Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. The Girl Scout Gold Award, only open to Girl Scouts in high school (grades 9-12), is the highest and most prestigious award in the world for girls and the most difficult to earn. Today, Girl Scouts of Orange County recognizes two Los Alamitos Girl Scouts who earned the Girl Scout Gold Award in 2018.
Through the Girl Scout Gold Award, girls engage in a rigorous process that calls for leadership at the highest level, as girls tackle issues they are passionate about. Girl Scouts typically spend one to two years on their Girl Scout Gold Award project, which involves taking action on a local or global issue (such as poverty, education, or the environment) and results in long-term, sustainable change.
Girl Scouts who earn the Girl Scout Gold Award distinguish themselves in the college admission process and receive scholarships from colleges and universities across the country, in addition to immediately rising one rank in any branch of the U.S. military.
Over the years, nearly 3,000 Orange County Girl Scouts have earned the Girl Scout Gold Award. This year, 107 Orange County girls have joined this sisterhood of Gold Award Girl Scouts. Girl Scouts of Orange County is proud to celebrate their leadership, dedication, initiative, and community problem-solving.
2018 Los Alamitos Gold Award Girl Scouts
Paige Thompson (17) – Troop 979 – Los Alamitos – 2018 Gold Award Girl Scout
Project Title: The Birthday Brigade
Paige became aware of the extra costs families with special needs students incur, and helped her special education high school peers start their own business making and selling candy leis. This business allows them to self-fund their community field trips – which help them practice life skills and improve their self-esteem. Paige provided a sample product, a PowerPoint tutorial, and campus advertising. She also generated community, administration, and PTA support and donations. Special education students and aides will sustain the business going forward by teaching the incoming freshmen each year.
“Completing my Girl Scout Gold Award has given me confidence in being a leader.”
Girl Scout Ambassador Annette Wissuchek (17) – Troop 979 – Los Alamitos – 2018 Gold Award Girl Scout
Project Title: Reading Rascals
Annette created a literacy program to help elementary school students practice reading and improve their reading proficiency. Annette’s program further spotlights literacy in the afterschool care program by scheduling guest authors, and with its reading buddy component; older children read to younger children. Reading Rascals is now a permanent part of the R.A.S.C.A.L.S. after school care program, which is run by the local youth center. The youth center will continue to hold book drives and support the Reading Rascals program in the years to come.
“This project has shown me the importance of planning and helped me prove to myself that I can do more than I think I am capable of.”
Girl Scouts of Orange County CEO Vikki Shepp shared: “The Girl Scout Gold Award represents the pinnacle of achievement in Girl Scouting. We are so proud of what these young women have accomplished. They are community problem-solvers, who have created meaningful change through sustainable and measurable “Take Action” projects. These Girl Scouts have changed our world forever and for better, and they are poised to continue creating groundbreaking solutions long into the future.”
Girl Scouts has been preparing girls for a lifetime of leadership for over 100 years. According to the Girl Scout Research Institute’s (GSRI’s) report, The Power of the Girl Scout Gold Award: Excellence in Leadership and Life, 90 percent of Girl Scouts surveyed not only attributed their success in life to Girl Scouts, but they also said they wouldn’t have had access to the same experiences anywhere else. Furthermore, Gold Award Girl Scouts far surpass non-Girl Scout alum when it comes to seeing themselves as leaders, providing service to others through volunteerism, and having positive attitudes about themselves and the lives they lead.
Corutesy photos
