GRETA REICHENBACH TROOP 10082

from Gold Award 2023

HAYDEN LIBERTY TROOP 10685

Project Title: Our Plastic Sea Gold Award Advisor: Ahlam “Lammy” Askar

Hometown: Weston

Service Unit: Royal Palm

Greta is passionate about addressing the environmental injustice of plastic pollution in the ocean and coastal environments. According to plasticfreefl.org, evidence has been found of nearly 1,800 animals from 40 different species in Florida waters swallowing or becoming entangled in plastic, since 2009. Due to microplastics being ingested by marine life, it is a possibility that significant keystone species could lose their lives to starvation or entanglement, leading to extinction. Greta set out to investigate the primary reasons why plastic ends up in the ocean, why it’s so harmful, and how we can make changes to keep non-biodegradable single-use plastic from getting into the ocean. She partnered with experts from Pelican Harbor in Miami and Dr. Von D Mizell-Eula Johnson State Park in Hollywood to create a documentary that showcases the history of plastic and it’s use in our daily lives, explores personal experiences with plastic pollution, and shows the negative effects plastic has on marine ecosystems. Greta’s documentary was designed to uncover the real-life impacts of plastic to inspire and spark immediate change in our society— plus teach the easy ways to reduce their plastic output.

Andrea Ritter Troop 30028

Project Title: Spreading Kindness: Blessing Boxes for Martin County Gold Award Advisor: Melanie Smith

Hometown: Palm City

Service Unit: Sea Star

Poverty in Andrea’s community means that many people experience daily food insecurity, chronic hunger, and a lack of access to necessities. In fact, the US Census Bureau states that 8.9% of Martin County’s population is living in poverty. Andrea is an avid donor and knew first-hand the challenges that were interfering with local organizations working to collect and distribute supplies. Inflation and other economic factors meant limited hours of operation for donation locations, leading to a negative situation that began to discourage support from the community. Andrea knew she could solve this problem by creating and promoting designated Blessing Boxes in proximity to other businesses or organizations that can help monitor donations. She partnered with First United Methodist Mission House and Animal Medical Hospital, both in Stuart, to erect large, sturdy, weather-proof boxes suitable for the donation of toiletries, medical supplies, household products, and food items. She worked with littlefreepantry.org. to list the boxes, so more donations can be made at the convenience of the donors. Andrea continues to expand her project and has plans to install the next Blessing Box near the First United Methodist Church in Hobe Sound.

MADISON ROCKER ADULT, FORMERLY OF TROOP 11110

Project Title: Helpings for the Holidays (Feeding the Homeless)

Gold Award Advisor: Julia Dourvetakis

Hometown: Fort Lauderdale

Service Unit: Orange Blossom

Some people might believe that homeless people are homeless because they are addicted to drugs or just lazy—but the National Coalition to End Homelessness lists the top five causes as a lack of affordable housing, lack of a living wage, domestic violence, medical bankruptcy, and mental illness. To make the situation worse, the COVID-19 pandemic led to an increase in homelessness due to unemployment, medical issues, and inflation. Madison saw that her community had a large homeless population and she wanted to find a way to uplift and brighten their lives during the holiday season while also providing much-needed, nutritious food. For her project, Madison launched an educational initiative to teach students about the root causes of homelessness and welcomed others to help her make and distribute holiday boxes—complete with a holiday inspired meal, face masks, snacks, and toiletries. Working with the Broward Partnership for the Homeless in Fort Lauderdale, Madison and her team were able to distribute 100 holiday boxes. Plus, countless young students who better understand homelessness are now inspired to help their community, too.

Linda Saraniti Troop 20570

Project Title: Journey Strong with Linda Paige: A middle school girl’s guide to confidence

Gold Award Advisor: Ahlam “Lammy” Askar

Hometown: Boca Raton

Service Unit: Aquarius

While growing up, Linda struggled with her confidence and personal identity. At the time, Linda thought she was in a unique place. While others seemed to have this unlimited source of confidence in themselves, she thought she was somehow unable to access it. As a high school student, she could look back and see that her struggle in middle school wasn’t unique and that having a place to talk about these feelings would be a powerful tool for a child’s self-image. Linda wanted to leverage the power of social media to start an honest conversation about confidence and personal identity—to share her thoughts and experiences on a platform where young people could see themselves and to create a safe space for others to share their own personal journeys. Linda used social platforms to call out the ways modern culture encourages impossible comparisons with edited photos, highlight reels, and idealized interpretations of life, with real talk from real people—who were willing to get personal. Project followers and viewers have reached over 1,000 to date and continues to grow. Take the journey with Linda: journeystrongwithlindapaige.com

