Gold Award Girl Scouts

Azaria Ellis Hempstead Service Unit Troop 300

Fighting Back

Azaria Ellis addressed the lack of access to self-defense training for women for her Gold Award project, “Fighting Back.” She created workshops that taught safetyawareness techniques and self-defense tactics, such as how to disarm someone with a weapon, which places to strike on the body, and how to escape a chokehold. Azaria led demonstrations to assist women in feeling confident in their ability to be alert in their surroundings and in protecting themselves from dangerous situations. Her lessons can be accessed on her project’s Instagram page and on her church’s website, and they will be sustained by her sensei who will continue to instruct using Azaria’s self-defense strategies.

Azaria is a graduate of Uniondale High School. She volunteered in her church as Acolyte and Sunday School helper, ran blood drives in her school as a member of the Red Cross Club, and instructed classes at her karate dojo. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is attending the holiday light show, dancing to the music, and embracing being carefree. Azaria is currently a sophomore at Penn State University.

Alexa Frontino

Hardscrabble Service Unit

Troop 3230

Saltzman Sensory Garden

Alexa Frontino designed and built a sensory garden at Saltzman East Memorial Elementary School. Alexa’s inspiration for this project was the realization that not all students learn the same way. She felt that having a learning environment outside of the classroom could be beneficial to some students. Her project began with research on the benefits of sensory gardens and how she could implement one in her school. She met with the principal to discuss her ideas and a location that would work. With her team, she designed, built, and painted a tactile board, an acoustic board, and three flowers with chalkboard centers. She created curriculum plans that span all grade levels, art, music, and occupational therapy.

Alexa is an eleventh-grade honors student at Farmingdale High School. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Science National Honor Society, and French Honor Society. Alexa is also president of the high school’s history club and captain of the Ethics Bowl team. Outside of school, Alexa volunteers as a Big Buddy for special-needs children at the Farmingdale Public Library.

Caitlin Fitzpatrick

West Hempstead/Franklin Square Service Unit

Troop 1257

Optimizing a Coanda Device for the Reduction of Beach Erosion

Caitlin Fitzpatrick addressed the issue of beach erosion, which is caused by the action of waves and currents on the shoreline. She taught people of all ages how to reduce their impact on the shoreline and help prevent beach erosion. Caitlin instructed her audience on how to adjust their behavior at the beach to deter the effects of beach erosion. She conducted a scientific experiment where she optimized the Coanda effect to build a Coanda device as a deterrent against beach erosion. Her research and information will continue to educate through her Instagram account, where her final research paper and presentation board are posted.

As a senior of H. Frank Carey High School, Caitlin is secretary of the National Honor Society, president of the World Language Honor Society, and co-founder of the Carey Kindness Council. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is the trip that her troop took to Frost Valley. While earning her Gold Award, she learned that public speaking was a great way to reach different groups of people.

Shannen Fung Jericho/Syosset Service Unit

Troop 3372

Small Bites of Legacy: Bridging the Generational Gap Through Food

Shannen Fung addressed the issue of loneliness in the senior population and bridged the generational gap by interviewing residents from a senior housing community about their favorite recipes. She compiled these family recipes and reflections on food, culture, and family into a personalized cookbook to empower seniors and to allow family and community members to learn about their seniors. She gave a presentation to spread awareness of the lack of connections between the generations and to encourage stronger family bonds. Shannen’s presentation resides in the facility’s library, and it serves as a living document for members to donate recipes and preserve their history. A graduate of Syosset High School, Shannen was a participant in her school’s Tri-M Music Honor Society chapter, achieved performance level in the ARSM (Associate of the Royal Schools of Music) for violin and piano, and was a leader in her church’s youth group. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is when she was a Girl Scout Ambassador and visited the Ronald McDonald House to cook and serve meals for the chidren and their families. Shannen will attend Stony Brook University this fall.