Girl Scouts of Nassau County Gold Award Booklet 2021

T H E M A R K O F T H E T R U LY R E M A R K A B L E

C L A SS O F 2021

Issues of the world, meet your match: Gold Award Girl Scouts. They commit the time, energy, and passion to tackle challenges in their communities and around the world—all while finishing high school.

Advertisement courtesy of Girl Scouts of Nation’s Capital

From our President and Chief Volunteer Officer Chief Executive Officer:

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CONGRATULATIONS to our Gold Award class of 2021. Achieving your Gold Award is remarkable. You are already the changemaker others strive to become. You saw a need and made a difference. That is what Girl Scouts is all about. This last year was a challenge for everyone and while we were all figuring it out along the way, you saw an issue and found a sustainable solution which helped make the world a better place.

Andrea Elder-Howell, Esq.

Randell M. Bynum, LMSW

The skills you gained completing your Gold Award will last a lifetime and will always set you apart from your peers. A 2021 GSRI research study shows that Girl Scout alums are more likely to hold leadership roles, be successful in achieving their life goals, and be civically engaged—All amazing feats! Did you know that as a Gold Award Girl Scout you have an additional advantage? The Gold Award opens doors! Because of the Gold Award, you will take the lead in college admissions, scholarships, securing jobs, and jump in military pay grade. The Gold Award puts you further down the path of who you are going to be.

As you continue your Girl Scout journey, we hope you know that we will continue to be your champions. You have shown us that you are not afraid to try new things. You have shown us that you have grit and ambition. And you have shown us that the world will be in good hands with you. The Gold Award is a testament to not only your dedication to Girl Scouts but to our mission, Promise, and Law. You are now part of an elite group of lifelong leaders who put their beliefs into action.

We thank you for your extraordinary leadership and look forward to seeing what you will do next to make the world a better place. Your success will forever be reflected in our legacy.

Yours in Girl Scouting,

Andrea Elder-Howell, Esq. President and Chief Volunteer Officer

GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

Randell M. Bynum, LMSW Chief Executive Officer

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Mission Statement Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

Misión Girl Scouts ayuda a las niñas a desarrollar la confianza en sí mismas, el valor y los principios para hacer del mundo un mejor lugar.

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The Girl Scout Promise

La Promesa de las Girl Scouts

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.

Por mi honor, yo trataré: De servir a Dios y a mi patria, ayudar a las personas en todo momento, y vivir conforme a la Ley de Girl Scouts.

The Girl Scout Law

La Ley de las Girl Scouts

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.

Yo me esforzaré por: ser honrada y justa cordial y servicial, considerada y compasiva, valiente y fuerte, y responsable de lo que digo y hago, y por respetarme a mí misma y a los demás respetar la autoridad usar los recursos de manera prudente, hacer del mundo un lugar mejor, y ser hermana de cada una de las Girl Scouts.

Commitment to Pluralism

Dedicación al pluralismo

Girl Scouts of Nassau County is committed to achieve pluralism through respect for and appreciation of the religious, racial, ethnic, social, and economic diversity of this county by reflecting that diversity in its membership, leadership, and programming.

Girl Scouts of Nassau County está dedicada a alcanzar el pluralismo actuando con respeto y aprecio hacia la diversidad religiosa, racial, étnica, social y económica de este condado reflejando la diversidad en su membresía, liderazgo y programación.

This commitment is an integral part of all that we do as an organization.

Esta dedicación es esencial en todo lo que hacemos como una organización.

Girl Scouts of Nassau County is an equal opportunity, affirmative action agency.

Girl Scouts of Nassau County es una agencia de discriminación de igualdad de oportunidades y de acción afirmativa.

Keynote Speaker KYRA WILLS-UMDENSTOCK Kyra Wills-Umdenstock is a GSNC lifetime member and Gold Award Girl Scout. They earned their award in 2016 by providing STEAM educational opportunities for middle and high school-aged girls to address the gender disparity in tech. They were also a member of the Media Girls and Ceremonial Unit for 10 years. Kyra has a Bachelors of Arts in Emerging Media from Hunter College, and is pursuing their Masters of Public Administration in Nonprofit Administration at Baruch College. Currently, they are the founder and CEO of the EGD Collective, a nonprofit that creates community, equity, and leaders of character through games, as well as the chair of the International Game Developers Association Student SIG.

GSNC Gold Award Keynote 2021 Congratulations to all of this year’s Gold Award Girl Scouts! This academic year was riddled with uncertainty; although we went into it with preparation, we did not know how long the health crisis would last. We are all extremely proud of you and your accomplishments.

When people praise me for my accomplishments, I tell them that I owe it to Girl Scouts. Earning each of the highest awards in Girl Scouting gives you the tools to do pretty much anything you set your mind to, and you are in a better position because of it. Although I knew earning my Gold Award was an accomplishment and that very few that start it actually earn it, I didn’t think it was that special. Something I’ve come to learn, is that having these types of experiences at your age is very uncommon, and as you get older this will become more and more apparent. I am still often the youngest person in the room at meetings, and when I talk about the Girl Scout program they are in awe.

I always tell my college students that are trying to break in to the games industry (which is as hard as becoming an actor, artist, or musician) to “just do the thing.” That’s the best advice I can give. It sounds so simple, but people don’t usually follow it. You don’t need permission from something external—whether that is a person, a degree, or a job offer. You are never too young or too inexperienced to try to tackle something big, and you’ve proved it! By completing your Gold Award project, you identified something you wanted to change, came up with a solution, and executed it.

You created something that wasn’t there before with minimal adult involvement, and now that you’ve done it once, you are better equipped to do it again. Adapting to roadblocks is a skill and a mindset, and with practice it gets easier and easier. When you begin to apply to entry-level jobs or internships, you’ll be met with a lovely bullet point that requires a certain amount of experience and might think to yourself, “How do I get experience when every job needs prior experience?”. Creating your own experience is also just as valid, including your Gold Award project.

Sometimes you have to create your own experience out of necessity. If you are interested in pursuing a path that is heavily male-dominated, you will run into roadblocks, rejections, and people who still think you don’t belong there, even after you’ve proven yourself over and over again. But because of your Gold Award project, along with all of the other things that you have done through Girl Scouting, you are well-prepared. If doors won’t open up for you, carve them yourself. At the same time, you will meet many people that are overwhelmingly supportive and would love nothing more than to help you get where you need to go—so don’t hold yourself back, speak up, and you’ll find your allies.

Congratulations again!

GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

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GOLD AWARD COMMITTEE 2020-21

Stephanie Bartoldus Rockville Centre

Basia Damsker The Plains

Joan Carter The Plains

Cynthia Gamble Uniondale

Dienamarie Giaquinto Merrick

Kaitlyn Gioia West Hempstead/ Franklin Square

Janet Gordon Hempstead

Cheryl Hatala Glen Cove

Suzie Jockel Hardscrabble

Lisa D’Anna Johnson Merrick

Anna Lenz ELLM

Joanne Meyer-Jendras Garden City

Kathleen Murphy Massapequa

Bonnie Parente WARM

Monica Pavlidis Herricks

Gina Solomita Port Washington

Colleen Stark Bellmore

We remember our Gold Award mentor Dienamarie Giaquinto...

Dienamarie, a Gold Award Girl Scout, was a Girl Scout for 12 years and volunteered with Girl Scouts of Nassau County in a variety of ways for the past 17 years, both as a troop leader and as a Gold Award mentor. She was a passionate volunteer who loved Girl Scouts. Dienamarie had been battling cancer since 2015. Unfortunately, she lost that battle this past October. She was an inspiration to all who knew her.

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GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

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THE GIRL SCOUT GOLD AWARD The Highest Award a Girl Can Achieve in Girl Scouting Since 1916, Girl Scouts have been making meaningful, sustainable changes in their communities and around the world. The Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor a Girl Scout can earn, acknowledges the power behind each recipient’s dedication to not only empowering and bettering herself, but also to making the world a better place for others. These young women are courageous leaders and visionary changemakers. They are our future, and it looks bright!

First known as the Golden Eagle of Merit, the highest award has gone through many name changes through the years...

Golden Eagle of Merit 1916-18

Golden Eaglet 1918-1938

Curved Bar 1940-63

First Class Award and Challenge Pins 1963-80

First Class 1938-40

Gold Award 1980-present

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Girl Scouts of Nassau County, Inc. Board of Directors 2021-2022

OFFICERS Andrea Elder-Howell, Esq. President and Chief Volunteer Officer Eileen Baker Executive Vice President Allison Bishop White, Esq. Vice President Valerie Terzano Vice President Lisa Gardner, Esq. Treasurer Lisa Burke Secretary Randell M. Bynum Chief Executive Officer

MEMBERS-AT-LARGE Dr. Nada Anid Jessica Bellucci Natalie Borneo Tonia Bottoms, Esq. Barbara Brudie Vikki Ernst-Chang Michele Cusack Brigette DaSilva Julie Strachan Haiber, Esq. Shantey Hill-Hanna Steven Lindo Susan MacDonald Alexandra McCormick Lasherelle Morgan Cathy O’Reilly Madison Spanodemos Lauren Summa Chloe Van Dorn Leah Watson

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Girl Scouts of Nassau County, Inc. SERVICE UNITS

