via the physical creations at the Andover Youth Center and the landscape designs will be implemented by the Andover Center for History and Culture.

“From working with adults, professionals and kids, I had to be self-assertive and confident in my own abilities as well as being able to assess others. These skills allowed me to lead a team in a holistic manner as a member.”

Natalia Salinas Andover

Girls-in-STEM Program & Workshop Series

Natalia’s Gold Award project leveraged the concept of intersectionality to understand the nuanced drivers of her target issue, the underrepresentation of Latinas in STEM-related occupations. Natalia found that out of the 24 percent of women who hold STEM jobs in the United States, only 2 percent of those women are Latina. Natalia’s research also found that underrepresentation of Latinas in STEM fields can influence girls’ career preferences as early as their middle school years. To help Latina middle school-aged students develop an interest in STEM careers, Natalia developed a workshop that was divided into three major segments. All attendees were encouraged to discuss their culture and ethnicity while engaging in STEM model building activities before completing a confidence-building presentation at the end of the workshop. Natalia’s workshop materials and impressive outcomes will be sustained through publicly available computer terminals at her local library and online at large.

“I have gained incredible insights and firsthand experience with the multilayered reality of being a strong leader, especially the importance of establishing and maintaining healthy, productive working relationships within a team and community.”

Karen Altenhoff Boston Sweet Smiles

Karen felt the pressures of isolation during the pandemic and saw her phone as a lifeline to connect with family and friends. When she discovered that many elderly nursing home residents could not access the same technological lifeline due to lack of knowledge or ability, she took it upon herself to bring them a break from their loneliness. Karen collaborated with Hale House Boston, a local residential care facility for seniors, to create a social hour program with games and homemade treats. Karen led a team of all-ages volunteers who will sustain these special social hours beyond her involvement. Through Karen’s Gold Award project, the entire community was enriched by way of multigenerational interaction and enjoying the simple things in life.

“The issue of loneliness does not only impact the people in my community, but our entire world. With my project, I was able to bring a smile to a person’s face and let them talk about their lives—all while enjoying a treat.”

Emma Lincecum Boston

Confronting Racial Implicit Bias

Emma felt the effect of implicit racial bias through the perpetuation of stereotypes in media and in the subtle ways it is woven into everyday occurrences and actions. Emma developed a workshop style curriculum to confront implicit racial bias alongside forty members of the Boston Student Advisory Council. Through powerful personal stories shared by audience members, and pre/post workshop surveys, Emma was able to teach those forty student leaders a level of understanding surrounding racial biases that they did not previously have. Following her workshop, Emma’s resources were taken on by her school’s student council to use in their school district and shared with the Boston Student Advisory Council to educate members of the Boston community.

“My conviction was tested repeatedly, but at no point did I consider giving up. I learned that once I put my mind to something, I will do anything in my power to see it through.”

Mariella Mattaliano Boston

Reading is Fun

Mariella loved to read, and was discouraged by research reports that showed an increase in children’s literacy issues in recent years. Therefore, Mariella dedicated her time to helping eight kindergarten and first grade students enhance their reading skills, increase their attention spans, and overall improve their literacy capabilities. Mariella would read to the students before creating a game out of question/answer sessions and completing the reading comprehension with a themed craft. Mariella often had friends help her with this project, and one particularly invested volunteer helper will sustain this project by continuing it for the next year.

“At the start of this process, it felt impossible. It seemed as if there was a roadblock down every path I attempted to follow. Failure and rejection became constant. I learned that I am able to accomplish things especially when I truly try.”

Hannah Sullivan Boston

Body Positivity Amongst Adolescents

Hannah noticed a rise in physical insecurities in preteens and teenagers, as a result of an increased use of social media around the age of 13. Hannah developed an experience-based curriculum in which she and a group of volunteers created presentations about representation in media, the importance of bodypositivity, and coping strategies for those struggling with negative feelings towards their appearance. Hannah also created educational pamphlets to distribute within the Mental Health and Women Empowerment clubs at her school. The Women Empowerment Club was so impressed by Hannah’s work that they agreed to run the presentation yearly and continue the important conversation for the foreseeable future.

“The most successful part of my project [was] how diverse it was and how I really [felt] like we managed to touch upon a larger spectrum of groups that I [felt] are commonly left out of body positivity conversations.”

Gabriella Turco Boston

Period Insecurity Right Next Door

Gabriella admired the work of an organization called “Hope and Comfort” and wanted to extend a helping hand. The organization is committed to providing period packages to in-need teenagers, an issue that Gabriella felt deserved more awareness in her community. Gabriella held information sessions at her church, alongside a Girl Scout cookie booth sale, put up flyers in her school’s bathroom stalls, contacted her congresswoman to promote tax-free menstrual products, and posted on Facebook and Instagram pages to educate people beyond her local reach. By partnering with an established organization and getting younger Girl Scouts involved with her project, Gabriella’s efforts will continue to make an impact on her community beyond her involvement.

