Gold Award Girl Scouts

Emma Lincks Rockville Centre Service Unit Troop 829

Animal Rescue Club

Emma Lincks focused her project on animal abandonment by creating an Animal Rescue Club. Emma educated her community on animal rescue and the negative impacts of puppy mills. She created and gave presentations, distributed educational brochures, and developed Instagram pages to spread awareness. The inspiration for her project came from volunteering at an animal rescue where she rescued three dogs. The dogs were rescued from kill shelters, all were malnourished, and one dog was blind and very sick. Emma took a stand on preventing animal abandonment by educating the community regarding the importance of spaying and neutering pets and the cruelty animals endure in puppy mills. Emma’s project continues to educate the community through her online brochure and Instagram page.

As a sophomore at Wake Forest University, Emma continues her volunteer work with the University’s animal rescue club Woof Forest. She also volunteers at an elementary school providing tutoring and participates in her university’s tap dance club. Her fondest Girl Scout memory was the warm welcome she received with Troop 829 from her troop leader and fellow troop members.

Elizabeth Margiloff Great Neck Service Unit

Troop 659

Keys to Success and Wellness

To earn her Gold Award, Elizabeth Margiloff addressed the issue of the negative effects stress and anxiety have on the mental and social development of children, which was exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. She created presentations for elementary, middle, and high school students to provide resources and strategies for combatting anxiety, depression, and transitional changes. She partnered with EPIC Enrichment, a community center, which hosted some of her presentations. Her project is sustained through digital summaries of her presentations which she developed and distributed for future use and reference. Her materials will be distributed to students at a Brooklyn charter school where they will be used in assemblies.

Her fondest Girl Scout memories are selling cookies at Roosevelt Field Mall with her Girl Scout sisters. While earning her Gold Award, she learned that proactive communication and planning are essential team-building skills. An alumni of Great Neck North High School Class of 2022, Elizabeth completed her freshman year at Wellesley College, where she enjoys playing in the BrandeisWellesley Orchestra and dancing in the Wellesley Tap Troupe.

Kathryn Maloney Garden City Service Unit Troop 1357

Doggie Do’s and Don’ts

To earn her Gold Award, Kathryn Maloney developed an interactive program about dog behavior that aimed to teach kids how to develop positive relationships with their furry friends. She led discussions with children at local schools, parks, and libraries to teach them how dogs communicate their emotions through body language. She shared tips on how to spot key signs of anxiety and aggression in dogs, and she educated on how to stay safe in situations where a dog may attack. She developed educational resources and created activities that gave participants a chance to put the information they learned in action. Kathryn’s project is sustained by her local library where her book on dog behavior is in circulation. Her resources can be accessed through her project’s website and social media.

A recent graduate of Garden City High School, Kathryn was the president of her high school’s UNICEF Club, and a member of the National Honor Society. Kathryn is also an Irish dancer. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is camping with her troop. Kathryn will be attending Boston University in the fall.

Lea Marie Mastorakis Massapequa Service Unit

Troop 2151

Women’s Empowerment Club

To earn her Gold Award, Lea Marie Mastorakis created a club at her school that worked to empower women and create an equal community in terms of gender. The club sought to educate students and faculty about gender inequality through workshops, discussions, and a trip to the Brooklyn Museum. To provide resources, Lea created a website that can be accessed by the school community and the general public. Her project is sustained by the knowledge the students gained through her various sexism related initiatives, the website, and the continuation of the club after Lea graduates.

As a recent graduate from Portledge School, Lea was captain of the varsity girls’ volleyball team and earned her International Baccalaureate diploma. A Girl Scout memory that she holds especially close is planting a garden with her troop to help the endangered monarch butterflies. In earning her Gold Award, Lea learned the importance of courage and working with others as a team. She will be attending Duke University in the fall.