2017 Gold Award Recipients

Erinn Aulfinger is a senior at Lakota East High School, where she serves as Co-Editor-in-Chief of her school’s newsmagazine and a Mock Trial Captain. A member for 10 years, she earned her Silver award and served as Marketing Director for the Girl Scout CSA Leadership Conference. Her favorite Girl Scout memories include being Program Director (2 years) and Marketing Director (1 year) of the regional CSA Leadership Conference and becoming more comfortable with speaking up and leading.

Girls’ Self Esteem Book: Rewriting Your Story

Knowing that girls see a significant drop in self-esteem before entering middle school, Erinn decided to design and publish a self-help book for sixth grade girls. Her book, titled ‘Rewriting Your Story,’ includes inspirational stories from older girls and women across the nation who have overcome self-esteem issues, along with exercises & tips to help prevent the drop in self-confidence. Erinn spent countless hours reaching out to over 1,000 people/organizations for research in addition to fundraising to self-publish. By providing her book for free to over 600 girls in her school district and in free form online for future generations, Erinn has ensured a solution to this issue that’s relevant and sustainable, both locally and globally. She is most proud of the individual girls who have been positively impacted by her book.

Emily Barnes is a 2016 graduate from Edgewood High School and is currently studying Early Childhood Education as a freshman at Miami University. While in high school, she was involved in 4-H, church, and school musicals. A member for 10 years, she earned her Bronze and Silver awards. Her favorite Girl Scout memories include having the opportunity to give back to younger scouts and helping organize/teach at Camp Timberhills Day Camp.

Ready, Let’s Read!

Emily observed a lack of access to literacy resources in her community aside from the library, which was too far for the children who resided in the Seven Mile neighborhood. Emily learned that many children at the schools in her community were also behind reading grade level. She took initiative to address the lack of reading readiness in her community by developing and implementing a summer reading program. She hosted a book drive at a local church and created secondhand book packages to deliver to children participating in her program. Her project strived to bridge the gap of literacy access for the children in her community. She received positive feedback from her book package recipients and learned that her project had a positive impact in students’ lives.

Sara is currently a sophomore at Oldenburg Academy, where she participates in Art Club, Book Club, and Japanese Club. A Girl Scout for 11 years, she has earned her Bronze and Silver awards. Her favorite Girl Scout memories include selling cookies and volunteer opportunities.

Friendz 4 Kidz

Having volunteered for the Edelweiss House, Sara knew that she wanted to develop a Gold Award project to help Sister Pat run the organization. Sara partnered with the Edelweiss House to restructure their volunteer management system and recruit students from her school to volunteer at the organization. She introduced Sign-Up Genius to the organization to enhance accountability with volunteers. In addition, she established a reading program with the children that the organization served. Sister Pat will continue to utilize the volunteer Sign-Up Genius, and Sara’s school will publish articles in the newspaper marketing service opportunities for students at the Edelweiss House. Sara also filmed a video volunteering with the kids to go up on the organization’s website. She hopes that the installation of Sign-Up Genius will inspire more young people to volunteer their time.

Claire Belcik is a senior at Loveland High School, where she plays Junior Varsity tennis and serves as team manager and enjoys Yoga Club. A Girl Scout for 13 years, she has earned her Bronze and Silver awards. Completing her Bronze and Silver award projects are her favorite Girl Scout memories in addition to selling cookies.

Granny’s Garden Beautification

Inspired by Granny’s Garden powerful role in her community, Claire decided to revitalize their garden bed fences through a beautification and educational platform. Claire incorporated new fences that display motivational words, such as ‘friendship, responsibility, pride, and respect.’ To pair with each of these words of inspiration, Claire developed lesson plans for students who visit the gardens. Claire’s project will be sustained by Granny’s Garden volunteers and her lesson plans will continue to land in the hands of educators as they bring their students over for a field trip. Claire’s hard work made its way into the local newspaper to share the successful impact her project had for Granny’s Garden with others in her community.