“I know that I was able to help the intended audience of my project. Although I never knew their names, I know there is a girl behind every anonymity number who felt more secure with their specific high-quality products fitting their own needs.”

Katherine Faddis Boxford Volleyball Program

Katherine loved playing volleyball with her high school team, but was upset to realize that most people joined her team with little to no experience in the sport. By hosting a volleyball clinic aimed towards interested middle-schoolers, Katherine hoped that girls could improve their skills as well as their self-esteem and confidence when trying something new. Katherine reported that each of the clinic’s participants improved from the first day to the last by participating in games and skill development exercises. The clinic was so successful that it was decided that it would be an annual event for local middle-schoolers to explore the sport.

“I had to put into practice project management by having a timeline, following up with people and knowing the task I had to do. I did a lot of public speaking, during the meetings and the clinic which was a little out of my comfort zone and took courage, confidence and character from me.”

2022-23

GSEMA Gold Award Girl Scouts

Alice MacGarvie Thompson Brookline

Affordable Housing in Brookline

Alice was appalled to learn of the living conditions her lower- and middle-income classmates were being subjected to, due to the lack of affordable and subsidized housing in the Brookline area. By doing some research on her area’s zoning laws, she discovered arbitrary and racist policies dating back to the 1850s which have prohibited construction of suitable and reasonably priced homes. With this information under her belt, Alice engaged in community outreach, and got to work trying to get a policy that promoted an increase in subsidized housing to pass. She submitted, lobbied for, and saw her resolution to consider an Affordable Housing Overlay District for Brookline pass. Alice’s work is ongoing, and is being sustained through an eight-member study committee that will present their findings to the Housing Authority Board in one year, and hopefully lead to a positive vote towards an Affordable Housing Overlay District.

“Doing this project has been one of the most incredible experiences in my life. I learned that I am at my best and happiest when I am deeply engaged in something I’m passionate about. It improves my overall better well-being.”

Alexa Schneeberger Chatham

Emotional Intelligence Through Art

Alexa recognized the mental health crisis amongst her peers and those younger than her following years of isolation due to COVID-19. Alexa determined that the first step to understanding one’s emotions was being able to identify them. By identifying one’s emotions as they occur, self-regulation becomes less strenuous and coping mechanisms can be developed. Alexa found that vocal expression of her emptions could be challenging, but through art, she could communicate her everyday feelings, conflicts, and thoughts. Therefore, she introduced the concept of art-journaling to a group of younger students, as a way to share this coping mechanism and help them lessen meltdowns and frustrations. By providing students with prompts and materials, they were able to exhibit a greater level of emotional understanding and growth via their artistic responses. Alexa’s Gold Award project will be sustained beyond her involvement by the guidance department at the elementary school in which she completed her project.

“It taught me that I could be independent in a project, working hard to get things moving and keep them moving, and that, as my mentor would say, ‘I am a self-starter.’”

Aisling Frugoli Chelmsford

Everybody Camps

Aisling loved attending GSEMA summer camps and wanted to provide additional accessibility resources for Girl Scouts with disabilities at Camp Runels. Aisling’s Gold Award aimed to make campgrounds comfortable for all Girl Scouts to attend summer camp confidently. In addition to creating physical resources by building ramps, Aisling also created and implemented an inclusion training course for the Camp Runels staff. Her Gold Award will go far beyond her own reach as her thoughtful training course will be spread across GSEMA and disabled camp-goers will use her ramps for years to come.

“From this project I learned that I am a very confident public speaker when I am speaking on topics that I am passionate about and have a lot of knowledge in.”

Madelaine Edmondson Concord

Stress Reduction Amongst Fifth Graders

Madelaine discovered that fifth graders in her community were experiencing an unusual amount of stress and anxiety due to the challenges of preparing for middle school. She decided to dedicate her time through her Gold Award project to help students develop healthy coping mechanisms for stress as they enter their teenage years. Madelaine created a curriculum that she shared with three fifth-grade classes within her school district and one local Girl Scout troop. Additionally, she created a website that students would be able to access at home when they needed resources to combat certain stressors. In her lessons, Madelaine also led the groups through meditation, making slime, and crafting stress balls. Madelaine’s project will be sustained by the members of her high school’s art magazine, “The Reflections Club,” who will continue to lead these important workshops.

“Through in-person lessons with the curriculum I created, I discovered that I enjoy teaching and have a talent for explaining complex ideas in a way that is accessible to others.”

Arianna Carchedi Harwich

Mental Health Awareness

Arianna was upset to learn that only three states in the US require mental health education to be included in public schools’ curriculums. She was even more upset to learn that Massachusetts was not one of those three. Through her research and community presentations at her town’s cranberry festival, Arianna aimed to reduce stigma surrounding mental health conditions and create sustainable resources for those struggling to begin their mental wellness journey. Along with her presentations, she spread positivity through a segment on the morning announcements, in her school’s newspaper, and through signs posted around her school. Arianna’s project will be sustained through resource binders filled with activities, podcast recommendations, and affirmation guides housed in her school’s guidance offices and health education classrooms.