Communities Served

BALDWIN............................. Baldwin, Baldwin Harbor BAY........................................ Bayville, Brookville, Center Island, Cove Neck, East Norwich, ....................................................Lattingtown, Laurel Hollow, Locust Valley, Matinecock, Mill Neck, ............................................... Old Brookville, Oyster Bay, Oyster Bay Cove, Upper Brookville BELLMORE.......................... Bellmore, North Bellmore CARLE PLACE/ WESTBURY......................... Carle Place, New Cassel, Westbury Village, Old Westbury CENTRAL PARK.................. Bethpage, Old Bethpage, Plainview EAST MEADOW.................. East Meadow, Salisbury ELLM..................................... East Rockaway, Lakeview, Lynbrook, Malverne ELMONT............................... Elmont, South Floral Park, Stewart Manor FLORAL PARK/ BELLEROSE......................... Bellerose Terrace, Bellerose, Bellerose Village, Floral Park FREEPORT........................... Freeport GARDEN CITY..................... Garden City GLEN COVE......................... Glen Cove GREAT NECK....................... Great Neck Village, Kensington, Kings Point, Lake Success, ............................................... Great Neck Plaza, Russell Gardens, Russell Gardens Estates, Saddle Rock, Thomaston Village, University Gardens HARDSCRABBLE................ Farmingdale, North Massapequa, South Farmingdale HEMPSTEAD....................... Hempstead HERRICKS............................ Albertson, Herricks, North New Hyde Park, Searingtown, HICKSVILLE......................... Hicksville ISLAND BEACH.................. Atlantic Beach, Barnum Island, Island Beach, Lido Beach, ............................................... Long Beach, Point Lookout JERICHO/SYOSSET........... Jericho, Muttontown, Syosset, Woodbury MANHASSET...................... Manhasset, Manhasset Hills, Munsey Park, North Hills, Plandome MASSAPEQUA.................... Massapequa, Massapequa Park MERRICK.............................. Merrick, North Merrick OCEANSIDE......................... Oceanside PARK..................................... Garden City Park, New Hyde Park PLAINEDGE......................... North Massapequa, Farmingdale, Plainedge PORT WASHINGTON........ Baxter Estates, Flower Hill, Manorhaven, ............................................... Port Washington, Sands Point ROCKVILLE CENTRE......... Rockville Centre, South Hempstead ROOSEVELT........................ Roosevelt SEAFORD/WANTAGH....... Seaford, Wantagh SHORE.................................. Glen Head, Glenwood Landing, Sea Cliff THE PLAINS......................... Island Trees, Levittown UNIONDALE........................ Uniondale VALLEY STREAM/ FIVE TOWNS....................... Cedarhurst, Hewlett, Inwood, Lawrence, Woodmere, ............................................... North Woodmere, Valley Stream WARM................................... Williston Park, Albertson, East Hills Estates, East Williston, ............................................... Old Westbury, Roslyn, Roslyn Estates, Roslyn Harbor, Roslyn Heights, Mineola WEST HEMPSTEAD/ FRANKLIN SQUARE ......... Franklin Square, West Hempstead

2021 GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS BALDWIN Eden Gould-Anderson Leanna Pignataro

BAY April Cerami

BELLMORE Stamatia Papazis

CENTRAL PARK

Kayla Huang Amber Joneleit Jessica Kopping Jacqueline Manetta Briana Ranallo Charlotte Santosus Audrey Santosus Jennifer Schmidt Kristal Soo Emma Theodoropoulos

ISLAND BEACH

Brianna Rogers Mia Schecter

Summer Roberts

EAST MEADOW

JERICHO/SYOSSET

Kate Laico

Rachel Borzone Jillian Hooey Elizabeth Michaels Danielle Nodelman

ELLM Sara Bahri Christina Franco Sara Lombardi Marisa Welch

MANHASSET

PARK Jenna Curran

PLAINEDGE Jocelyn Bunster Katie Cruz

PORT WASHINGTON Catherine Collins Lindsay Collins Jillian de Reyna Yazmeen Deyhimi Ashley O’Neill

ROCKVILLE CENTRE Isabella Verga

SEAFORD/ WANTAGH Courtney Blom Hanna Carey Julianne Crawford Julia Froese Margaret Gates Madeline Kollar Celeste Pozderec

Brittney Williams

Isabella Acerra Brooke Bossé Katharine Caputi Cristina Caputi Kaitlyn Clarke Gabriella D’Angelo Aphrodite Dimopoulos Jamie George Ava Kulka Rebecca Petras Paige Theodosopoulos Barbara Timmerman Katerina Tsongas Emily Weigand

HEMPSTEAD

MASSAPEQUA

Olivia Christel Julia Perrino

Anisha Akins Samya Suarez

Alexandra Lachnicht Juliana Lovett Katie Moran

WEST HEMPSTEAD/ FRANKLIN SQUARE

GARDEN CITY Marisa Fernandez Sarah Fetherston Jacqueline Kelly Maryann Savino Lindsey Stevenson

GREAT NECK Grace Fong Arianna Isopo

HARDSCRABBLE

HERRICKS Valerie Calandra Mary Fernandez

OCEANSIDE Sarah Visconti

GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

SHORE Zoe Varkaris

THE PLAINS Nicolette Kenney

WARM

Emily McKenna Stefanie Moratti Kathryn Murdoch

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Isabella Acerra MANHASSET SERVICE UNIT TROOP 546

ELLM SERVICE UNIT TROOP 2000

Isabella Acerra taught community members how to care for recently adopted animals in her Gold Award project, “Youth Division for Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter.”

Isabella formed a youth division, affectionately dubbed Pals of Paws and Claws, to help children and teens in her community engage with the no-kill Dan Cosgrove Animal Shelter. She also created educational videos about animal care and animal adoption. Her project is sustained through her youth division and website, which includes YouTube videos and information about how to join.

Sara Bahri took on the challenge of raising awareness of STEM opportunities in her community through her Gold Award project, “The Significance of Research.” Sara presented and spoke with students and their families at neighboring schools about her project. She also created a YouTube video explaining the process of acquiring and conducting research. Her materials are now being used by local middle schools and are available to use through her website.

A recent graduate of Marymount School of New York, Isabella was a key member of the competitive Mock Trial team and a member of the National Honor Society.

Isabella is also heavily involved with Independent Science Research. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is taking a bonding trip to a ropes course in the trees. She also enjoyed hiking at Sands Point and having a picnic with her troop.

She will be attending North Eastern University in the fall.

A recent graduate of Lynbrook High School, Sara was on the board of the National, Science, Math, and Tri-M Music honor societies, Vice President of Key Club, and Captain of the girls’ Basketball and Volleyball teams. She also performed the violin with many orchestras in and out of school. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is a baking competition her friends of Troop 2000 and other troops participated in where they made cakes. As a rising sophomore, Sara is currently a Provost Scholar at Georgia Tech majoring in biochemistry.

Anisha Akins

Courtney Blom

HEMPSTEAD SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1134

SEAFORD/WANTAGH SERVICE UNIT TROOP 3121

Anisha Akins tackled the issue of low self-esteem in her Gold Award project, “Inspire Yourself #me365.” “#me365” stands for loving yourself every day of the year. Anisha created a website to inspire others, as well as leading virtual classes with AHRC Nassau to help campers create artwork to help express themselves. Anisha made an inspirational garden that includes beautiful painted rocks at AHRC Nassau and left supplies for others to add their own rocks as well.

A recent 2020 graduate of Hempstead High School, Anisha was a cheerleader and a member of her school’s select chorale choir. Her fondest Girl Scout memory was her first Girl Scout trip to Frost Valley. Girl Scouts has helped her come out of her shell and be more social. Anisha is going into her sophomore year at Nassau Community College.

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Sara Bahri

GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

Courtney Blom aimed to encourage reading among children with her Gold Award project entitled “Inspiring the Young Generation of Readers.” She partnered with her local library to organize a virtual book club for various age groups. After reading books together as a group, Courtney led group book discussions.

She recorded a video for the library’s YouTube page where she reviewed easy and valuable reading tips. Her local library will continue to allow children to submit summaries of books they read online and their responses can be viewed on the library’s website.

As a rising senior at Mepham High School, Courtney is an editor of her school newspaper, is a member of numerous honor societies, and takes dance classes. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is going to Camp Blue Bay with her troop every year. She loves watching the sunset, campfire singalongs, and going to the beach at Camp Blue Bay.

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Rachel Borzone

Jocelyn Bunster

JERICHO/SYOSSET SERVICE UNIT TROOP 3040

PLAINEDGE SERVICE UNIT TROOP 9028

Rachel Borzone used her project, “Supporting Our Important Resource: Honey Bees,” to raise awareness of the decline of the honeybee population and the global issues the honeybees face today. Working with, beekeeper Cliff Struhl, Rachel learned the components of beehives and the steps to take to help save the honeybee population, including how to successfully build a beehive. By building, decorating, and donating beehives to beekeepers, Girl Scout troops can be directly involved in the process of sustaining bee populations to help with their survival. These newly placed beehives that are maintained by beekeepers assist in the future of the honeybee species.

Rachel completed her freshman year of college at Roger Williams University, where she majors in Architecture and plays for the women’s volleyball team. She also played high school varsity and club volleyball, received the All County Award, and was team captain. She received the Presidential Scholarship at Roger Williams and a scholarship from the ACE Mentor Program. One of her fondest Girl Scout memories was creating an annual dog walk event with her troop to support a local animal shelter.

Jocelyn Bunster’s Gold Award project, “Kids Connection Club,” is a social platform that provides a coping space for children facing life-changing illnesses, as well as a place for their parents to find support. The goal of this platform is to help people find support by making connections with those who are experiencing similar illnesses. She developed a user-friendly website for the “Kids Connection Club” where users can use forums and chat functions to talk to each other. Her project will be sustained in nine hospitals in seven different states who will reference her website as a resource to their patients.

A recent graduate of Our Lady of Mercy Academy, Jocelyn was a member of the National Honor Society and Italian Honor Society. She was also a three-season member of the crew team for all four years of high school. Jocelyn will be attending SUNY Geneseo in the fall where she will be studying Adolescence Education: Mathematics.

Brooke Bossé

Valerie Calandra

MANHASSET SERVICE UNIT TROOP 525

HERRICKS SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1506

Brooke Bossé’s Gold Award project, “Always Keep ICE in Your Pocket,” is dedicated to spreading awareness and being prepared in case of an emergency. Her project promotes the use of carrying a form of identification (physical and/or digital) that contains essential personal, medical, and emergency contact information. To encourage others to be always be prepared, she created MICE, a Medical Information Card for Emergency. This card has been made available for individuals to fill out in several doctors’ offices in her community.

Brooke is a recent graduate of Our Lady of Mercy Academy where she was editor of Windows, the school literary magazine, and Co-captain of the OLMA Crew Team. She is also a member of GSNC’s Girl Leadership Committee. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is baking brownies for the residents at the Ronald McDonald House in New Hyde Park as part of her Bronze Award. Brooke will be attending Villanova University’s School of Nursing in the fall.

GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

Valerie Calandra addressed how language barriers result in many challenges for native individuals in Peru in her Gold Award project, “LEARNING FUN/ Aprendiendo y Divirtiendo.”

Valerie’s mission was to teach basic English to individuals in Peru to be able to negotiate fair prices for their businesses and prevent them from being taken advantage of by consumers and interpreters. She developed lesson plans and recorded videos of her presentation to help advance their knowledge of the English language. Valerie also provided care packages that consisted of workbooks, coloring books, and the required materials needed to complete her lessons. Valerie mentored a teacher in Peru so her curriculum can continue to be used by future students.

As a rising senior at Sacred Heart Academy, Valerie has co-founded her school’s Science Literary Analysis Club, is a member of Women in Medicine, and plays lacrosse. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is skiing for the first time with her troop in elementary school. Valerie especially enjoyed bonding with her troop on the bus ride to and from the ski lodge.