Emily is a senior at Mother of Mercy High School. She participates in Cincinnati Juniors Rowing Club, INTERalliance of Greater Cincinnati Leadership Council, and Mother of Mercy Leadership Team. A Girl Scout for 12 years, her favorite Girl Scout memories include earning her Bronze and Silver awards and working summers as a camp counselor.

Kirby Nature Center Bird Observatory

Emily partnered with the Western Wildlife Corridor to develop a bird viewing sanctuary within the organization’s Kirby Nature Center. She created a space for ornithology education as well as a bird viewing center, constructing an enormous bird observatory window in which to view the sanctuary and painting a mural of trees growing around the window to symbolize the growth of the organization and surrounding environment. A local middle school donated art pieces that were hung on the walls and a local bird shop donated posters, books, binoculars and other reference materials. The room transformed into an extraordinary project with the help of the community.

Nicole is a freshman at East Central High School. A member for nine years, Nicole is a cheerleader at East Central High School, plays on a recreational softball team, and also takes dance classes at Love to Dance. She is a Girl Scout Silver Award Recipient.

Favorite GS Memory: Day camp, selling cookies, visiting Chicago, and hiking in Mammoth Cave.

All Saints Preschool Playground Operation

After observing that the All Saints Preschool Playground was in need of revitalization, Nicole decided to beautify the church’s park by constructing a stepping-stone path for the children, an overhang shed for the preschoolers’ bicycles, and hand-stained all of the wood to enhance the playground’s appearance. Passionate about helping youth, Nicole also implemented a music wall at the playground to inspire the preschoolers’ creativity when they come outside to play. She created this music wall by hitching up pots and pans to the fencing around the playground. Nicole also organized an educational jamboree with the preschoolers, where she taught them how to make their own instruments and create music with them. Nicole’s hard work and success was published in several local newspaper articles, sharing her hard work with those in and around her community.

Nina is a junior at Lakota West High School. A member for over six years, Nina enjoys playing on her school’s basketball team, serving on her student government, and participating in INTERalliance. She is Girl Scout Silver Award recipient.

Favorite GS Memory: As a junior, she and her troop raised over $3000 and adopted a room at the Ronald McDonald House.

Sunday School Library

Very proud to be a Muslim-American, Nina wanted to provide support and inspiration for other children in her community to feel that same honor with their religion. Nina partnered with the Islamic Center of Cincinnati to establish a children’s library with new shelving units, over six hundred donated children’s & adult Islamic books, and resources to support a Sunday school reading program. Nina was excited to see the same faces coming back to her Sunday School reading program every week and looks forward to continuing her work with them. One week, Nina’s program hit a high of thirty-five kids! Her project has inspired both courage and confidence in Cincinnati’s Islamic youth. When Nina leaves for college, the next senior class at the Islamic Center will take over the maintenance and stocking of the library.

Corinne is a senior at Mariemont High School, where she participates in theater productions and Latin Club. She also enjoys singing with Cincinnati Children’s Choir Bel Canto. A Girl Scout for 10 ten years, she has earned her Silver award. Her favorite Girl Scout memories include her troop’s service with Marielders, Christmas wreath sales, troop trips to Chicago, and, of course, cookie sales.

You: Health, Fitness, and Wellness

Corinne addressed the issue of teen health and wellness awareness in her high school by designing a platform to teach students different methods to take care of their bodies and minds. She reached a wide audience of her peers through website she developed as well as setting up various events and assemblies which she promoted through different social media channels. Her project was recognized at a community event called Mariemont Warriors Breakfast. Corinne continues to inspire her peers, by sharing her personal wellness journey and health tips through her blog, “Wellness and You.”

Kate is a senior at Lakota East High School, where she participates in theater, dance, and Youth in Philanthropy. A member for 13 years, she has earned her Bronze and Silver awards. Being selected as a “Wicked for Good” essay contest finalist and presenting at the Aronoff is her favorite Girl Scout memory.