“My presentation skills only got stronger with this project, I am proud of the presentations that I led.”

Olivia Sims Harwich Flowers for Seniors

Olivia understood that the effects of quarantine and the pandemic, specifically loneliness, had been felt by many. Olivia noticed that senior citizens in her community suffered greatly without being allowed visitors, so she wanted to do something to help brighten their spirits. Olivia planted a large flower garden and created 230 bouquets for residents of her local elderly care facility. She even included comment cards for the residents to write about their experience in receiving the thoughtful gift, and she received over 100 positive and happy responses. The Garden Club at Olivia’s high school will sustain this project, and Olivia made her story/resources available online via a YouTube video.

“While I couldn’t resolve the isolation issue, I could let someone know that I cared and help them feel less lonely. Flowers bring people together, start conversations, bring back memories and show someone that you care.”

Audrey Smith Harwich Monomoy Climate Action Club

Audrey was frustrated by the lack of education and action happening in her school community regarding the issue of climate change. Audrey created a plan to address both of these issues, by creating a Climate Action Club at her high school and organizing beach clean ups and clothing drives in collaboration with them. Audrey finished out her project by creating a presentation for her school about local climate issues, and what students can do to help. The Climate Action Club proved to be very popular amongst Audrey’s peers, and will resume monthly beach cleanups and hold an annual clothing drive beyond her involvement.

“I learned that I can do anything but I have to really want to work for it and I have to just take the first step because that is the hardest thing to do. I also learned that I have to push myself out of my comfort zone in order to achieve big things.”

2022-23 GSEMA Gold Award Girl Scouts

Katie Beauvais Hopkinton

Leave No Trace and Outdoor Skills

Katie wanted to inspire members of her community to use “Leave No Trace” principles when hiking their local trail systems. Katie knew how important it was to be respectful of the natural environment because of her years of Girl Scout outdoor training. Katie spread the word by hosting environmental impact workshops and building a small bridge to concentrate foot traffic into one area. Katie made her curriculum available to Girl Scout leaders, community educators, and younger Girl Scouts via an online post. With these resources now widely available, anyone can continue their Leave No Trace journey and reduce their engagement in negative human activity while enjoying natural environments.

“It was very rewarding to hear the kids discussing the ways that they could practice leave no trace, including when they used what they learned to brainstorm ideas I had not thought of.”

Elizabeth Schneider Hopkinton

Plant Powered – Changing the World One Meal at a Time

Elizabeth felt passionate about plant-based eating, along with its physical and environmental benefits. She wanted to use her Gold Award platform to share her experience using a plantbased diet both in her community and around the world using the internet. Elizabeth created seven informational videos about the benefits of a plant-based diet, and posted them on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. Additionally, she created pamphlets that were displayed and distributed at her town’s health department and her local library. She also led by example in developing plantbased menus using entirely economical, easily accessible ingredients to create nutritious meals. By completing a significant portion of her Gold Award project by creating online resources, Elizabeth’s project will remain accessible and be sustained beyond her involvement.

“I decided to complete my project on this topic, because I know that this manner of eating has helped me personally feel better and has improved my performance in sports.”

Sarah Baskin

Lexington

Stories from the Pandemic: Personal Accounts of Teens in the Time of Coronavirus

Sarah was inspired to create a catalog of information for teens to use as primary sources when studying the COVID-19 pandemic in the future. In Sarah’s own studies, she noticed a lack of youth-focused narratives in academic contexts, which left her unable to identify with the history lessons she was consuming. With the help of English educators and local librarians, Sarah gathered data from fellow Lexington youths that documented pandemic and post-pandemic experiences in an approachable way through writing.

“I have a personal fear of never being able to complete things, and so the most important thing that this experience taught me was that I can absolutely trust myself to follow through, especially if it’s something that I am personally invested in and care about such as this project.”

Ellie Caro Lexington Shining a Light on Queer Voices

Ellie was dismayed by the silencing and oppression that the LGBTQ+ community faces. Ellie felt that there was a lack of mental health support for LGBTQ+ youth who were more likely to experience crisis. Ellie wanted to create something that her fellow LGBTQ+ youth could identify with, so she released an album across all streaming platforms about her experiences as an LGBTQ+ teenager. Additionally, Ellie organized a presentation and performance at her school, where she educated her peers about LGBTQ+ artists in the industry. At her performance, Ellie had the opportunity to share her music with others and gave other queer students the chance to do the same. The performance was such a hit, that it will be sustained as a yearly event going forward.

“I learned that I can come up with solutions quickly. When obstacles arise, I am collected and can easily come up with an adjustment to keep the project moving forward.”

Jessica Laman Lexington

Local Conservation Advocacy Through Art

Jessica recognized the struggles of native plants and wildlife competing with land development and human-led introduction of invasive or nonnative plants that cannot sustain local habitats. Through her Gold Award project, Jessica aimed to break down barriers between “human spaces” and “nature spaces” by combing art with advocacy through a mural placed in a high traffic area for high school students and younger children. By creating a piece of art in a popular community space, Jessica was able to engage in important conversations about native plant/wildlife conservation and spread her advocacy throughout her town and generate conversations for many years to come.