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Cristina Caputi

Hanna Carey

MANHASSET SERVICE UNIT TROOP 9022

SEAFORD/WANTAGH SERVICE UNIT TROOP 3432

Cristina Caputi educated young children and their catechists about the Saints and New Testament Bible Stories in her Gold Award project, “Bible and Saints Study Program for Young Roman Catholic Children.” Cristina recognized that there was a need for young children in her parish to learn more detailed information on the Saints. This will be beneficial as students prepare for their confirmation. Cristina made educational materials that will be continued to be used by St. Mary’s Parish in Manhasset and other Roman Catholic parishes in Nassau and Suffolk County.

As a rising sophomore, Cristina participates in Crew.

Her most wonderful Girl Scout memory is a Girl Scout sleepover at the American Museum of Natural History and the Camp Blue Bay Sleepaway Camp in East Hampton, New York. Cristina learned about organization, creativity and patience while completing her Girl Scout Gold Award project.

As a recent graduate of Wantagh High School, Hanna will be attending SUNY New Paltz in the fall for secondary history education. Hanna is passionate about helping others and is an advocate for individuals with special needs. She held leadership positions in the Class of 2021 Club and Stage Crew, and enjoys playing softball. Hanna has been a Girl Scout since kindergarten. Her favorite Girl Scout memory is doing an overnight during her Silver Award journey where she made spaghetti tacos with her troop.

Katharine Caputi

April Cerami

MANHASSET SERVICE UNIT TROOP 9022

BAY SERVICE UNIT TROOP 88

Katharine Caputi took on the challenge of teaching American Sign Language to first and second grade non-hearing-impaired children through music and art in her Gold Award project, “Magnificent Music and Art Through American Sign Language.”

American Sign Language is the predominant sign language of Deaf communities in the United States. Katharine created a program that non-hearing-impaired children could follow to communicate with hearing-impaired children. Her program materials are now being used by Adventures in Learning, an organization that is dedicated to improving the lives of children through educational instruction.

As a rising senior at Manhasset High School, Katharine is on the Varsity Swim team, Junior President of the American Legion Post 304, and is a Nassau County certified lifeguard. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is sleeping under the 94-foot long blue whale at a Girl Scout sleepover in the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. By completing her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Katharine has learned about patience and gained organizational skills.

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Hanna Carey advocated and educated her local community about food insecurity in her Gold Award project, “Hanna’s Hunger Warriors.”

Hanna partnered with Island Harvest and spread awareness on increased hunger levels in Long Island and globally. After advocating through social media, her local newspaper, national television, and local podcasts, Hanna collected 5,245 pounds of food, more than doubling her goal. Hanna’s project will be sustained through her high school’s Key Club.

GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

April Cerami addressed the declining bee population through her Gold Award project, “Save the Bees, One Flower at a Time.” The goal of April’s project was to educate the public on how they can save bees. She partnered with the Oyster Bay Public Library to host informative sessions on using native flowers as a pollinator preservation. She also created an Instagram account to spread awareness of her project, posting information on how to effectively plant a local pollinator garden and using infographics to learn more about native flowers and pollinators.

April completed her freshman year of college at the University of Tampa where she is studying marine biology. She is a member of their honors program and a recipient of their presidential merit scholarship. She is a member of the Society for Conservation Biology Club and volunteers as a biology tutor through STEM Power. April’s fondest Girl Scout memory is camping at Camp Blue Bay with her troop.

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Oliva Christel WARM SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1047 Olivia Christel educated teens, particularly first generation students, about the college admissions process through her Gold Award project, “College Knowledge.” She led a Virtual Mock College Fair in which participants researched and presented information on a college of their choosing. Olivia introduced the College Knowledge program to Nassau County school counselors, and the Sacred Heart Academy English Department has added her project into their Public Speaking course curriculum.

As a rising senior at Sacred Heart Academy, Olivia participates in several choral groups, speech and debate, and varsity volleyball. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is when her troop visited Rocking Horse Ranch in third grade. Olivia enjoyed teaching others throughout her project, and is inspired to continue helping others in the future.

Catherine Collins PORT WASHINGTON SERVICE UNIT TROOP 417 Catherine Collins created her Gold Award project, “Nutrition for Seniors,” to educate seniors about healthy dietary choices. After identifying a need for this in her community, Catherine led an educational program on nutrition for seniors. She created a website, recorded her presentation on YouTube, and wrote a booklet containing the information from her program. Her resources can be found in several Atria facilities, Mercy Haven, and the Port Washington Public Library.

Catherine is a rising senior at Port Washington High School. She is a member of the French, Math, and Science honor societies, Key Club, Robotics Club, and the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra Choir. She studies French, Spanish, and German, and plays the piano and violin. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is when her troop took a trip to the theatre in NYC.

Kaitlyn Clarke

Lindsay Collins

MANHASSET SERVICE UNIT TROOP 545

PORT WASHINGTON SERVICE UNIT TROOP 428

Kaitlyn Clarke’s mission was to save lives through “Organ Donation Awareness and Registration Campaign”.

New York is ranked 50th in the nation in organ donation registry. Kaitlyn hosted live and virtual organ donation drives. She partnered and was trained by LiveOnNY, an organ donation advocacy agency, LI TRIO, an organ recipient support and advocacy group, and Northwell Hospital.

Her project will be sustained by the lives that will be saved by the registered organ donors and will live on through her YouTube video which is posted on multiple social media platforms.

Kaitlyn is a rising senior at Manhasset High School. She is the captain of the rowing team, an award-winning science research student, and a representative of student government. Kaitlyn won a science fair scholarship sponsored

by NSPC due to her work with Huntington’s disease. Her fondest memory of Girl Scouts was when her troop raised enough money to take a trip to the American Girl doll store in New York City. Her troop also donated several hundred boxes of cookies to troops in Afghanistan through the local American Legion Auxiliary.

GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

Lindsay Collins identified a need to educate seniors about food allergies in her Gold Award project, “Educating Grandparents About Food Allergies.” Through her discussions with her own grandparents, Lindsay learned that seniors could benefit from learning about common food allergens, symptoms of an allergic reaction, and how to treat an anaphylaxis. She presented this information at local community senior centers and residences. Her project will be sustained through training of staff and volunteers on this topic, informative fliers, pamphlets, and bookmarks for them to refer back to.

Lindsay graduated from Paul D. Schreiber High School and recently finished her freshman year at the University of Delaware in the Chemical Engineering Program. She is interested in food science, specifically the causes of food allergies. Lindsay is a member of the Pi Beta Phi sorority and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

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Julianne Crawford

Jenna Curran

SEAFORD/WANTAGH SERVICE UNIT TROOP 3038

PARK SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1112

In Julianne Crawford’s Gold Award project, “Confirmation is Only the Beginning,” she devised more efficient ways to tackle the service requirements and ministry offerings for current Confirmation class students. Her project aimed to target the disconnect between Confirmation class graduates and their church once they leave for college. After meeting with other Girl Scouts and her church, she encouraged them to pursue their talents, and created a ministry and a volunteer guide. She also developed a college care package ministry to help individuals feel more connected to their church as they go through a new phase in their life.

As a recent graduate of Seaford High School, Julianne will be attending Colgate University in the fall. Throughout her years in Girl Scouting, she was a competitive dancer, Color Guard Captain, and Key Club Secretary at her school. Her fondest Girl Scout memory was the sleepover at the Long Island Children’s Museum where she and her troop choreographed and performed a dance at the virtual campfire talent show. Through her years in Girl Scouting, she has learned how to have a voice and stick up for what is important to herself, her friends, and her community.

Jenna recently completed her freshman year of college at LIU Post. Jenna plays tennis, and in high school she also participated in track, swimming, and lacrosse. She also enjoys baking, writing, and drawing. Her fondest Girl Scout memories include building gingerbread houses, flying on a trapeze, and creating pottery with her troop.

Katie Cruz

Gabriella D’Angelo

PLAINEDGE SERVICE UNIT TROOP 3476

MANHASSET SERVICE UNIT TROOP 540

Katie Cruz advocated for a turning arrow light at the intersection of Wyngate Drive and Hicksville Road in her Gold Award project, “Just [Turn] Left.” She started an online petition and shared it with her community on multiple social media platforms. Katie received a total of 1,359 signatures on her petition to the NYS Department of Transportation (NYSDOT). Although the NYSDOT decided not install the turning arrow light, Katie refused to be discouraged. She applied her knowledge on this issue by creating presentations promoting traffic safety for different Girl Scout troops.

A recent graduate of Plainedge High School, Katie was the President of Student Council and President of the Forensics club. Katie also played Varsity soccer and lacrosse.

Her fondest Girl Scout memory is going to the Juliette Gordon Low Birthplace. This was a trip she’ll never forget and she was lucky enough to experience Georgia with her friends. Katie will attend the University of Virginia in the fall where she will major in mathematical economics.

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Jenna Curran educated her community about COVID-19 in her Gold Award project, “All About Coronavirus.” She gathered information about the virus and ways to combat it, such as how to properly wash your hands to prevent lingering germs. She organized her findings in five educational videos that were posted on YouTube. She spread awareness about her project on Facebook and through word of mouth.

Jenna’s project will be sustained through her website, which includes her videos and other important information about coronaviruses.

GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

Gabriella D’Angelo took on the challenge of educating her community on the importance of monarch butterflies through her Gold Award project, “Magnificent Monarchs.” Monarch populations on Long Island have significantly decreased in the past decade, leading to threats of diminished biodiversity. She engaged with her community through interactive monarch STEAM events and butterfly releases that will continue in the future. She also created an informative video, shared on social media, to spread environmental awareness about monarchs nationally.

A recent graduate of Manhasset High School, Gabriella was a rower on the Manhasset Crew team. She plays the flute, participated in the Manhasset Science Research Program, and was a member of the National Honor Society. Gabriella loves the outdoors and was involved with the ReWild Long Island Summer Program to Fight Hunger and Climate Change as a horticulturist intern this past summer. Gabriella’s favorite Girl Scout memory is her troop’s trip to Split Rock Resort in Pennsylvania where she went hiking, explored the outdoors, and bonded with her troop. Gabriella will be attending Boston College in the fall.

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Jillian de Reyna

Aphrodite Dimopoulos

PORT WASHINGTON SERVICE UNIT TROOP 428

MANHASSET SERVICE UNIT TROOP 411

Jillian de Reyna’s Gold Award project, “LesStress” addressed ways teens can minimize the effects of stress on their lives. She educated students, teammates, and coaches on signs of stress and management. Jillian presented an informative PowerPoint to students outlining sources of stress in teenagers lives, as well as specific techniques to use when encountering stress. Jillian partnered with the Port Washington School District’s Athletic Director and health teachers to sustain by her project by continuing to make her presentations and materials available to all students.