Little Free Library and Buddy Reading Program

Kate correlated the low literacy rates in her community with the lack of access to resources for children and families to obtain books to read, classifying her region as a “book desert.” Kate transformed an old newspaper box into a “Little Free Library” in hopes of providing a place in the community where people of all ages could have easier access to books and develop a life-long love of reading. By spreading the news of her project via word-of-mouth, Kate received over 2,000 book donations to keep stocking the library! She also designed and implemented a summer “Buddy Reading Program” at a nearby school to help at-risk students maintain their skills and improve upon them, while building their reading confidence. The “Little Free Library” will be sustained by the Woodland Student Leadership Board.

Lucy Herth is a 2016 graduate from East Central High School and is currently majoring in Business as a freshman at Indiana State University.  She participates in Sate Dance Marathon, Delta Sigma Pi (Business Fraternity), and Sycamore Leadership Coalition. A Girl Scout for 13 years, Lucy earned her Silver award. Her favorite Girl Scout memory is attending Girl Scout camp since age three.

Children’s Memorial Butterfly Garden

After noticing that her parents and families in her community lacked a space to grieve lost loved ones, Lucy took action. She installed a memorial butterfly garden at one of her local churches to offer a place of peace and solace for grieving families and a beautiful tribute to the lives of their children. After the successful construction of her project, Lucy helped parents purchase memorial stones in honor of their children. To inspire others with her project, Lucy put an article in her church bulletin, where it remained in the public eye for four weeks. Lucy’s Gold Award project was also published in the Bright Beacon, a local newspaper that reaches over 21,000 people in the community. The garden will serve as a grieving outlet for future generations.

Sydney is currently a junior at East Central High School, where she participates in Student Council, Family Career & Community Leaders of America, and the Prom Committee. A Girl Scout for 11 years, she has earned her Silver award and her favorite Girl Scout memory is going backpacking and trying exotic foods as part of a Journey.

Project Comfort

Sydney’s Gold Award project, fueled by her aspiration to one day become a doctor, aimed to develop a more positive hospital environment. She noted that many patients in recovery were anxious, bored, and did not know that there were “comfort carts” available to them. Sydney addressed this issue by custom-designing a new hospital comfort cart to deliver specialty items directly to patients. She developed a binder that corresponded with the cart usage, which included directions on how to keep stock of the cart’s items and replenish them when low. Sydney also used this resource to train hospital volunteers during the comfort cart orientation. Patients at the hospital are ecstatic when the friendly volunteers push the MMH comfort cart in their direction. The hospital volunteers will continue to share Sydney’s comfort cart with patients.

Emma is a senior at Bishop Fenwick High School, where she participates in marching band, winter percussion, and is a school ambassador. A member for 11 years, she earned her Marian and Silver awards. Her favorite Girl Scout memories include earning her Gold Award and sharing her success with other people in her community, especially the Middletown Rotary.

Butler County Stream Team Youth Program

Emma designed and implemented a youth program for the Butler County Stream Team to improve the organization’s lack of student engagement. She envisioned that children in her program would receive the opportunity to learn about the Butler County Stream Team water quality and take action to protect and restore local resources, including rivers, lakes, streams, wetlands, and ground water. The youth who participate in the program will get a hands-on laboratory experience and will learn what organisms are affected by poor water quality by collecting stream samples. Emma also developed and designed an educational booklet that will be distributed by the Soil & Water Conservation and the Storm Water District. She hopes her project will inspire youth within her community to get involved with community service and try something new.

Caroline is a junior at The Summit Country Day School. She enjoys playing the piano, participating in Summit/Moeller Theatre, and leading her American Sign Language Club at school. A member for 12 years, she has earned her Silver award. Her favorite Girl Scout memories include spending the night at the Cincinnati Museum Center, selling cookies, and meeting one of her friends who she continues to volunteer with at the Cincinnati Observatory.