“I learned a lot about managing my own expectations, and learning to enjoy the product you ended up completing, rather than the vision you initially had.”

Harshini Pathivada Lexington South Asian Festival

As a proud young woman of South Asian descent, Harshini was disappointed by the lack of South Asian representation in her community and in Asian American Pacific Islander events. Harshini decided to change this by bringing culture, tradition, and education together through her Gold Award project, South Asian Festival. The festival included eight craft booths, eight information booths for the eight regions of South Asia, clothing and jewelry boutique vendors, authors, and food from a favorite local restaurant. Harshini was able to host 80 attendees and educate other interested individuals via social media while the festival was going on. To sustain her efforts beyond the event, Harshini donated 15 books about South Asia to her school’s library that represented each of the eight regions and are a mix of fiction and nonfiction.

“I think the most successful part of my project was the eight region crafts. I put a lot of time and effort into designing each region’s booth and making sure every aspect was equally represented with no errors. I made sure the crafts were easy to do for younger kids but interesting enough for adults as well.”

Lauren Williams Marlborough

Build a Bridge on the Marlborough Trail System

Lauren loved taking walks along her local trail system, but noticed a need for a bridge structure over a muddy river on one of her favorite hiking trails. Lauren also hoped that by building a foot bridge, other Marlborough residents would gain awareness of their local trail systems, inspire a litter clean-up campaign to keep the trails beautiful, and increase appreciation for the natural world. She documented the bridge-building process with a video and hung up posters near the trail to encourage new and returning hikers to check it out. Lauren collaborated with members of her school’s National Honor Society to keep the trail clean and ensure the bridge remains intact.

“I learned that I love self-directed projects, and that I have so much more power than I thought...Now I have the ability to construct things and feel much more connected to my local government.”

Annie Konieczka Maynard Leaders of Change

Annie wanted to bring the passion back to leadership education and opportunity. She felt strongly that she and her peers were not receiving effective life skills education such as communication, confidence, and problem-solving. To combat this issue, Annie started a club called “Leaders of Change” that organized several charitable fundraisers throughout the year. Annie’s club was able to successfully donate 700 books to the local Boys and Girls Club, 320 items to a local homeless shelter, $1,004 to support World Central Kitchen, and $700 to support Relay for Life. Annie surveyed her club’s members at the beginning and end of the school year, and every club participant was able to confidently rate themselves higher in leadership skills than they had previously. Annie’s “Leaders of Change” club will continue to run under the supervision of two staff volunteers and merge with an additional club for larger impact as they continue to make a difference in their community.

“I was very nervous at the first couple of meetings and it felt very uncomfortable as everyone listened to me. However, as the meetings went on, I gained a lot more confidence in myself and my decisions.”

Hannah Johnson Medfield

Environmental Education in Medfield

Hannah wanted Medfield to reach net zero for the town’s overall carbon emissions, but she felt a distinct lack of environmental education at the high school level. Without educating the next generation about these important climate initiatives, Hannah felt it would not be possible to achieve this goal. Therefore, she got to work by creating spaces for students to get involved, writing informational brochures for fellow students, giving a schoolwide presentation surrounding environmental literacy, and adding compost bins to the cafeteria. These efforts will be sustained with composting in the high school for years to come, a continued display of Hannah’s brochure in the school’s library, and an ongoing collaboration between the Medfield High School Environmental Club and the Sustainable Medfield initiative.

“I learned that confidence was key to getting a group of people to listen to me or getting school officials to take me seriously...I needed to convey why my project was important and why our school needs it.”

Maura Cronin Nahant Social Media Awareness Resources and Tools (SMART)

Maura felt her mental health, and the mental health of many young girls around her, was being negatively impacted by unrealistic stereotypes being perpetuated in a pervasive media. Maura targeted these issues by creating a presentation that was given three times at her local library in October, March, and August. Additionally, Maura created a website, which she titled “Be Smart with Social,” where interested individuals can access mental health resources, book recommendations, and other helpful coping tools that are organized by age group.

“I learned that I was stronger than I thought, and I also learned that I have a long way to go. I know that I still have to keep improving on myself and my skills, but this project was such a valuable opportunity to grow more as a person while helping others at the same time.”

Sabrina Cohen Newton

STEAM Kits to Promote Interest in Science Fields

Sabrina was concerned that her school’s science curriculum wasn’t effectively engaging her fellow students. Due to the pandemic-triggered online only instruction model, there was a severe lack of hands-on, STEM based activities being provided to students. Sabrina believed that by reintroducing science lessons alongside interactive projects that incorporated artistic elements, students with different learning styles would more thoroughly understand the scientific concepts being taught. Sabrina assembled three separate at-home STEAM kits, each tackling a different scientific concept, and hosted a total of 17 Zoom lessons for interested students to follow along with the activities.