Leah Strachman Troop 10151

Project Title: Sugar Strings Medic Alert Company

Gold Award Advisor: Debra Byrne-Mathews

Hometown: Parkland

Service Unit: Everglades

Leah drew strength from a sad and stressful time in her life when she was diagnosed with Type One Diabetes. At the time, there was a lot to learn about her new condition, and it could have been overwhelming without support and access to helpful tools. Leah wanted to use this experience to support children who are newly diagnosed with Type One Juvenile Diabetes. Type One Diabetes is an important issue because nearly 18,000 children are diagnosed each year and they will live with the disease for the rest of their lives. She knew that one key to a healthy life was the use of a medical alert bracelet, because it could provide important information to emergency health workers, especially if a diabetic person lost consciousness or was unable to speak. Leah partnered with Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital to provide 500 medical alert bracelets that were kid-friendly and durable, and ensured that new patients knew they were not in this alone. Additionally, Leah created an educational website and wrote articles about Type One Diabetes for her school newspaper and The Parklander magazine. Visit Leah’s website here: sugarstringsco.bigcartel.com

Heidi Weiksnar Troop 33200

Project Title: Low Lights For Sea Turtles

Gold Award Advisor: Paula Fontaine

Hometown: Palm City

Service Unit: Sea Star

Sea turtles are put in danger from harmful beachfront lighting that draws their attention away from the sea and deters females from nesting. In Florida alone, there are more than 20,000 nests being laid annually, which comprises most of all nesting areas in the United States. Heidi wanted to lower the harmful light pollution on Florida’s beaches, and she discovered that many business owners were unaware of this issue. Heidi partnered with the Palm Beach County Department of Environmental Resources Management to spread awareness and educate the public on light pollution. She conducted lighting surveys along the beaches at night to identify areas of high concern—those with distracting lights were given ordinances on behalf of the county. Additionally, she led in-person educational turtle nesting and hatchling walks which included Safelight Turtle Guide Cards to demonstrate the danger of light pollution. Heidi was contacted by the National Save the Sea Turtle Foundation to feature her project in their magazine, which led to a $750 grant from the foundation to support her ongoing work. Heidi created nearly 1,000 Safelight Turtle Guide Cards that were distributed in Palm Beach and Manatee County. Check out Heidi making Safelight Turtle Guide Cards: vimeo.com/744825562

Project Title: Volunteer for Kindness

Gold Award Advisor: Karyl Bertram

Hometown: Greenacres

Service Unit: Aquarius

Samantha is passionate about volunteering to improve her community. As she grew older, she watched as community service become a dreaded chore for many of her peers. Considering what might cause students to feel negatively about something she loved, Samantha decided on two ways to improve the situation. First, if children started looking at volunteerism though their own eyes, it could become a behavior for life. So, Samantha designed and distributed a coloring book to teach elementary students about the joys of volunteering and giving back. To inspire older students, Samantha partnered with Forgotten Soldiers Outreach, CROS Ministries, and The Quantum House to produce a video showcase of volunteer organizations for middle school students in her area and to demonstrate the wide range of opportunities available. Her educational videos encourage students to connect with organizations they align with and encourage them to seek options that speak to their hearts. The videos share the positive power of giving back for the volunteer and the profound impact on the recipients of the work, donation, or activity. Her videos continue to gain popularity and have a positive impact on the non-profit agencies featured in them. Watch the first of Samantha’s six videos here: youtu.be/_EfC6mC50AA

Scholarships

Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida is a respected authority on the lives of girls—as well as the issues they face. Our organization is proud to partner with like-minded companies, foundations, and individuals who share our belief in the unlimited power of girls to make this world a better place. Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida works with other leaders in our community so college-bound Girl Scouts can receive the recognition and financial boost that they so often need to turn their dreams of higher education into a reality.

The ECHO Scholarship

Andrea Ritter

Palm City Troop 30028

University of Central Florida, Burnett Honors College

Launched in 2023 and presented by proud parents Zaida Alvarez and Juan Carlos Arias, The ECHO Scholarship is designed to provide a legacy and is dedicated to supporting Girl Scouts who have gone above and beyond their Gold Award Requirements. Once their own daughter Angélica completed her Gold Award in 2021, her parents watched as she used her project to win the Miami Herald Silver Knight Award and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Scout of the Year Award. Once witnessing what a Gold Award can lead to, Zaida and Juan Carlos were inspired to give an opportunity to other Girl Scouts who echoed their daughter’s dedication, passion, and determination.