Jillian is a rising sophomore in The School of Nursing at Niagara University. She is an honors student and a Division I athlete on Niagara’s Swimming and Diving Team. Jillian’s fondest Girl Scout memories are at Camp Blue Bay. Whether sailing in the bay, paddle boarding in the creek, sleeping under the stars, or singing at campfires, Jillian will never forget her time spent there. The new friendships formed and the camaraderie built among the girls will last a lifetime.

Aphrodite Dimopoulos tackled the issue of pay discrimination against women in the workplace through her Gold Award project, “Girl Power to EmPower Women in the Workplace.” Her goal was to create a teaching platform for K-12 students to educate girls and boys on the gender wage gap. Aphrodite designed and created a user-friendly website that provides educators with the necessary facts to educate students on this topic, and ways they can take action to end unequal pay in the workplace.

A recent graduate of Paul D. Schreiber High School in Port Washington, Aphrodite was the President of her Class Club, Managing Editor of her school newspaper, Treasurer of the Future Business Leaders of America, a member of the Foreign Language, English, Math, and Social Studies Honor Societies, and the National Honor Society. Aphrodite also played Varsity Softball all four years of high school. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is participating in Operation Santa in New York City. Aphrodite will be attending Villanova University in the fall to study at their School of Business.

Yazmeen Deyhimi

Marisa Fernandez

PORT WASHINGTON SERVICE UNIT TROOP 413

GARDEN CITY SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1454

Yazmeen Deyhimi hosted workshops and produced an engaging curriculum on anti-bullying for elementary students in her Gold Award project, “Anti-Bullying Workshops.” She applied her knowledge as a Peer Trainer by the Anti-Defamation League and a leading member of the No Place for Hate Committee in her school to help children understand biases, stereotypes, and how to combat bullying. She led discussions about self-identity and role-playing scenarios, which provided tips on how to stand up for themselves and others who are being bullied. Yazmeen’s curriculum will continue to be implemented at her local middle school.

A recent graduate of Paul D. Schneider High School, Yazmeen was a member of the Varsity Tennis Team and a member of the No Place for Hate Committee. She enjoys baking desserts in her free time. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is selling cookies with her troop at the train station. Yazmeen will be attending NYU in the fall.

GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

Marisa Fernandez provided a food source and habitat for birds in her Gold Award project, “Winter Garden.” Marisa partnered with Centennial Gardens to build her garden with a variety of plants that produce different kinds of nuts and seeds that birds can eat during the winter. Marisa also repaired nesting boxes that were broken or were no longer bird-specific. She designed a website that contains information on how deforestation, farming, urbanization, and climate change negatively impacts birds, about the role they play in our ecosystem, and how others can help protect habitats. Marisa’s garden will continue to sustain itself and act as a reminder for how her community can protect their local ecosystem.

As a recent graduate of Dominican Academy on the Upper East Side, Marisa enjoys playing video games, drawing, and animating. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is her troop’s trip to Hershey Park. Marisa is a recipient of several merit scholarships, and will be attending Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), and will be majoring in Game and Simulation Arts and Science.

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Mary Fernandez

Grace Fong

HERRICKS SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1505

GREAT NECK SERVICE UNIT TROOP 626

Mary Fernandez took on the responsibility of educating children and teens in her community about what consent is and the importance of it through her Gold Award project, “Not ‘Me Too.’” Mary wrote a children’s book, titled No Means No, Yes Means Yes!, that has been integrated into her elementary school’s Family Life curriculum. She also developed a comprehensive slide show teaching consent at a more mature level that was added into her high school’s health curriculum. Mary also hosted a self-defense class for her community that prepares individuals on how to defend themselves and respect their bodies.

Grace Fong took on the challenge of educating her community about financial needs in her Gold Award project, “Step by Step Tutoring.”

She started a nonprofit that provides free financial literacy tutoring for children from low-income families. Grace selected and trained other tutors to help reach a larger range of students. She then hosted Zoom tutoring sessions for students in Kindergarten through sixth grade, and oversaw Zoom meetings held by other tutors. She recruited a team of her peers to sustain her nonprofit that will ensure all children have the opportunity to access free tutoring services.

Mary is a recent graduate of Herricks High School where she was the President of the Italian Club, Secretary of the Justice League, and a member of the National Honor Society. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is when she dressed up as a big cookie for the Girl Scout Cookie sales, and helping younger Girl Scouts at events. Through her Gold Award project, Mary has learned how much of an impact one person with determination can achieve. She is a rising sophomore at Hofstra University majoring in Forensic Science.

As a rising senior at Great Neck South High School, Grace is also involved in her district’s Board of Education, high school newspaper, and badminton team. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is achieving her Bronze Award. Through her Gold Award project, Grace learned that she enjoys being a leader and being part of an effort that will continue to help her community.

Sarah Fetherston

Christina Franco

GARDEN CITY SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1348

ELLM SERVICE UNIT TROOP 2821

Sarah Fetherston’s Gold Award project, “Lockdown,” is a web series that shows the response of 11 teenagers experiencing an active shooter situation in their school. The series highlights other topics such as, abortion, abuse, depression, suicide, and LGBTQ+ discrimination. The goal of Sarah’s project was to foster a supportive environment in her community where teenagers feel comfortable talking to their parents about these real issues. She presented her project to several classes at her high school, Girl Scout troops, and her web series has been added to her school’s health curriculum. “Lockdown” can also be viewed on YouTube.

A recent graduate of Garden City High School, Sarah was the President of Tri-M and President of the International Thespian Society. When she wasn’t participating in her school’s shows, Sarah was a member of the Varsity Swim Team and Varsity Badminton Team. Her fondest Girl Scout tradition was Christmas caroling at a home for individuals with special needs. Sarah will be attending Elon University in the fall to study acting and minor in dance.

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GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

Christina Franco took on the mission of educating people of all ages on what it means to be a child with a disability, and how to build an inclusive community in her Gold Award project, “Children’s Book of Inclusion.”

She worked with an illustrator, teachers, principals, and student aids to create her children’s book that teaches others to not be prejudiced against individuals with disabilities. Christina’s book was presented to children in her community, and she recorded a YouTube video of her presentation so it can be easily accessible. Her book will be sustained through YouTube, and will be read by teachers in schools in her community.

A recent graduate of Lynbrook Senior High School, Christina was a member of the National Honor Society, Science Honor Society, and the treasurer of the Math Honor Society. She was also the treasurer of the Athletic Department, and was a student athlete well-known for her dedication to volleyball. Christina also enjoyed participating as an alter server in her local parish. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is going to the bakery around Christmastime and making gingerbread houses with her fellow Girl Scouts. Christina will be attending Macaulay Honors College at Queens College in the fall.

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Julia Froese

Jamie George

SEAFORD/WANTAGH SERVICE UNIT TROOP 3121

MANHASSET SERVICE UNIT TROOP 501

Julia Froese overcame the challenge of helping local student musicians within her community through her Gold Award project, “Making Music with Confidence.” Julia created a mentoring program within her school’s Tri-M Music Honors Society chapter to foster student musicians’ confidence, and to help them overcome stage fright. She also hosted virtual workshops and webinars where she talked about her four-step idea to becoming a more confident performer. At the end of the program, Julia held a virtual concert where members in Tri-M could perform a solo and had an opportunity to showcase their musical talents. She developed her program into a book, managed a social media account, and created a website. Julia’s mentoring program will be sustained by the Tri-M Music Honor Society advisor and she sent an outline of her project to NAfME to build mentoring programs in other schools.

Julia is a rising senior at Wantagh High School where she is a member of her school’s Cross Country and Track teams, A Capella Club, Science Olympiad team, and is the president of her district’s Key Club chapter. She is also a member of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra and the Junior Academy of the New York Academy of Sciences. Her favorite Girl Scout memory is holding a food drive with her troop during the holiday season.

Jamie George taught children why reading and quality time away from technology is important when trying to relieve stress through her Gold Award project, “Knowledge is Power.” She led educational sessions twice a week at the EOC in Manhasset and continued her project over Zoom. During her sessions, Jamie taught children fun and engaging activities they can do at home, such as yoga and participating in her book club. The materials she created for her project can be accessed on her website for others to use as well.

Jamie completed her freshman year of college at Pennsylvania State University and is transferring to Cornell University.

She enjoys cooking for large crowds, running and working out, and her summer job as a sailing instructor. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is going to the Cradle of Aviation for Halloween each year. Throughout her years as a Girl Scout, she learned that hard work and consistency always pay off in the end.

Margaret Gates

Eden Gould-Anderson

SEAFORD/WANTAGH SERVICE UNIT TROOP 3015

BALDWIN SERVICE UNIT TROOP 2312

Margaret Gates created her Gold Award project, “A Space 4 Space,” to provide young students with simple, fun, and accessible resources to interest them in astronomy.

Margaret built a website where she posted educational activities, lessons about topics like nebulas and galaxies, and interviews with professionals in space-related fields. She also shared her knowledge virtually with school clubs and students in the community. Margaret’s website and social media accounts have reached over 1,000 students from both her local community and from over 60 countries.

As a recent graduate of Wantagh High School, Margaret is involved in science research and plays the cello. She is also a competitive archer. Her favorite memory from her time in Girl Scouts was getting to try flying trapeze with her troop. Margaret will be attending Cornell University in the fall and has received the National Merit Scholarship.

GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

After identifying the need for better education in teaching about Black history, Eden Gould-Anderson developed a course curriculum entitled “The Black Experience: Power, Justice, and the Art of Resistance” for her Gold Award project. In working with administrators and a student peer, she cofounded and led the Racial Equity Club. The club has been a leader in changing their community as they have prompted more people to have conversations about race and ways to become ‘antiracist’. Trained club officers will continue to operate the Racial Equity Club for the following school years.

Eden is a recent graduate of Sanford H. Calhoun High School.

In addition to being the co-president and co-founder of the Racial Equity Club, Eden was a member of the National, Spanish, Science, and Math Honor Societies. She was also an officer of Key Club and a peer tutor for the Math Honor Society. Her fondest Girl Scout memory was planning and leading the annual Girl Scout Birthday Party with her troop.

This event has taught her leadership and event planning skills. Eden will be attending Northeastern University in the fall.

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Jillian Hooey

Arianna Isopo

JERICHO/SYOSSET SERVICE UNIT TROOP 3518

GREAT NECK SERVICE UNIT TROOP 656

Jillian Hooey, a nature enthusiast, established a club that creates events in nature to encourage people to get outside to improve their overall well-being in her Gold Award project, “Nature of Americans.” Her project was inspired by the Nature of Americans Study that identified the positives of being outside, and the reasons why people don’t go out into nature as much as they should.

After being approved by the study director, Jillian created the Nature of Americans Club to organize outdoor events to close the interest-to-action gap. Working with student government, she expanded her club’s influence in her high school. She also developed a web page with instructions on how others can start their own club.