Deaf Night at the Observatory

Caroline discovered that The Cincinnati Observatory had few D/deaf or Hard of Hearing visitors. She concluded that this gap in programming was due to a lack of accessible information to the deaf, a community that is already underserved in the area of STEM. Familiar with ASL, she knew that there were very few specific times to represent astronomical terms, causing most words to have to be finger-spelled. She organized a Deaf Night at the Observatory with ASL interpreters and established a partnership between the Observatory and an interpreter organization, Hearing Speech Deaf Center, so that interpreters could be called upon for future events. Since Caroline’s project, the Cincinnati Observatory has been contacted requesting additional ‘Deaf Nights’ at the Observatory.

Kate is a 2016 graduate from Lakota East High School and is currently pursuing a degree in finance as a freshman at the University of Cincinnati. While in high school, she participated in National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta (Math Honor Society) and was recognized as Lakota’s Optimist Club Student of the month. A Girl Scout for 10 years, her favorite Girl Scout memory is working as a Program Aide for 5+ years.

Hill and Dale Fire Ring

After evaluating the grounds at Hill and Dale, Kate noticed that the ground around the fire ring was sloped which made it difficult for the benches to sit flat, and the irregular groundwork was a huge safety concern for those walking around the fire. She worked to address these dangerous safety hazards by organizing a construction project to fix up the area. She planted a sign in the ground next to the fire ring to encourage the public to utilize the ring properly. She also developed a comprehensive binder to keep at Hill and Dale that includes different fire building methods, fun songs, and tasty recipes. Kate’s project will benefit future generations of scouts and community members who use the fire ring.

McCarthy is a 2016 graduate from Saint Ursula Academy and is currently a freshman at Miami University. While in high school, she participated in mock trial, orchestra, and National Honor Society, and received an honors award for maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.75. A Girl Scout for 13 years, McCarthy’s favorite Girl Scout memory is attending day camp at Withrow Nature Preserve for twelve years.

Women’s Words of Wisdom

An aspiring feminist, McCarthy worked to address the gap of inequality between men and women in her Gold Award project. She interviewed different women in her community and created a documentary to circulate as a resource for girls to learn from. She hopes that her project will impact younger generations of girls by inspiring them with advice from strong and wise women. The ‘Women’s Words of Wisdom’ video was posted online so that those watching can write in the comments and contribute their own pieces of advice to share. McCarthy succeeded in getting of women in community to share their own stories with the public. Her project reinforced what a large platform feminism is in our country and was proud to represent this topic in her community.

AnnaClaire is a senior at Mariemont High School. She is the founder and president for Service Projects Abroad, a member of National Honor Society, and a four-year varsity tennis player. A member for eight years, she earned Silver award. Her favorite Girl Scout memories include volunteering at animal shelters and traveling to Boston.

Infant Hunger Solution

Passionate about preventing food waste, AnnaClaire addressed food insecurity in the city of Cincinnati, by partnering with La Soupe, an organization that donates a bowl of soup each time one is sold in their restaurant. She rescued apples in abundance from local grocers to make applesauce and baby food, which she delivered to the Interfaith Hospitality Network. La Soupe made AnnaClaire’s applesauce a permanent item on their menu and plans to continue to share it with nearby shelters. AnnaClaire shared her success story with younger scouts to encourage them to pursue their higher awards—she even made them a batch of her applesauce to try!

Emily is a 2016 graduate from Fairfield Senior High School and currently studies Chemical Engineering as a freshman at Ohio State University. In high school, she was a member of the National Honor Society, a Fairfield Football Student Athletic Trainer, and participated in Fairfield Track & Field. A member for 13 years, Emily earned her Bronze and Silver awards. Her favorite Girl Scout memories include making lifelong friendships, learning outdoor skills like archery and fire-building, and being a Program Aide at camp.

Imprints of the Past

Emily addressed the importance of preserving the history of printing by developing an educational exhibit for the Heritage Village Museum. At the Heritage Village Museum, Emily was the only guide that could fully interpret the print shop. She hoped to enhance the Museum’s educational program and train additional volunteers on how to utilize the print shop; consequently, she developed a training program for the museum’s volunteers so that the print shop will remain in use for years to come. After researching the importance of printing, Emily put these facts into a public display spreading knowledge to museum patrons and illuminating a unique piece of history. She hopes her evolving exhibit will show people the history behind James Birney and how he has impacted Cincinnati and our nation.

