Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways, which serves our local area of Chenango, Delaware and Otsego Counties, has announced that 29 girls from its council territory have earned the prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award which is the highest achievement in Girl Scouting for the 2019-20 member year. This awards celebration had to be delayed from the fall due to the pandemic and had to become a virtual ceremony, held February 27, attended by girl scouts and their families.

Awards Keynote speaker and Girl Scout alum Alexandra Jacobs Wilke, a village trustee in Potsdam, N.Y., and director of public relations at SUNY Potsdam, says “Gold Award Girl Scouts change the world by tackling issues they’re passionate about while learning essential skills that prepare them for all aspects of life. They problem-solve, inspire, advocate, educate and make a difference."

The Girl Scout Gold Award recognizes Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors (grades 9-12) who demonstrate extraordinary leadership through sustainable and measurable take action projects which require a minimum of 80 hours spent planning and implementing a project, one which must benefit the community and have a lasting impact.

The Gold Award acknowledges the power behind each Girl Scout’s dedication to not only empowering and bettering herself but also making the world a better place for others. Girls who earn the award tackle issues that are dear to them and drive lasting change in their communities and beyond. The Gold Award is a key that can open doors to scholarships, preferred admission tracks for college and career opportunities.

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“Class of 2020” Gold Award Girl Scouts:

Devon Guzy of Cooperstown worked with the Village of Cooperstown and her local fire, water and sewage departments to educate the town on the importance of proper maintenance of fire hydrants. She organized a group of community members and painted and scraped 140 hydrants around the town. Her favorite Girl Scout memory is camping with her troop at the Comstock Adventure Center. Devon is currently a junior at Cooperstown Junior/Senior High School.

Tyler Lindner of Norwich did a project which sought to bring families closer to God, in addition to getting them to spend quality time together outside in nature. Her favorite memory is spending a week at her grandmother’s house every summer to attend Girl Scout day camp when she was a younger Girl Scout. Tyler is a graduate of Norwich High School and currently attends SUNY Albany where she studies political science.

Elizabeth Serafin of Oneonta addressed the lack of accessible green space to plant and grow nutritional foods in her town by building a community garden. The garden is located in the center of town within walkable distance of a bus stop and is free to any community member who fills out an application. Elizabeth’s favorite Girl Scout memory is traveling to Europe and touring France, England and Ireland with her troop. Elizabeth is a graduate of Oneonta High School and currently attends SUNY Cortland where she studies biochemistry. For this project, Serafin won The Kelly Perkins Scholarship ($4,000).

For the full list of award winners throughout the council CLICK HERE.

To learn more about Girl Scouts of NYPenn Pathways visit www.gsnypenn.org.

 

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