“Mixing art with science adds another dimension to experiments and science lessons. It brings in an added appeal that is easier to digest and fosters interest in both arts and sciences. Getting young children interested in science early can help them later in school and perhaps in life, giving them confidence in other fields as well as scientific ones.”

Sanjana Deshpande Newton Using Creativity to Combat Cancer

Sanjana wanted to help pediatric cancer patients who were struggling with depression and anxiety brought on by their conditions. Sanjana compiled and delivered creative care packages to patients and encouraged them to create a piece of art or writing before compiling their creations into a book for the hospital to display. By doing research to support her project, Sanjana discovered the importance of art therapy for pediatric oncology patients. To support these findings, Sanjana created a short video about art therapy and shared it with hospital staff, parents, and families. A local Girl Scout troop will continue to collect and distribute the artwork of young cancer patients, sustaining Sanjana’s project beyond her involvement.

“The leadership skills that I used included decision-making, as I had to make a lot of difficult decisions when it came to the obstacles that I faced and put a lot of faith in myself that I had made the right decisions.”

2022-23

GSEMA Gold Award Girl Scouts

Emily Nauen Newton Project Peace

Emily felt sympathetic towards people in her life struggling with mental illness, and knew that mental health has been a widespread societal issue for some time. Emily’s Gold Award project aimed to provide people in her community with a peaceful, beautiful place where they could gather, enjoy nature, and find tranquility. By joining forces with a group of volunteer helpers, Emily was able to plant a garden space that she invited members of the community to come and enjoy. Emily set up an upkeep fund through her local church to ensure that her work will be sustained and taken care of for years to come.

“I learned what I was capable of making change. I always knew that I would be able to complete this project, but to be able to see the true impact that I’ve made on my community, as well as the awareness that I’ve spread about mental health, shows me that I have to power to make impact in ways bigger than I ever imagined.”

Audrey Pontiff Newton

What Is Dyslexia

Audrey believed that the stigmatization of dyslexia stems from a lack of early education about the subject. Audrey chose to work with young people and teachers to raise awareness about dyslexia: what it is, how it makes a person’s life harder, and how to not be ashamed of it or make others feel bad about it. Audrey combatted these stereotypes by raising awareness in her community, starting with a lunchtime club of fellow dyslexic students. Together, this group of students implemented a schoolwide celebration called “Dyslexia Appreciation Week,” which will be sustained by school staff beyond Audrey’s involvement. They created posters, stickers, and collected digital resources to help educate their peers and change the narrative around dyslexia.

“This project may not save the world completely, but it is a step towards making the world we live in more accepting towards the neurodivergent.”

Jessica Rigoli Newton

Art for Kids in Challenging Situations

Jessica recognized the struggle of children living in temporary/interim housing as being a highly emotional transitional period of life. Jessica collaborated with an art teacher and a social worker to develop a plan to let those children express their emotions creatively and bring in some decoration to their temporary homes. Together, they chose 10 hands-on projects and presented them to groups of children at the Wellesley Housing Authority. Once the projects were completed, Jessica and her team of volunteers decided to stage an art gallery/family party in the facility’s community room. Jessica’s Gold Award project has been sustained through the Wellesley Housing Authority following her donation of art materials and binder filled with instructions, and has been recognized as a great success at one of the organization’s official meetings.

“By providing the kids with a chance to relax, be creative, be social, and learn art, the children have gained a strong sense of community and have bonded with each other. These are skills they can use to bring forward into the world.”

Jenna Vincenzino Newton Jump! Into the Adventure

Jenna wanted to encourage children impacted by the COVID-19 quarantine to get outside and get proper exercise. She knew it would be a challenge to keep kids engaged, so she created enticing stories that she shared during a wellness workshop designed to display the fun side of fitness. She tracked her participants’ wellness journeys through self-reported online exercise and diet logs. Her stories were successful in getting her participants excited about activity, and will be used in the coming years by Jenna’s former elementary school’s physical education teacher and her martial arts instructor.

“I learned that I need to rely on my team to help me with certain tasks. This project is designed to be one that is completed successfully with a team. So as much as I am independent, I needed to make sure that I still delegated the tasks that required teamwork.”

Nicole Boyce Orleans

Educating Proper Rabbit Care to Prevent Abandonment

Nicole was disheartened to learn that her favorite type of furry friend, the rabbit, was being mistreated and abandoned by ill-prepared owners. Nicole set out to rewrite the rabbit narrative by preparing resources for in-person presentations within her community and online. Nicole created a website with global reach, spread the word on social media, and even rehomed two rabbits from Craigslist through collaboration with her local animal shelter. Nicole’s Gold Award project will be sustained through volunteers at her local animal shelter who will continue to use her presentations and educational materials to educate new and interested rabbit owners for years to come.

“It is frustrating that I cannot help everyone and their rabbits, but I have chosen to shift my perspective and look at how much I have done in changing some rabbits lives forever!”

