SCOUTS EARN MONETARY REWARD FOR MAKING POSITIVE IMPACT

Girl Scouts of Connecticut (GSOFCT) recently recognized 34 exceptional Girl Scouts who earned the organization’s highest achievement at the annual Girl Scout Gold Awards Ceremony in Hartford. Five exceptional awardees received monetary scholarships totaling $10,000 for their positive community-enhancing projects. They are Makena Logan of Avon, Lilyana Drapeau from Rocky Hill, Samara Negrin of Trumbull, and Lillian Westerberg and Clarissa Halpryn, who both reside in Vernon.

“To earn the Gold Award, a Girl Scout identifies an issue affecting her community, drafts a plan to address a root cause and then leads a team of volunteers to implement it.  When the project is complete, Gold Award Girl Scouts and their teams will have made a sustainable impact on their community that continues to last beyond their involvement,” said Elicia Pegues Spearman, CEO of GSOFCT.  “This alone is a major feat, however, five shining stars have taken their projects to the next level with their leadership and citizenship skills that set them apart. Less than  6% of all Girl Scouts earn the prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award and above all else, this achievement makes a girl understand what a difference one person can make, and how dreaming big can make positive change in the world,” she said.

“Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs from coast to coast, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges — whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them.”