Gold Award Girl Scouts The Girl Scout Gold Award represents the highest achievement in Girl Scouting; it recognizes girls in grades 9-12 who demonstrate extraordinary leadership through sustainable and measurable Take-Action projects. Since 1916, girls have successfully pursued the highest award, an act that indelibly marks them as accomplished members of their communities and the world. Leyli Akhmedov taught English to children in Azerbaijan. Together with NGO You Will Speak, she created her own Conversation Club, an immersion curriculum that focused on teaching and learning English to students in these regions. Leyli notes the importance of knowing English and the myriad of opportunities that it opens to students overseas for higher education and career opportunities.
Isabella Cantone provided resources to her female peer swimmers on how to safely and comfortably navigate menstrual cycles while remaining athletes. Additionally, Isabella launched a website with additional information she researched through pediatricians and nutritionists, and even held two national webinars. Together with her volunteers, Isabella also installed a cabinet in her school’s locker room so that her peers would have a place to store their products.
Alexandria Alvarez started R.I.T.E– Reach, Inspire, Thrive, Educate–a program that focused on addressing the issue of helping human trafficking victims. Alexandria noted that these same victims often do not have the proper tools or resources to help them integrate back into society. She aimed to provide them with proper guidance on how to acquire jobs and employment through mentorship and training
Neha Chandran helped educate others on how to safely navigate blackouts in times of emergency after having experienced a blackout with her family. Neha noted that there were very few centralized resources where people could go to find information, and that in times of emergency, battery conservation is important. She created a website and held seminars for soon-to-be college students.
Chloe Barrientes raised awareness on the importance of mental health as it pertains to her peers and student athletes in her school after her own personal struggles with anxiety. Chloe was able to create a pamphlet with important information and resources that student athletes could use to help find relief and learn about how to care for their mental health.
Grace Dehner started her project, entitled WOMUN–Women’s Outreach through Model United Nations, to help address the underrepresentation of women’s issues in Model United Nations committees. She focused primarily on women’s issues from around the world and put the spotlight on the struggles women face. Grace invited guest speakers from the US Department of State and others to attend her WOMUN sessions.
Haley Benefield wanted to work on the crisis of homeless animals. Together with Houston PetSet, Haley created informational resources on the importance of spading and neutering animals, as well as fostering or adopting pets. Additionally, Haley created an informational video for Houston PetSet to help them spread the word of their mission.
Caroline Desrosiers raised awareness and created resources for the homeless population of Houston. Together with her high school club, she educated teens on how to interact with the homeless safely. She also taught them how to create bags with necessities that they could donate instead of money. Caroline notes that the homeless population is growing and that many people feel at loss on how to TakeAction that will help them.
12 Fall 2021 l The Golden Link