As a rising senior at Syosset High School, Jillian is an honor roll student and plays varsity volleyball, track, and lacrosse. She is the president of three clubs at her school and runs her nature photography website that raises funds for local organizations. Her fondest Girl Scout memory was made at The Oyster Bay Farm, picking pesky bugs off bean crops. It was there that Jillian was able to recognize the positive effect nature had on herself and her fellow troop members. She is verbally committed to the admissions process with the University of Chicago to play lacrosse.

As a rising senior at Great Neck South High School, Arianna is an honor student and volunteers at North Shore University Hospital. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is singing the National Anthem at Met games and singing Christmas carols on Fox & Friends with the Girl Scout Chorus and Media Girls.

Kayla Huang

Amber Joneleit

HERRICKS SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1505

HERRICKS SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1506

Kayla Huang promoted human trafficking awareness through her Gold Award project, “The Reality of Human Trafficking.” Her mission was to educate students at school and the general public on what it is, the signs of it, and what people can do to combat it. She organized numerous live and virtual presentations, created a website and YouTube video, and held seminars about human trafficking awareness. Through collaboration with the Herricks High School health teacher, she successfully introduced human trafficking awareness into the health curriculum.

Kayla, a recent graduate of Herricks High School, was a member of the varsity cheerleading team and the National Honor Society. She also plays the flute in the Herricks Wind Ensemble. Kayla’s fondest memory of Girl Scouts was baking and playing fun games at her troop meetings.

Through Girl Scouts, she has learned to be a confident leader while also collaborating with others. Kayla will be attending Binghamton University in the fall.

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Arianna Isopo educated children and adults on safe internet use with her Gold Award project, “Internet Safety for Students and Adults.” Since everyone is currently living in a virtual world, this project aimed to equip adults and children with information and tools about internet safety to keep children safe while learning and playing online. Arianna created presentations that are used by religious organizations, youth groups, and small businesses to educate her community on internet safety.

GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

Amber Joneleit noticed that remote elementary school students in her district’s Spanish language immersion program were not getting the same opportunity to learn Spanish every day as she did in elementary school. With her project, “Language Immersion Volunteers,” she created a program where high school students in the language immersion program could help out in weekly Google Meets to give the students more individualized attention and help them learn Spanish by engaging them in fun activities. She also put together a website of book recordings in Spanish for the children to listen and read along to.

Amber is a rising senior at Herricks High School. She has been in the Spanish Language Immersion program at her school since first grade, and she plays soccer, basketball, and softball. Her favorite memory from Girl Scouts is going on a weekend trip to Camp Blue Bay when she was in elementary school. Through this project, Amber learned leadership, teamwork, and problem solving skills. She also discovered how much she enjoys helping her community.

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Jacqueline Kelly

Madeline Kollar

GARDEN CITY SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1454

SEAFORD/WANTAGH SERVICE UNIT TROOP 3038

Jacqueline Kelly built a monarch butterfly habitat for her Gold Award project, “Monarch-Milkweed Movement.”

Her project aimed to restore natural lands with milkweed to help preserve the monarch butterfly species, and to educate community members to be more conscious of the ecosystem. Working with the Centennial Gardens Committee, she constructed a habitat using milkweed and other butterfly-friendly plants. She also created a brochure that details the necessity of monarch butterflies that can be located near the entrance to the gardens. Her project will be sustained through upkeep by the Centennial Gardens volunteer program.

A recent graduate of Floral Park Memorial High School, Jacqueline played soccer, ran track, and was the vice president of her class. She was also a member of the Model United Nations team. Her fondest memory of Girl Scouts is camping at the cathedral in Garden City. It was cold, but her troop made s’mores around the fire and sang songs together. She will be attending University of California-Berkeley majoring in Data Science in the fall.

Madeline Kollar’s love for science inspired her Gold Award project, “Full STEAM Ahead.” The goal of her project was to expose children to STEAM at the preschool level and wanted to make STEAM less intimidating for preschool teachers and parents.

Madeline designed ten STEAM lessons and hosted Zoom workshops for preschoolers and Daisy Girl Scouts. She also created kits that contain written and recorded lessons, and the necessary materials for those lessons. These kits were distributed to local preschools and Girl Scout troops.

Madeline is a recent graduate of Seaford High School. She was a recipient of the HOBY Leadership Award, a member of the SADD club, and was a Girl Scout National Delegate to the 2020 National Council Session for GSNC. Her favorite Girl Scout memory is having a sleepover at the Riverhead Aquarium where she got to play with a penguin.

Madeline will be studying chemistry at SUNY Albany in the fall.

Nicolette Kenney

Jessica Kopping

THE PLAINS SERVICE UNIT TROOP 3609

HERRICKS SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1501

Nicolette Kenney’s Gold Award project, “The Low Down,” tackled the issue of underrepresentation of women in the media. She organized a Google Classroom to use as a hub to empower young females and teach them that they can use their voices to speak out about topics that are important to them. Nicolette educated her participants about statistics of women in the industry, public speaking skills, and professional tips and tricks, which will encourage and prepare girls to start their own radio or television segment. She made instructional video lesson plans that can be used to easily recreate “The Low Down.” Her Google Classroom can be reached by anyone interested in learning more about her program.

A recent graduate of Division Avenue High School, Nicolette was President of the Broadcasting Club, a member of the Varsity Bowling team and was active in Key Club. Nicolette will never forget when she attended Operation Cookie Drop and gave out cookies to the troops. She also loved when her troop went to see Newsies on Broadway and shared such a fun day together. Nicolette will be attending Hofstra University in the fall.

GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

In Jessica Kopping’s Gold Award project, “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” she helped to foster open discussions about mental health and provide numerous strategies to help cope with anxiety and stress.

Her goal was to address the increasing number of teens and young adults who report feelings of anxiety or depression. In order to combat this, she created both an informational and detailed website about anxiety, and led a series of art therapy workshops intended to channel people’s inner stress into something relaxing. The website is currently being shared with Herricks High School as a resource for other teens struggling with anxiety.

As a recent graduate of Herricks High School Jessica was a representative in student government, and a member of the National Honor Society. Jessica is also a scholar athlete, having been a member of the girls soccer, lacrosse, and winter track teams. Some of her fondest Girl Scout memories include the time her troop laughed the night away over a cup of hot chocolate after visiting Trader Joe’s, and the summers she spent at Camp Blue Bay. Jessica will be pursuing an undergraduate degree in Pre-Veterinary Medicine in the fall.

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Ava Kulka

Kate Laico

MANHASSET SERVICE UNIT TROOP 546

EAST MEADOW SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1061

Ava Kulka’s Gold Award project, “Volleyball Skills, Safety, and Nutrition,” educates young athletes about the importance of competitive volleyball skills, injury prevention, and athlete nutrition. She partnered with Club Ace Long Island and led training sessions for young girls. She discussed healthy snack choices to allow for optimal energy and performance during games. Ava also elaborated on the most common volleyball injuries and presented information on injury prevention and recovery. Ava’s project will be sustained through her website that includes comprehensive information on the sport.

A recent graduate of Manhasset High School, Ava was a three-year varsity starter on Manhasset High School’s Girls Varsity Volleyball team as well as a member of the Tri-M, Art, and Spanish Honor Societies. Ava has been playing volleyball for eight years, and has competed at the highest level of club volleyball with athletes from all around the world.

She currently plays for Academy Long Island. Ava’s fondest Girl Scout memory is going on hiking trips and learning how to camp outdoors at Camp Greenkill with her troop. Ava will attend Southern Methodist University in Dallas in the fall.

As a recent graduate of East Meadow HS, Kate played lacrosse, field hockey, and was a member of the National Honor Society. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is when her troop visited a dude ranch. Kate will be playing lacrosse at Pace University in the fall.

Alexandra Lachnicht

Sara Lombardi

MASSAPEQUA SERVICE UNIT TROOP 2084

ELLM SERVICE UNIT TROOP 2600

Alexandra Lachnicht organized a day care program for children with autism in her Gold Award project, “Creative Therapy Program in Day Care.” The goal of her project was to help train day care workers on how to interact with children with disabilities. Her program includes meditations, painting, aromatherapy, and slime tutorials. These activities are designed to help children between the ages of 2-4 to cope with emotions, develop motor skills, and increase cognitive development. Her curriculum will continue to be used by day care and pre-school teachers in her community.

A recent graduate of Sacred Heart Academy High School, Alexandra was part of the Chamber Chorus and Stage Crew. She also swam for three years on the St. Rose CYO swim team. Her favorite memory of Girl Scouts is when she collected towels for individuals who are homeless at the Inn. Alexandra is currently a student at The City College Of New York.

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In Kate Laico’s Gold Award project, “First Start for GirlsLacrosse Program,” she re-established a lacrosse clinic for young girls in her community. There was no foundation for younger girls to gain the skills they need to be confident in themselves or the sport of lacrosse. Being part of skill building at a young age helps to create a healthy future to play sports, learn teamwork, and build friendships. Using social media, Kate recorded videos of training drills girls could do at home to keep their skills up. The Instagram account she created for her project will continue to be used by other coaches to help reach more girls at home when they are not at practice.

GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

Sara Lombardi planted a garden at St. Francis Hospital in her Gold Award project, “Gratitude Gardens.” She raised funds for her garden and partnered with local libraries and Girl Scout troops to hold gratitude workshops.

These workshops addressed the emotional effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, teaching children empathy. Sara’s goal was to organize this garden to serve as a reminder of the community’s appreciation for essential healthcare workers, and their sacrifice and bravery at St. Francis Hospital.

A recent graduate of Valley Stream North High School, Sara was president of the drama club, captain of the kickline team, and a member of six National Honor Societies. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is camping with her troop and learning how to build a fire alongside her closest friends.

Sara will be attending Misericordia University in the fall.

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Juliana Lovett

Emily McKenna

MASSAPEQUA SERVICE UNIT TROOP 2370

WEST HEMPSTEAD/FRANKLIN SQUARE SERVICE UNIT TROOP 9036

Juliana Lovett took on the challenge of teaching children about service and therapy dogs through her Gold Award project, “Service & Therapy Dogs: Learning Through E-Books.” Juliana worked with her local elementary school librarian to develop an educational, virtually accessible book for children on the differences between service and therapy dogs, as well as the “Dos and Don’ts” of encountering working dogs. The interactive E-book, Some Heroes Wear Vests, was published online. The book, along with a series of videos created by Juliana, are part of a newly-designed Working Dogs Month program for children.