Ella Luongo Peabody

Healthy Eating Club

Because of Ella’s passion for healthy eating, she discovered that many young kids were missing proper nutrition education from their school’s health curriculum. Therefore, Ella started two healthy eating clubs with sessions that taught elementary school-aged children how to make simple, nutritious meals. Ella quizzed each club member through a Google Form before and after the sessions to test their knowledge and information retention. Lastly, she ensured that her project will be sustained beyond her involvement by posting the recipes shared in her club sessions on a public Instagram account.

“Although I encountered two challenging obstacles during the course of my project, I was able to overcome both of them in different ways. In the moment I thought these obstacles were detrimental to my project, but they both just ended up being things I had to work around and were able to get by in the end.”

Victoria McCoy Peabody

Breaking Stereotypes in the Music World

Victoria loved her experience participating in her school’s band program, but feared for the future of music-education classes in light of COVID restrictions and outside pressures to prioritize sports over artistic activities. For her Gold Award project, Victoria got to work educating students of all ages on what their participation in the performing arts could look like. Victoria created different resources geared toward the different levels that her content would be addressing. She created a children’s book for elementary students, a more interactive video presentation for middle school students, and a binder of resources to teach high schoolers what band could look like without pandemic-related limitations. By reducing stigma about band participation, Victoria increased registration for the music program in her district: 42 elementary school students, 12 middle school students, and six high school students. Victoria’s efforts will be sustained through copies of her children’s book, her YouTube channel for middle school students, and her “band pride” Instagram account geared towards high schoolers.

“I also used my leadership skills to build friendships within my team. A lot of the members of high school band students who went to the elementary school with me were not very close to me.”

GSEMA Gold Award Girl Scouts

Emily Mello Sagamore Beach Level Up

Emily wanted to share her passion for wellness with younger students as a way to encourage them to develop healthy habits. Emily began her project by collaborating with her local elementary school to create healthy living activity packets with crossword puzzles, coloring pages, and more. Emily also created a Facebook page to track her work, and share recipes and additional activities geared towards an older age group. She also taught basic exercises like jumping rope and playing drop it-catch it to the elementary school students. All of these lessons, along with Emily’s healthy-living Facebook page, will remain active and in rotation inperson at the elementary school and online.

“I feel the greatest reward from this project was working with the students. I’ve heard teachers talk many times about how rewarding their jobs are but didn’t fully understand until I started this project. It is true. Watching the students learn is so rewarding but more so when they are having fun while learning.”

Gina Wierzbowski Stoneham Flower Power: Bringing Back Native Plants

Gina loved taking walks with her family around town, but began to notice an alarming lack of native vegetation. Upon doing more research, she discovered the dangerous environmental implications of the invasive species taking over her town’s ecosystems. Gina’s Gold Award project tackled this issue by creating native plant gardens in public areas around her hometown, handing out native plant seeds at her local farmer’s market and local library, and creating a website to increase awareness and education about the dangers of invasive plants. By creating a multi-leveled approach to solving this issue, Gina’s project will be sustained beyond her involvement digitally through her website and ecologically through her gardens and seed packets.

“I will always have critiques for my project and there will always be ways I could have done better, but in the end, I did make a difference and I did it in my own way, which helped me grow in ways I will never forget.”

Elizabeth Huettig Sudbury

A Wayside Walk through History

Elizabeth loved learning about her town’s history, and wanted to share some of her most positive findings with a younger audience. She believed that by creating an elementary-level curriculum surrounding her town’s history, the next generation would have an increased sense of self and pride for their hometown. When met with resistance from her town’s social studies coordinator due to timing-constraints, Elizabeth wrote a book about Sudbury’s Wayside Inn for students to engage with local history in a fun way outside of school hours. Readers can follow along with Elizabeth’s book by walking along a storybook trail. Upon completion of Elizabeth’s Gold Award project, she passed along ownership of her book to the Wayside Inn Foundation so that many people in the future may benefit from her hard work.

“I was surprised at my ability to stand up in front of my team and tell them what I wanted done, and I was delighted with how proud I was when things started coming together.”

Grace Ramos Swampscott Penguin Project

Grace knew that her school community had the resources to enact real, positive change for the environment. So, she took it upon herself to educate her peers and school staff by teaching them how to sort and reduce waste, start an extracurricular club of likeminded environmentalists, and create a clean-up service in her school’s cafeteria to weigh the compost and assist in other standard chores. Through all of these efforts, Grace was able to successfully meet her Gold Award goals by reducing the overall compost weight and increasing the quality of the compost via minimizing contamination. Grace was able to instill positive, sustainable change in her school community through environmental education efforts. Each year when a new student enters the school, they will be required to read a section of the school handbook dedicated to reducing waste.

“I hope by educating the members of my community they will be leading examples for others that will follow.”

Mackenzie Morong Waltham

Building Community through Activities Library

When Mackenzie observed that many of her high school’s extracurricular clubs and activities (there are over 60) had very few members participating, she jumped into action to develop a strategy to increase engagement and build community across the student body. Although students at her school were required to pick a club to fulfill an activity block, they made their selection reluctantly because there was a lack of information available help guide them with their choices. Mackenzie addressed this problem with her Gold Award project by creating and sharing web-based resources for students to research extracurricular offerings. With this website, students would be better prepared to select a club that aligns with their interests, thus improving the overall sense of belonging at her school. By polling student club leaders and participants, Mackenzie learned that by the end of the school year, her website drove a 27.9 percent increase in club participation and an 85 percent increase in feelings of belonging amongst her peers. This project will be sustained through underclassmen who will take over the website’s management and upkeep.