Hannah is a 2016 graduate of Loveland High School and is currently a freshman pursuing an English degree.During high school, Hannah participated in marching band, INTERalliance of Greater Cincinnati Loveland Chapter, and enjoyed horseback riding. A Girl Scout for 13 years, she’s earned her Silver Award. Her favorite Girl Scout memories include attending summer camp, especially as a Counselor-in-Training, and volunteering at events for younger scouts like Daisy Days.

Loveland Lego Legends Website

Hannah observed that most students aren’t interested in coding because they believe it is too complicated, does not apply to their lives, and that it can’t be a leisurely activity. Her project inspired students to be more involved with and interested in STEM, particularly coding. She coached the Loveland Lego League Robotics Team to code HTML and also worked on a student team to bring “The Hour of Code,” an introduction to coding through games and puzzles, to Loveland high schools. She helped students learn the basics of coding and to understand the impact that technology will have on their futures and careers. The Loveland Lego Legends Robotics Team of eight students (grades fifth through eighth) and all students at the Loveland Intermediate, Middle, and High Schools benefitted from this project.

Emily is a 2016 graduate of William Mason High School and is currently studying kinesiology as a freshman at Miami University. Throughout high school, she thrived in marching band, jazz band, and concert band. A member for 13 years, Emily earned her Bronze and Silver awards. Participating in Girl Scout led day camp, night camp, and traveling with her troop across Europe and to Disney World are her favorite Girl Scout memories.

Helping to Obtain Healthy Food Options for Food Pantry Patrons

Emily worked closely with the Mason Food Pantry to develop nutritional resources and raise awareness within the community about the importance of healthy food and personal health product donations. After learning that most people donate the cheapest items on store shelves to food pantries, Emily decided to educate food pantry donors on better contributions that would best benefit the pantry patrons. She gave a presentation and distributed resources to the members of SAI Fraternity in Oxford just before their annual food drive. Emily’s healthy food drive with SAI raised over 1,000 items. As a result of her project, the food pantry coordinator has reported more low sodium products, personal health care items, and products high in protein. She also created a healthy recipe book to give to pantry patrons.

Devi is a senior at Seven Hills High School, where she participates in classical violin, classical Indian Dance (Kathak), and Varsity Track. . A Girl Scout for 12 years, Devi earned her Silver Award. Her favorite Girl Scout memories include making friendship bracelets as a daisy, selling cookies, and her Gold Award journey.

Music Without Limits

Devi unearthed research proving that music bolsters brain development in children; consequently, learning complicated rhythms and patterns at an early age improves problem-solving abilities as children grow. Unfortunately, budget cuts in Cincinnati Public Schools led to the reduction of music classes and increased class sizes, especially in inner-city schools, causing a slower or even halted progression in learning music. This root issue caused Devi to take matters into her own hands. She founded her own non-profit organization, Music Without Limits, to teach music to elementary school children. She established a website for her organization and developed curriculum on music theory/composition to guide her lessons, which can be shared with other volunteers interested in carrying out her programming.

Zaire is a 2016 graduate from Winton Woods High School and is currently studying Anthropology and Sociology as a freshman at the University of Cincinnati. In high school, she participated in the Academy of Global Studies, Model United Nations, and Winton Woods Soccer Team. A Girl Scout for 9years, she earned her Silver award. Her favorite Girl Scout memory is receiving the Winton Woods Service Award for her service in school.

The Climate Changers!

Zaire focused on educating the public in how mitigation, or individual and collective action, can help confront global warming and help make more environmentally-friendly impacts for our planet. Her goal was to raise awareness about how human activity contributes to global warming, but also has the capacity to reduce it. She hosted a presentation at Xavier University to teach students how they can contribute to environmental preservation on campus and led a workshop at Imago for Earth. Zaire’s community outreach created a positive educational impact that benefitted college students and youth. She also spread the word about her project by publishing articles through local media outlets, including The Cincinnati Enquirer and The Cincinnati Herald newspaper. Imago for Earth will continue teaching youth about reducing waste using Zaire’s PowerPoint.