Scholarship award: $3,000

Florida Power & Light Company Scholarship

Florida Power & Light Company is committed to supporting a new pipeline of female leaders into the STEM fields. While the national workforce is 50% female, only one quarter of STEM related jobs are filled by women today. FPL is both passionate and strategically focused on assisting girls who have interests in STEM fields and plan to make it a part of their post-secondary educational pursuit.

Sara Kaufman

Hollywood Independently Registered Member (IRM)

Johns Hopkins University

Scholarship award: $2,500

Samantha White

Greenacres

Troop 20570

Florida Atlantic University

Paul C. Emmett “MVP Champion of the Community” Scholarship

In 2001, father, husband and entrepreneur Paul Emmett, president, and owner of Lake Worth-based Duffy’s Sports Grill, brought with him a vision to transform a few beloved local establishments into the sports-themed, casual-dining phenomenon we know today. Infusing a passion for top quality food combined with welcoming, memorable hospitality in a family friendly atmosphere, he made Duffy’s a community favorite across the state of Florida.

Paul passed away in 2015 after a lengthy battle with cancer. His family has pledged to carry his legacy forward, by staying true to his principles and beliefs. At an early age Paul was a community service leader and believed Duffy’s should always be an integral part of each community we serve. In 2016, the Emmett family established the Duffy’s Foundation, created in his memory, to keep his passion for community involvement and charitable giving alive. In 2019, his family proudly launched the Paul C. Emmett “MVP Champion of the Community” Scholarship in honor of his commitment to community and forward-focused outlook in both work and life.

Scholarship award: $1,500

Gina Rose Montalto Scholarship

Gina Rose Montalto was a victim of the mass shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, on February 14, 2018.

Gina was an extraordinary person; her smile lit up the room, her laughter was infectious, and her warm heart invited new friends wherever she went. With a kind and generous spirit, Gina always lent a helping hand and led a life full of joy and love. She was a talented artist, loved cooking, reading, playing sports and was a top student. As a lifelong Girl Scout, Gina used all her many talents to make the world a better place. As a high school freshman, Gina was already actively exploring ideas for her future Girl Scout Gold Award.

Heidi Weiksnar

Palm City

Troop 33200

University of Florida

Gina’s loving parents, Tony and Jennifer, knew that even as her life was cut short, the dreams of Girl Scouts earning the prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award lives on in so many others. This scholarship is dedicated to Gina’s memory, her spirit of giving and her passion for Girl Scouting.

Scholarship award: Four-Year Scholarship to a public university within the Florida College System, based upon current in-state credit cost, award is valued at $25,000.

Doreen A. Scott “Forever Green” Scholarship

Doreen A. Scott loved the outdoors. She had a passion for nature and outdoor activities that was second only to the love for her daughters and their Girl Scout experience. She was always “right at home” camping or in a park. She was an avid camper, equestrian, fisherwoman, and tennis player. She deeply valued the Girl Scout experience she shared with her own daughters.

Marcella Ladd

Palm Beach Gardens

Independently Registered Member (IRM)

Florida State University

Amanda Altree

Weston Troop 10393

Nova Southeastern University

In 2021, Doreen passed away unexpectedly, and her family wanted to discover meaningful ways her passions and values could live on to inspire others. To that end, her family created the Doreen A. Scott Forever Green Girl Scout Scholarship for Girl Scouts who share her connection and commitment to the great outdoors.

Scholarship award: $1,500

Barbara Ann Turner “Service from the Heart” Scholarship

Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida is honored to award the “Service from the Heart” Scholarship in memory of Barbara Ann Turner, a dedicated volunteer. Barbara had many interests in her life, but nothing was as dear to her as the Girl Scouts. She served as a leader, council trainer, service unit manager, and women’s history committee member. She shared her enthusiasm and commitment to the Girl Scout volunteer spirit in the many service projects she organized. Her wish was that an ongoing scholarship be established to recognize exceptional community service. This dream was realized when the first scholarship was awarded in 2008 to a local Girl Scout in the amount of $500.00. Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida has been extremely pleased that, thanks to the generosity of ongoing donations from Barbara’s friends and family, the scholarship has been increased to $1,500.00 that is awarded annually to local Girl Scout who has given exceptional service in her community.

Scholarship award: $1,500

By making a monthly contribution, you will be giving girls life-changing experiences and opportunities through Girl Scouting each and every month. As a member, you will “bring the promise to life” by helping build girls of courage, confidence, and character. Join our monthly giving program today!