“Through this project, I learned that I can stick with something, even when it is hard, even when there are unimaginable obstacles put in my way, even when others don’t respond in the way I had hoped, and even when a pandemic hit and the way I learned to ‘do’ school for ten years gets completely flipped on its head.”

Megan O’Donnell Wayland

Invasive Species Awareness and Removal

Megan enjoyed being part of her school’s environmental club, but wanted to connect the youth climate movement to a project that allowed them to take immediate action. Megan became distressed after learning about the harmful impacts that invasive species can have on native vegetation, climate change, carbon cycles, and rising sea levels. Megan recruited a team of volunteers and local experts to participate in a series of “invasive pulls.” They worked together to pull small portions of glossy buckthorn, and cut back others in an area of heavy vegetation as recommended by the experts who volunteered to educate the group. Megan also hosted a series of workshops to educate and inspire interested community members about invasive plants and how their removal can positively impact the environment. Megan’s hard work will be kept up and preserved through a variety of local planet activist organizations and governmental conservation departments.

“I began to get involved in fighting for climate justice beyond my Gold Award, including lobbying my state senator on the importance of the issue and thanking him for his support of past and current climate legislation.”

Patricia Pak Wayland Native Plants for Pollinators

Patricia noticed that her town did not have enough native plants, and her community’s pollinators were suffering as a result. Patricia tackled this issue by first reaching out to “The Green Team” and the Wayland Garden Club in order to spread awareness and education. She also planted a native plants garden in a prominent location to raise awareness in the town about the importance of a healthy ecosystem, and gave away milkweed seedlings to encourage residents to plant their own! Patricia’s project will be sustained beyond her involvement by the conservation department, the Green Team, and the Wayland Garden Club by way of plant upkeep and continued sales of milkweed to promote the spread of native plants.

“I learned that despite being extremely shy, I am capable of working with others, and organizing and persuading people to complete an important project.”

Isabella Thoen Wayland Project Cornucopia

Isabella became concerned about the costprohibitive aspects of accessing a healthy diet for low-income individuals in her community. She found that fatty and sugary foods were often less expensive than fresh produce, but the lack of important nutrients from fruits and veggies could cause long-term health issues for those omitting them from their diet. Isabella decided to host monthly produce drives to help stock her local food pantry. In addition to the produce donations, Isabella gave out recipe sheets that included examples on how to prepare food in a fun, tasty way. A local Girl Scout troop was so inspired by Isabella’s work that they decided to take it on and sustain it beyond her involvement and make it a town-wide Girl Scout opportunity.

“From my work with the food pantry, I was able to meet so many people who come from vastly different backgrounds from me. I loved getting the opportunity to talk with them and observe this tiny fraction of their lives as they picked up their produce. Meeting the people who were the reason behind all of my work was incredibly rewarding and inspiring, pushing me to continue with my work and strive to collect even more produce and expand the project even further.”

Hannah Cronin Wellesley Grow a Row

Hannah wanted to address her concerns about food insecurity around her community by creating a sustainable solution towards providing low/no-cost healthy food options for those in need. Hannah enacted a plan that increased the amount of produce available to Wellesley families in need via donations from local gardeners and by encouraging the use of community garden spaces. She also installed permanent, weatherresistant food drop-off boxes and appointed a club advisor from her local Key Club who will establish long-term volunteer gardeners who will keep Hannah’s work going.

“I learned how well I am able to juggle the demands that not only this project threw at me but life as well. Working on this project as well as a myriad of things helped me to appreciate my ability to effectively go between many different aspects of my life.”

Jessica Klurfeld Wellesley Destigmatizing Periods

Jessica was tired of the amount of periodshaming and generalized stigma that surrounds menstruation. She no longer wanted to refer to the menstrual cycle with unnecessary euphemisms or deal with misinformed or derogatory comments made by her peers. Therefore, Jessica decided to hold a menstrual product drive to benefit Dignity Matters, a nonprofit that assists homeless and disadvantaged women gain access to the products they need. She also held presentations at the middle and high school level about period product accessibility and stigmatization of menstrual products to stop misinformation at the source. Jessica’s Gold Award project had a lasting effect on the Wellesley Middle School seventh grade health curriculum, which now includes her presentations. Additionally, Jessica’s menstrual product drive for Dignity Matters accumulated 50 boxes of pads and tampons, totaling in over 800 products for those in need.

“It’s not just about empowering girls, it’s also about educating boys so they can better understand how to support people who menstruate the right way.”