A recent graduate of Massapequa High School, Juliana was a member of the National Honor Society, the German National Honor Society, and graduated as an AP Scholar and Scholar Athlete. Juliana swam for the MHS Varsity Swimming & Diving Team, and was a member of the MHS Varsity Golf Team. Her fondest Girl Scout memories involve the many hikes and camping trips her troop made over the years. Juliana plans on pursuing a degree in the health field, with a major in biology. She will attend Colby College in the fall.

Emily McKenna focused on the current pandemic in her Gold Award project, “Road to Medicine.” The global pandemic brought to light how essential the medical field is. After learning that most high schools do not offer medical-related courses or clubs, she created a program to help interested students learn more about the medical field. The “Road to Medicine” program contains PowerPoints, quizzes, videos, and handson activities for thirteen different topics. Emily invited participants to join her program through social media. Her program will be continued at her high school and can be accessed on her program’s website.

As a rising junior at H. Frank Carey High School, Emily is a member of the National Honor Society. She is also a member of her school’s dance team, the Pirettes, and dances outside of school as well. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is when she went camping, and she especially enjoyed when it started raining. This event made her realize that not everything has to be perfect to have a great time.

Jacqueline Manetta

Elizabeth Michaels

HERRICKS SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1501

JERICHO/SYOSSET SERVICE UNIT TROOP 3570

Jacqueline Manetta addressed the lack of awareness surrounding gluten-free foods in her Gold Award project, “Gluten Free Lunches in School Cafeterias.” Jacqueline decided to tackle this issue after being diagnosed with celiac disease herself. She implemented gluten-free items into her school’s cafeteria so that every student with celiac disease could have the same access to food as those without dietary restrictions. She also organized gluten-free food drives to donate to those who do not have access or the means to afford the high cost of gluten-free food. To help others navigate this disease, Jacqueline shared her favorite gluten-free brands, recipes, and restaurants on her Instagram account and blog.

A rising senior at Herricks High School, Jacqueline is a menstrual equity advocate, a member of the National Honor Society, and plays lacrosse. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is when her troop visited Woodloch Pines. Her troop had so much fun kayaking and did a scavenger hunt around the hotel.

GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

Elizabeth Michaels took on the challenge of helping others find a healthy way to manage stress through nature in her Gold Award project, “Stress Less.” She designed and placed brochures at Bailey Arboretum explaining how nature can be used as a healthy coping mechanism for stress. She also filmed a video of a walkthrough at the Bailey Arboretum to discuss the importance of nature walks. Elizabeth presented this information to her school’s health classes. Her brochures contain a QR code for visitors of the arboretum to access her video and her presentation will continue to be shared by the health department at her high school.

As a recent graduate of Syosset High School, Elizabeth was a member of the Japanese Club, National Art Honor Society, and played soccer. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is having many opportunities to try new things and meet new friends. Elizabeth will be studying Art Education at Adelphi University in the fall.

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Katie Moran

Kathryn Murdoch

MASSAPEQUA SERVICE UNIT TROOP 2370

WEST HEMPSTEAD/FRANKLIN SQUARE SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1030

Katie Moran tackled the lack of education on food allergies in her Gold Award project, “Food Allergy Awareness in Middle School Children.” She aimed to teach middle school students that their peers with food allergies are no different than they are by educating them on what a food allergy really is. To accomplish these goals, Katie led her team to create a presentation she showed to middle school health classes. Her presentation will be shown every year to incoming students and can be found on her website.

A recent graduate of Massapequa High School, Katie was the captain of the Varsity Swim Team, a member of the National Honor Society, and a member of Tri-M Music Honor Society. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is taking trips to Frost Valley with her troop. Katie learned that she has great public speaking skills and enjoyed presenting her project.

She will attend Quinnipiac University in the fall.

A recent graduate at New Hyde Park Memorial High School, Kathryn was Vice President of her school’s GEAR club, Treasurer of FBLA, and Secretary of the Artisan’s club.

Kathryn loved spending time with her Girl Scout troop during meetings, and discussing upcoming plans and projects. Kathryn is looking forward to attending St. John’s University, majoring in finance in the fall.

Stefanie Moratti

Danielle Nodelman

WEST HEMPSTEAD/FRANKLIN SQUARE SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1020

JERICHO/SYOSSET SERVICE UNIT TROOP 3040

Stefanie Moratti’s mission was to help teens set goals and begin to plan for their futures with an understanding of what might be involved in the careers they are considering through her Gold Award project, “Career Workshops for Teens.” Stefanie interviewed and recorded speakers from different occupations to gather information on their educational backgrounds and special skills needed for their career. These 25 professionals shared invaluable advice to inspire teens about their futures.

Stefanie is a rising senior at Kellenberg Memorial High School. She participates in mock trial, is a morning announcement speaker, and is on the varsity track team.

Her fondest Girl Scout memories are making sandwiches for the homeless, walking in the CROP Hunger walks, and organizing coat drives for the INN.

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Kathryn Murdoch educated people about neurofibromatosis in her project, “Katie’s CTF Gold Award.” Neurofibromatosis (NF) is a genetic disorder can cause emotional and health difficulties, including learning disabilities, tumors, and scoliosis. Kathryn partnered with the Children’s Tumor Foundation to create a website to help individuals affected by NF feel more accepted, while also allowing more people to become aware of this disorder. She also wrote and illustrated a book which was donated to her local libraries.

GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

Danielle Nodelman addressed environmental sustainability issues such as, climate change, pollution, deforestation, and lack of recycling in her Gold Award project, “Environmental Sustainability and the Next Generation.” Danielle created a variety of educational videos and corresponding digital quizzes for students in grades K-12. These materials are now available for use on the Syosset Public Library website. She also held workshops and led bracelet-making activities using recycled materials with campers. Danielle organized a Clean Up the Beach event this summer at Theodore Roosevelt Memorial Park. Her project’s materials live on her website and Instagram account.

A freshman at Wesleyan University, Danielle was the treasurer of the drama club at Syosset High School and was involved in numerous theatrical productions. She was in the Interact community service club and Chamber Choir. She is a member of the National Honor Society and the International Thespian Society, as well as a recipient of the New York State Seal of Biliteracy for Spanish. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is spending the afternoon at Project Adventure and working as a team with her fellow troop members.

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Ashley O’Neill

Julia Perrino

PORT WASHINGTON SERVICE UNIT TROOP 9029

WARM SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1805

Ashley O’Neill addressed the opioid crisis through her Gold Award project, “The Opioid Epidemic: Prevention, Education, Solution.” Inspired by an opioid model she coded in her high school’s math research program, she applied her knowledge to directing an opioid awareness video designed for children and teens.

Working with student actors from her high school, she was able to connect with students across the country through virtual presentations. Her educational video can be accessed on YouTube.

Julia Perrino created a civics curriculum for the Mineola Middle School for her Gold Award project, “Proposing the Civics Education Initiative in New York State.” Julia’s curriculum is designed to encourage community engagement, promote civic learning and discussion, and shape students into judicious and practicing members of a democratic society. Her resources for these courses are provided through the online KidOYO platform and include lessons, projects, videos, worksheets, quizzes, and interactive questions. The curriculum is currently used by fifth, sixth, and seventh graders in the Mineola School District.

A recent graduate of Paul D. Schreiber High School, Ashley was Varsity Captain of the debate team and was Dance Captain of the musical theatre program. She was also Vice President of the Latin Club. Ashley’s fondest Girl Scout memory is making banana boats at Camp Blue Bay with her troop. Ashley is a current freshman at the University of Pennsylvania intending to major in Classical Studies.

As a recent graduate of Mineola High School, Julia was a member of the Political Discourse Club, Student Government, and the Track Team. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is spending the weekend in Frost Valley with her troop.

Julia will be attending Georgetown University in the fall.

Stamatia Papazis

Rebecca Petras

BELLMORE SERVICE UNIT TROOP 964

MANHASSET SERVICE UNIT TROOP 548

Stamatia Papazis addressed the issue of the underrepresentation of women in STEM through her Gold Award project, “Introducing More Girls to Coding.” She hosted a series of workshops where she educated girls in her community about computer science. Her lesson plans have been added to her local middle school’s Technology class curriculum. The most successful part of her project was when several of her students told her that they decided to sign up for coding classes for the upcoming school year.

A recent graduate of John F. Kennedy High School, Stamatia played for the Varsity Tennis team and was an officer in Future Business Leaders of America. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is selling cookies with her troop. Stamatia will be studying computer science in the fall.

GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

Rebecca Petras implemented lessons on the positive and negative impacts of social media into her high school’s health curriculum in her Gold Award project, “The Effects of Social Media.” She created PowerPoint presentations, activities, polls, and assignments to inform and interact with tenth grade students through Zoom and in person.

Her lessons and materials will be used by her school’s health teachers and sustained by the Set Connect Club.

A recent graduate of Manhasset High School, Becca was president of the Interact Club, co-treasurer for the National Honor Society, and a member of the Student Athlete Leadership Team (SALT). She was also co-captain of the varsity cheerleading squad and an avid dancer. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is spending a weekend out east completing the Sow What Journey. Her troop visited a chicken farm, fishing boat, and local farm to create their own farm-to-table meal. Becca will be majoring in elementary education at Boston College in the fall.

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Briana Ranallo

Leanna Pignataro

HERRICKS SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1505

BALDWIN SERVICE UNIT TROOP 2144 Leanna Pignataro’s Gold project, entitled “Ticked-Off!,” was focused on the tick problem on Long Island. To naturally combat these pests, she incubated and raised bobwhite quail, a type of bird that eats ticks as a main part of their diet. By releasing them, she was able to introduce a natural solution to the tick problem, rather than combat this issue with pesticides at Camp Blue Bay. Leanna also educated her community on effective anti-tick methods as well as the risks ticks pose and why quail are beneficial to our environment. Her volunteers also gained quail care skills while helping Leanna raise them. Long live the quails at Blue Bay! Leanna is a rising senior at Long Island Lutheran. She is in the science and acapella clubs, and is very fond of scuba diving. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is camping in April 2019. Leanna had such an enjoyable time during that trip.

A recent graduate at Herricks High School, Briana was a year-round student athlete involved in Cheerleading and Competitive Dance. She was also a member of the National Honor Society. Briana’s fondest Girl Scout memory is volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House where she cooked and baked for children and their families. She will be attending Fordham University in the fall.

Celeste Pozderec

Summer Roberts

SEAFORD/WANTAGH SERVICE UNIT TROOP 3050

ISLAND BEACH SERVICE UNIT TROOP 2493

Celeste Pozderec raised awareness about the rich history of Babylon Village in her Gold Award project, “Discovering the Babylon Village Historical and Preservation Society.” She created a PowerPoint presentation detailing the history of the museum, collected items to create a time capsule to commemorate 2020, and designed a brochure for the museum’s resources. To engage her local community, Celeste created a scavenger hunt for families to enjoy. Her materials can be found at local libraries and on the Historical Society’s website and will be sustained by their staff.

