Gold Award Girl Scouts

Ava Schmidt Herricks Service Unit

Troop 1578

Fast Fashion Foward

Ava Schmidt addressed the issue of fast fashion, caused by the overflow of micro-trend clothing that ends up in landfills and contributes to 10% of carbon emissions. She taught people of all ages how to shop sustainably by hosting workshops and discussions that educated consumers on how they can host and conduct their own swaps to repurpose their clothing and accessories. Ava held demonstrations on how to create an online account to sell their items through e-commerce companies.

Ava’s Gold Award project will continue to impact individuals by collaborating with high school and college clubs to change how consumers think about sustainable shopping and extending the lifespan of their clothing. Ava plans to keep social media pages available to the public.

A graduate of Herricks High School, Ava was a peer mentor in the Herricks Peer Partners Program, a member of the National Honor Society and Tri-M Music Honor Society, and was captain of the cross-country team. Her favorite Girl Scout memory was making s’mores at Frost Valley YMCA. Ava will be attending the University of Delaware.

Ryan Sievers Garden City Service Unit

Troop 1357

Homage to our Historic Homes

Ryan Sievers embarked on an impressive Gold Award project by collaborating with the Garden City Historical Society (GCHS) to emphasize the significance of preserving historic homes in the area. To achieve this goal, Ryan conducted video interviews with homeowners in Garden City, exploring the history and stories behind their homes. Through her project, Ryan gained valuable insight into the importance of historic preservation. Her project’s impact extends beyond its completion, as it is now sustained through the GCHS and Ryan’s Instagram page, @HomagetoGardenCity.

Ryan is a recent graduate of Garden City High School. She excelled in her athletic pursuits, playing three varsity sports including tennis, rifle, and softball. Her dedication to the sport of rifle earned her an All-County recognition. Earning her Gold Award taught Ryan the importance of community involvement and the significance of preserving history for future generations. Ryan will be attending Rollins University this fall, pursuing an MBA program.

Cristina Seoylemezian Garden City Service Unit

Troop 1357

Mental Health Post-COVID-19

To earn her Gold Award, Cristina Seoylemezian addressed the issue of poor mental health, specifically in teens and children, caused by the pandemic and a severe lack of mental health professionals. She taught people about the potential causes and signs of depression and anxiety, as well as coping mechanisms for negative emotions. She also provided free resources to use for mental health support and information. Cristina’s Gold Award project will continue to educate individuals on anxiety, depression, and different coping mechanisms through her social media pages and her website, which contains all of the information from her presentation.

A recent graduate of Garden City High School, Cristina was vice president of the UNICEF club and robotics team, and secretary of the Engineering club. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is camping with her troop. While earning her Gold Award, she gained leadership skills as well as public speaking skills. Cristina will be attending Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the fall.

Brianna Suarez Oubina WH/FS Service Unit

Troop 1257

Mental Health and Pet Therapy

Brianna Suarez Oubina focused on mental health with younger generations post-COVID and developed a dog therapy program as a coping mechanism for daily stressors students may have. She partnered with her principal, PALS (Pediatric Advanced Life Support) classes, and the Mind Over Matter club to offer dog therapy sessions with trained therapy dogs licensed under Therapy Dogs International. Brianna has done extensive research alongside the Sewanhaka School District psychologist, Dr. Oris, and expanded her program into four high schools in her district. Brianna’s project is sustained by the underclassmen who will be continuing her dog therapy program.

A recent graduate of H. Frank Carey High School, Brianna was corresponding secretary of the class of 2023 board and member of the English, World Language, Social Studies, Business, and National Honor societies. She is also a three-sport athlete participating in varsity volleyball, basketball, and track and field. Brianna’s fondest Girl Scout memory was going to Frost Valley. She will be attending Springfield College.