2022-23

GSEMA Gold Award Girl Scouts

Mary Markis Wellesley

Active Community Outreach

Mary loved playing basketball in middle school and wanted to continue playing when she transitioned to high school. However, she was discouraged by teammates and coaches alike because of her height and partly, her gender. Mary discovered through her Gold Award research that girls were dropping out of their sports at one-and-a-half times the rate that boys were by age 14. Mary persevered in her basketball endeavors, going against the advice that she was given. By creating a club at her middle school called “Girls Got Grit,” Mary educated girls in her community about the importance of exercise, sports, goal setting, and proper nutrition. This club allowed girls to try new activities in a safe space where they weren’t afraid to make mistakes. The club was so successful, it was integrated into the school’s official clubs list for the upcoming year with underclassmen leaders already in place.

“As the year progressed, the girls became more comfortable with one another and me. The active engagement from the girls and ability to ask questions was a huge milestone. This is an extremely important success, as the girls can use this confidence beyond sports, but in every other aspect of their lives.”

Manasi Deepak Westford Classical Music Education

Manasi saw that classical music programs, despite their well-documented educational benefits, were not being prioritized within her school district. She took matters into her own hands to start music education early by creating a curriculum for elementary-aged children. Manasi’s lesson plans covered five influential composers, three eras of classical music, and the ways that music can help children study and learn in other subjects. Beyond her personal implementation of this program, Manasi created a website where other interested educators can access her curriculum and use it themselves.

“Through teaching the children [about music], I learned self-confidence and patience. I had to speak to them for long periods of time while keeping them interested and engaged. I also learned that public speaking comes with practice.”

Jamie Evans-Garcia Westford

Exercising for a Healthier Tomorrow

Jamie discovered that students in The B.R.I.D.G.E. Program, an alternative middle school for Lowell Public School students, had an interest in exercise, but lacked the space and equipment to do so. Upon meeting with the school’s principal, Jamie was able to identify an unused space on the school’s property that could be transformed into a gym, but it was in massive disrepair. Jamie took it upon herself to scrape and repaint the walls, address existing water damage, seal the floors to prevent leaks, and install exercise equipment. Jamie acquired two exercise bikes, a treadmill, an elliptical, a punching bag and gloves, a NordicTrack, and a rowing machine entirely through donation. She also developed a health resource area with books on wellness, posters with helpful exercise tips, and yoga mats.

“I can work really hard when I need to. I spent hours in that schoolhouse in the heat, sweating while I painted and scraped and cleaned. I am good at communicating with the kids and teachers...I loved sharing [my] Gold Award experience with other Girl Scouts during their troop meeting.”

Natalie Rassiger Weston

Mental Health in Motion for High School Coaches

Natalie was impressed by her school district’s previous mental health trainings, which were made mandatory for teachers. However, she was upset to learn that these trainings were not made available for athletic coaches. Natalie hoped that her project would provide her districts’ coaches with an evolved way of thinking when training and create a more acute understanding of student athletes’ mental health needs. Natalie created a document to be shared amongst coaches that highlighted the most important challenges facing teens, specifically those involved with athletics. Her document will continue to be shared and updated by the school district’s Athletic Director and Assistant Superintendent, sustaining the important work beyond Natalie’s involvement.

“I learned that in action, I can be a powerful force of change! It is very rewarding to consider that something I have done will likely improve someone’s life in a big or a small way.”

Alice Feng Winchester Fighting Food Waste

Alice knew that food waste was a major issue in her community and around the globe. While she understood that there were many core causes to this issue, she also recognized that she could not possibly fix all the problems at once. Therefore, Alice set her sights on composting, learned how to do it sustainably, and passed on her knowledge to younger members of her community. After creating a hands-on, creative, youth curriculum, she teamed up with the Boys and Girls Club and got to work. By the end of her composting summer program, Alice had filled two large composting tumblers and provided the club with a binder full of resources and activity guides to continue her program in the future.

“I learned that it makes it a lot less difficult to lead a team when you have a clear goal and you have confidence. I went into the project knowing exactly what I wanted to do, which was to educate the kids at the club and establish the composting system. This even made it easier to lead my team because we were all on the same page in terms of what needed to be accomplished.”

Madison Blood Wrentham Project: Student Outreach

When Madison discovered that the music program at Plainville Elementary School had been cut due to budgetary restraints, she jumped into action to create one that would be accessible at a low cost. worked closely with her peers to create a rough outline of the curriculum, before teaming up a faculty advisor at a local middle school who committed to implementing Madison’s project after her graduation. Madison knew that music programs were often cut first in schools, in favor of other programs. Therefore, she wanted to ensure that her curriculum would be free-of-cost to any other interested school who wanted to inspire their students with song.

“I definitely struggle with confidence. Throughout this project, I struggled to take risks and put myself out there. The fear of rejection when I presented my project to my peers was palpable. However, I was able to overcome this fear and execute this project.”

History of the highest award in Girl Scouts

Golden Eagle of Merit

1916 - 1919

Golden Eaglet

1919 - 1938

First Class

1938 - 1940

Curved Bar

1940 - 1963

First Class

1963 - 1980

Gold Award

1980 - present

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