Celeste was a 2020, Summa Cum Laude Honors graduate of St. John the Baptist High School. She was a member of the National Honor Society, and volunteered at the Babylon Historical Society and at Nourish, her local soup kitchen, and as Catechist for children with special needs at St. Joseph’s Parish. She just completed her first year at Vassar College, after receiving several scholarships, where she is studying English and History.

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Briana Ranallo tackled the issue of mental health in young dancers through her Gold Award project, “Confidence in Young Dancers.” Her goal was to create a safe environment for dancers and highlight the importance of mental health.

To do this, she hosted a workshop where she implemented methods for boosting self-esteem, determination, and confidence at her local dance studio. Her methods will be used yearly at this studio, and her materials will be shared with other leaders in the dance community through her website.

GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

Summer Roberts took on the challenge of creating a safe and welcoming space for children, adolescents, and teens through her Gold Award project, “Long Beach Youth Group.” Summer’s goal was to create a safe space where young people can have a sense of belonging. She hosted Zoom meetings so her youth group could still have a place to meet online, where she streamed games and planned other activities. Her youth group will continue to hold meetings once a month at a local church in her community.

A recent graduate of Long Beach High School, Summer served as Class Spirit Chair for all four years of high school.

Summer was also on the swim and track teams where she threw shot put and discus. Her fondest Girl Scout memories are her troop’s annual trip to Pine Ridge Dude Ranch, dancing, and singing karaoke with her troop. Summer will be attending SUNY Cortland in the fall where she will be majoring in education.

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Brianna Rogers

Charlotte Santosus

CENTRAL PARK SERVICE UNIT TROOP 3698

HERRICKS SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1501

Brianna Rogers created a career development center within her high school’s guidance department for her Gold Award project, “Career Startup Center.” She identified a need for this after learning that many teens are unaware of how to find a job and lack interviewing skills. Brianna organized mock interviews so students can practice interview skills and receive proper feedback. Students are also given advice on dress and interview etiquette. In addition to the “Career Startup Center,” Brianna helped develop the School to Career Program which connects students with jobs. This program will utilize her interview templates and mock interview system to prepare students for future jobs.

Brianna Rogers is a rising senior at Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School. She enjoys competitive dance, coaching cheerleading, and writing for her school newspaper.

Her fondest Girl Scout memory is taking a trip to Frost Valley with her troop with money they raised from cookie sales. The best part of the trip was the Haunted Trail Walk and eating their weight in Halloween candy.

Charlotte Santosus educated her local community on the Equestrian sport by creating the CHEC club for her Gold Award project, “Charlotte’s Horse Education Club.” She hosted educational sessions at her local library that taught people of all ages about Equestrianism, including horse care, safety, breed types, and barn care. In addition to her presentation, she used props, slides, and gave away cleaned and polished horseshoes to her library guests. Prior to COVID-19, she also presented this information at local Girl Scout troop meetings, and continued to present and record these materials through Zoom.

Charlotte will be graduating from Herricks High School and will be attending Adelphi University in fall. She is excited to be a part of the Adelphi University Biology program and eventually plans to become a veterinarian focusing on large animals as well as exotics. Charlotte has been a part of Troop 1501 since kindergarten and has formed many close friendships. Her favorite memory was the spring fling trip to Camp Blue Bay.

Audrey Santosus

Maryann Savino

HERRICKS SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1501

GARDEN CITY SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1454

After realizing that many senior citizens in her community were not prepared in the event of a storm, natural disaster, or lockdown, Audrey Santosus created her Gold Award project, “Always Prepared.” The goal of her project was to help seniors in the event of an emergency that could result in being stranded in their home. Audrey successfully put together emergency readiness kits containing basic necessities such as masks, emergency water, water containers, toothpaste and toothbrushes, space blankets, and flashlights. She also educated and provided seniors with emergency contact information that are beneficial if first responders are called to their home.

A recent graduate of Herricks High School, Audrey participated in many school theater productions and was a member of the school bowling team. She also does volunteer EMS outside of school and will be continuing her education at Adelphi University next fall.

GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

Maryann Savino worked to adapt fire safety for individuals with special needs through her Gold Award project, “Special Needs Fire Safety.” She created a website and blog where she posted an adapted Fire Safety Curriculum and designed a Special Needs Finder Sticker that she sent out to over 250 special needs families, fire departments, and organizations across the country. She used social media and Facebook parent groups to spread her project presentation and resources all across America, and globally to Canada, Europe, and Australia.

As a recent graduate of John F. Kennedy High School in Bellmore, Maryann was a Student Ambassador and a member of the Spanish, Social Studies, and National Honor Societies. She was also a member of her school’s leadership program. Her fondest Girl Scout memory was going to Lake George for white water rafting and rope climbing.

Maryann will be attending St. John’s University in the fall to major in Childhood Education.

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Mia Schecter

Kristal Soo

CENTRAL PARK SERVICE UNIT TROOP 3243

HERRICKS SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1505

Mia Schecter promoted positive body images in preteen girls and launched her Gold Award project, “just BEad YOUrself.” The goal of her project was to teach girls how to cope with negative feelings and how to think more positively. Mia created a website, and held workshops to educate and empower girls in grades seven through nine to recognize their true self-worth and beauty. Her website contains a DIY body image quiz that provides immediate feedback. Her project will be sustained by a local middle school counselor who will encourage future students to join.

Mia is a rising senior at Plainview-Old Bethpage John F. Kennedy High School where she participates in the Animal Rescue Club and the Community Service Club. Mia is also a member of the Science Honor Society. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is her troop’s annual trip to Frost Valley where they exchanged SWAPS, had fun at the lake, and sat by the campfire roasting s’mores together.

Kristal is a recent graduate of Herricks High School where she was the Public Relations Officer on the Student Government Executive Board and the President of the Gardening Club. She is also a Petty Officer in the United States Sea Cadets Corps. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is her troop’s trip to Madame Tussauds in New York City. Kristal will attend the United States Merchant Marine Academy in the fall.

Jennifer Schmidt

Lindsey Stevenson

HERRICKS SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1501

GARDEN CITY SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1428

The goal of Jennifer Schmidt’s Gold Award project, “Stressless,” was to teach her community, especially preteens and teens, on how to recognize and relieve stress. She held in-person and virtual meetings to show participants how to de-stress in fun and calming ways with meditation, stretching, bath salts, DIY stress-ball relief, and mandala coloring pages. Jennifer will continue to use and discover new ways to relieve stressors that she will share and teach to others.

A recent graduate of Herricks High School, Jennifer was captain of the Cross Country and Track and Field teams, president of the Stress Management Club, and a longtime violinist. Her favorite Girl Scout memory was when she spent the weekend with her troop at Camp Blue Bay. Jennifer has learned that when she uses her heart, mind, and soul she can do anything. Jennifer will be attending Manhattanville College where she will continue to run and help others to relieve stress.

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Kristal Soo took on the challenge of educating her community on hydroponic farming as an alternate farming process in her Gold Award project, “Hydroponic Gardening.”

Using social media platforms, she developed a teaching program that emphasizes the importance of hydroponics and how to create your own hydroponic system. Her teaching program consists of her presentation and a YouTube video that can be accessed on her website. Kristal’s project will be sustained through the Herricks Gardening Club.

GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

Lindsey Stevenson helped facilitate communication for nonverbal children with special needs in her Gold Award project, “AAC Core Board.”

An AAC core board enables children with special needs to communicate what they want to do by pointing to a picture on the board. Lindsey educated her community on the importance of AAC core boards, the need for them in public spaces, and how they can be used. She also recorded a video of this information that is posted on her website. Lindsey designed and installed her board at Homestead Primary School in Garden City so nonverbal students can communicate during recess.

A recent graduate of Garden City High School, Lindsey was a member of the volleyball and golf teams. She also participated in the Pairs Program, where she sat with the special needs students during lunch on Fridays and played board games. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is when she slept at the Museum of Natural History under the whale. Lindsey will attend Molloy College for Nursing in the fall.

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Samya Suarez

Paige Theodosopoulos

HEMPSTEAD SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1134

MANHASSET SERVICE UNIT TROOP 546

Samya Suarez’s Gold Award project, titled “L.Y.F.T. (Lift Youth’s Future Together),” focused on providing ways for young people to overcome issues they encounter from the use of social media.

Samya dove into this by interviewing, researching, surveying, educating, and discussing with others the impact of social media, and how the positive and negative influences of social media impact today’s youth. Her high school will be using Samya’s curriculum in a new elective course for high school seniors for years to come.

As a rising sophomore at Virginia Union University, Samya has held leadership positions on her Cheer, Rhymettes Dance, and softball teams, as well as an active member in her church, serving on the board of the youth ministry and choir. She was a Girl Scout for 13 years and enjoyed giving back to her community by participating in various community services.

Paige Theodosopoulos’s Gold Award project titled, “Ice Skating Safety,” helped students and parents alike.

Many students are thrown onto the ice with no prior knowledge of how to skate and their parents have no experience with it either, so they miss important details that would be helpful for them both. Paige became a guide for parents and students to learn to be safe while ice skating and having fun. Her goal was to make it a lot less stressful for them. To expand her reach, Paige wrote a blog that informed people on safety measures for all sports during COVID-19.

Paige completed her freshman year of college at Middlebury College, where she participated in many activities.

Paige was captain on the Manhasset Varsity Swim Team, the Chief editor of the Manhasset High School paper, and a member of Manhasset High School’s Select ensemble.

Her favorite Girl Scout memory was sleeping under the whale at a natural history museum.

Emma Theodoropoulos

Barbara Timmerman

HERRICKS SERVICE UNIT TROOP 1506

MANHASSET SERVICE UNIT TROOP 546

Emma Theodoropoulos applied her knowledge of the Spanish language and her passion for helping children in her Gold Award project, “Healthy Dental Hygiene-Village, Peru.” Emma worked with her dentist and a dentist in Peru to educate children about dental hygiene, healthy habits, and basic first aid. Emma recorded a video demonstrating the correct way to floss and brush your teeth, and made props for children to practice brushing their teeth with.

She also discussed healthy foods that are beneficial for our teeth.

The dentist she collaborated with will sustain her project by continuing to visit the village in Peru every six months for fluoride treatments, and will continue to use Emma’s materials to teach children about staying healthy.

Barbara Timmerman took the initiative to teach children in after-school care about positive self-expression, self-confidence, and wellbeing through dance in her Gold Award project, “Creativity Through Motion.” There are multiple after-school learning programs that allow children to enrich themselves academically, however these places do not allow for students to exercise with creative freedom they need to build healthy habits and also improve quality of life. Barbara also utilized social media to create dance tutorials as a permanent resource for her community. Her series of eight YouTube videos will remain on her public channel to be accessed as a tool for creativity by all age groups and experience levels.

As a rising senior at Saint Anthony’s High School, Emma enjoys swimming, bowling, and hiking. She also loves to travel and explore new cultures. Emma’s fondest Girl Scout memory is when her troop learned how to perform CPR and first aid skills at the firehouse. While there, her troop got to try on fireman equipment and were entertained by funny stories the fireman and emergency workers shared. Emma currently works at an animal hospital and plans on attending medical school to pursue a career in veterinary medicine.

A recent graduate of Manhasset High School, Barbara participated in theatre productions and acted as a representative for the student senate. She also participated in a dance company and vocal choir during her free time. Her favorite Girl Scout memory is singing songs and making marshmallows during the annual Greenkill trip with her troop. Through her time as a Girl Scout, she has learned how to lead with grace and the value of service. She will attend Tulane University in the fall.

GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

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Isabella Verga

Katerina Tsongas MANHASSET SERVICE UNIT TROOP 546 Katerina Tsongas wanted to teach high school students about stress management in her Gold Award project, “Stress Management and Prevention.” She organized clinics that educated students on different techniques they can use to manage stress, such as yoga, meditation, and coloring. She also led discussions on the importance of time management skills and how to apply them in students’ day-to-day routines. Katerina provided pamphlets that outlined these tools and techniques as an additional resource. This information is also accessible through the user-friendly website she designed.

As a recent graduate of Manhasset High School, Katerina played tennis, softball, and was a member of her school’s Key Club. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is her troop’s annual trip to Greenkill where she really enjoyed camping with her troop. Katerina will be attending University of Miami at the Miami Herbert Business School in the fall.

In Isabella Verga’s Gold Award project, “Get Ready with Me: Interview Edition,” she collected donations of work appropriate clothing for low-income adults going on job interviews. Isabella worked alongside the RVC Recreational Center to create a room where adults could pick out clothing and accessories, and learn more about interview skills through her brochure. She also built a website and YouTube channel to further spread the work about her project and interview tips. Her project will be continued by the South Side High School business club.

Isabella is a graduate of South Side High School and is a rising sophomore at the Ohio State University, Fisher College of Business Honors Program, and a National Buckeye Scholarship recipient. She is a member of the Delta Zeta sorority, the Studio Dance club, and was elected the marketing chair for FisherCares, the official undergraduate business student community service organization where she will continue giving back like she did during her 13 years in Girl Scouting.

Zoe Varkaris

Sarah Visconti

SHORE SERVICE UNIT TROOP 48

OCEANSIDE SERVICE UNIT TROOP 2411

Zoe Varkaris decided to help tackle childhood obesity and unhealthy diets in her Gold Award project, “Culinary Kids.” The goal of her project was to help children feel more confident and empowered in the kitchen.

She educated children on the importance of eating healthy snacks, and provided them knowledge on what makes certain foods healthier than others. She also taught children basic cooking skills so they can prepare healthy, easy and delicious snacks at home themselves in virtual and in-person cooking classes.

A recent graduate of North Shore High School, Zoe was President of her school’s cooking club as well as an officer and member of several other honor societies, including National Honor Society. Zoe also played softball and volunteered at her church’s Greek school program. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is her troop’s annual Christmas parties.

Every year while celebrating and having fun, her troop would also bring gifts and toys to wrap and give to their “Adopted Families.” Zoe will be attending Boston University in the fall.

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ROCKVILLE CENTRE SERVICE UNIT TROOP 862

GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

Sarah Visconti’s Gold Award project, “College Knowledge,” aimed to help college applicants navigate the application process. Sarah created several platforms to educate her audience on the college application process. She also tutored students one-onone to assist them with their essay, which is a key component of the college application.

Sarah’s project will be sustained through her website and YouTube account, so future college applicants can easily access her materials.

Sarah recently finished her freshman year at Binghamton University. During her high school career, Sarah was Captain of her Cross Country team, President of the Math Research club, and was a member of the National and World Language Honor Societies. Sarah’s fondest Girl Scout memory is participating in cookie sales every year, especially booth sales.

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Emily Weigand

Brittney Williams

MANHASSET SERVICE UNIT TROOP 548

HARDSCRABBLE SERVICE UNIT TROOP 3100

Emily Weigand took on the challenge of educating younger children on the importance of hand-washing through her Gold Award project, “Health Awareness.” As we navigate through the COVID-19 pandemic, Emily’s goal was to emphasize the significance of good hygiene in our daily lives. She reached out to local health professionals, as well as reviewed information from the CDC, to expand her knowledge on hand-washing hygiene.

Emily created a PowerPoint presentation and recorded a video on how children between the ages of 2-10 can effectively wash their hands. The materials she developed for her project can be accessed on her website.

As a recent graduate of Sacred Heart Academy, Emily is a multi-sport athlete having played soccer, field hockey, and lacrosse. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is dancing and laughing with her troop when they hosted events for younger Girl Scouts. Emily will be attending Hofstra University in the fall.

Brittney Williams emphasized the importance of eating fruits and vegetables in her Gold Award project, “Healthy Eating.” Brittney interviewed Dr. Lee Isabell about high blood pressure and NP Yolanda Lewis about important fruits and vegetables. She hosted a Zoom presentation with Registered Dietician Alison Barkman which focused on intuitive eating and body positivity. Britney led tutorial videos to teach students and adults on how to make a healthy recipe from a cookbook she wrote. Copies of her cookbook and her educational tutorial videos can be accessed on her website.

A recent graduate of Farmingdale High School, Brittney was a member of Student Council, played tennis, lacrosse, ran track, and was a member of the National Society of High School Scholars and the National Honor Society. Her fondest Girl Scout memory is when she reached her cookie goal so she could attend several Broadway shows. Brittney will be attending Montclair State University in the fall.

Marisa Welch ELLM SERVICE UNIT TROOP 2245 Marisa Welch’s Gold Award project, a “Spoketacular Approach to Global Warming,” aimed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions while simultaneously promoting a healthy lifestyle within communities by installing bike racks at local train stations. She taught her community the importance of limiting carbon dioxide emissions by training her team to get the word out. Marisa successfully achieved these goals by creating a network of people in her community, partnering with the East Rockaway Kiwanis Club and the Department of Public Works to successfully install bike racks, thus encouraging healthier lifestyle choices for the vast population of daily commuters.

Marisa graduated from East Rockaway High School and has completed her first year at Nassau Community College studying Biomedical Science.

GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

Salutes . . . the military for starting Gold Award Girl Scouts at a higher pay grade when they enlist and these local colleges that recognize the value of Girl Scouts by offering Girl Scout Gold Award scholarships: Adelphi University Hofstra University Molloy College St. John’s University For an expanded list of the Gold Award Scholarships available to Girl Scouts, visit the GSUSA website www.girlscouts.org

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We

challenge you, 2021 Gold Award Girl Scouts, to accept this award in the spirit in which it is given to you.

Know that with this award comes responsibility. As you enter this covenant of esteemed women, know that you are regarded with honor and respect. Live worthy of this by living by the Girl Scout Law. l We challenge you to remain honest and fair in all your dealings in this world while remaining true to yourself. l We challenge you to be friendly and helpful to everyone you meet as you go through life. Celebrate the diversity of your fellow human beings. l We challenge you to be considerate and caring to all living things, human and animal. Always being mindful of those in need, and the feelings of others. l We challenge you to be courageous and strong in all you do. Stand strong in the face of adversity and share your courage with those around you. l We challenge you to be responsible for what you say and do. Think before you speak and act. Be sure everything you say and do reflects well on you and your family. l We challenge you to respect yourself, so you may respect others. Strive for excellence in all you do and recognize the accomplishments of others. l We challenge you to respect authority. Follow the laws of your country and nature. Be mindful of your rights as well as your responsibilities as a citizen of this great nation. l We challenge you to use resources wisely. Never waste the resources of nature. Use your talents to better the world and to protect our planet. l We challenge you to make this world a better place. Continue to use your abilities to leave your mark on the world. By your words, actions and deeds you can make a difference. l We challenge you to be a sister to every Girl Scout. Help younger girls to reach the top as you have. Support them on their journey to the Gold Award. l By accepting this challenge you become a changed woman. You become part of an elite group who recognize that receiving this Gold Award is not one celebratory moment, but a lifetime commitment.

PLEASE PLEDGE TO THE FOLLOWING: I affirm my dedication to live by the Girl Scout Promise and Law. I understand my obligation to live with honor and to lead by example because the highest award of Girl Scouting has been entrusted to me.

I will do my best to support other Girl Scouts on their road to Gold and to give back to Girl Scouting what it has given me.

I will respect others and live my life by the Girl Scout Law. I will remain worthy of respect as one forever bound to the ideals of Girl Scouting.

When you earn your Girl Scout Gold Award, you have a better understanding of the world around you, become leaders of the future, and most of all, can now accomplish absolutely anything. Earning your Girl Scout Gold Award makes you unstoppable!

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GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

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A FEW WAYS TO REMAIN CONNECTED: Have some free time? Share your skills and time with a new generation of girls.

Stay a part of the Girl Scout Movement, and join the nearly one million other volunteers helping girls make a lasting impact on the world.

• Assist at Council or Service Unit events. For more information contact us at gsnetwork@gsnc.org • Going out of town for college, specialized training, or a full-time job? Connect with sister Girl Scouts at the Council serving your area. Visit www.girlscouts.org and search by zip code.

• Follow the Girl Scout Network on LinkedIn http://bit.ly/gradgirl, where you’ll have the opportunity to stay connected to Girl Scouts and expand your network. Check out LinkedIn’s best practices for creating a standout profile and highlighting your trailblazing Girl Scout experiences.

• To continue membership as an adult Girl Scout you can register annually: $25.00 or • Invest in a Lifetime Membership for $200.00* (a $400 value).

Visit www.girlscouts.org/LTM *This opportunity is available to graduating high school seniors and young alums until their 30th birthday.

Cookie Credits can be used toward the purchase of a lifetime membership.

Financial assistance is available to those in need.

Volunteer opportunities are numerous and each one has the potential to assist you in meeting your goals by providing career exploration, networking opportunities, skill development and other valuable experiences. Therefore, anywhere life’s path takes you, Girl Scouts will be there. Consider staying connected.

We wish you lifelong learning and caring.

GOLD AWARD GIRL SCOUTS 2021

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Girl Scouts change the world... ...one project at a time!

110 Ring Road West | Garden City, NY 11530 516.741.2550 | gsnc.org