Makayla is a junior at East Central High School, where she is involved with the East Central Softball Team, Indiana Outlaws Softball Team, and Academic Team. . A Girl Scout for 11 years, she has earned her Silver award. Her favorite Girl Scout memories include going to Camp Woodsmoke and sharing bonds that will last a lifetime.

Camp Woodsmoke Cabin 3 Refurbishment

Makayla’s project worked to address safety hazards and educational opportunities at Camp Woodsmoke to benefit future generations of scouts. After observing the cabin’s rotten foundation, Makayla presented her project proposal to the Lions Club to inspire them to fund her project. She also made a presentation to the leaders and their troops who attend Camp Woodsmoke. Consequently, Makayla replaced the flooring with pressure-treated wood. Next she put down plastic and coffee grounds to ensure that insects and moisture wouldn’t be able to eat through the joists again. Makayla also left her own geocaching coordinates and a book of leaves native to southeastern Indiana so that campers would feel encouraged to explore the outdoors. Her project created a safer and more nurturing environment for future campers to experience all the joys that wilderness has to offer.

Taylor is a senior at Ursuline Academy, where she is involved in Varsity Tennis, Varsity Track, and Mock Trial. S. A Girl Scout for 10 years, she has earned her Bronze and Silver awards. Her favorite Girl Scout memory is taking a trip to Europe with her troop.

Book Worms Tutoring                            

Taylor wanted to address and prevent the literacy gap for children that live below the poverty line, who attend underfunded inner-city schools and have little access to books. She partnered with the Bethany House to inspire a love for reading in children living through poverty by providing both access to books, as well as individualized help for children. Taylor trained volunteers to work with one to three children at a time to best support the small group’s needs and connect with each child on a personal level. She integrated her educational programming into the childrens’ extracurricular time and developed a curriculum “kit” so volunteers can continue running the program. She hopes to expand her project when she goes off to college, starting with bringing her programming to the Interfaith Hospitality Project.

Lauren Rabold is a senior at East Central High School, where she serves as the Vice President of the National Honor Society and as captain of the Social Studies and Interdisciplinary Teams and earned a Lilly Community Endowment Scholarship. A Girl Scout for 13 years, Lauren credits Girl Scouts for introducing her to the greatest friends she will ever have.

White Nose Syndrome and the Indiana Bat: How Education Can Make a Difference

Lauren, an advocate for debunking myths and irrational fears about bats, decided to raise awareness about endangered bats on a local and global level. From her research, Lauren concluded that White Nose Syndrome is a disease caused by humans entering bat-filled caves. As most people have not heard of this disease, Lauren worked to inform the public of WNS. In addition to developing a petition to help the bats, Lauren set up educational booths and distributed resources at several events to teach the public about her cause. She also promoted her project through a website, which garnered two hundred signatures from around the world on her petition. She is currently working with a senator to propose a bill to make the Indiana Bat the State Bat of Indiana.

Cara is a senior at Loveland High School and participates in marching band, First Tech Challenge (FTC) Robotics, and the National Honor Society. A Girl Scout for 13 years, she earned her Bronze and Silver awards. Her favorite Girl Scout memories include traveling to Iceland on a Destination and having the opportunity to camp outdoors.

CODING CLUB

After noticing there were no computer coding learning opportunities available to younger students, Cara developed and presented the idea of a ‘Coding Club’ to the Technology Instructor for her school district. She received approval to start a club and began to teach coding lessons to fifth and sixth graders. She developed curriculum that included programming basics and computer efficiency. The ‘Coding Club’ has peaked community interest and made a positive impact in younger students’ attitudes towards coding. The Bionic Tigers Robotics Team 10464 plans to continue the ‘Coding Club’ at the high school.

Mandy is a 2016 graduate from Little Miami High School and is currently a first-year nursing student at the University of Cincinnati. During high school, Mandy participated in student government, marching band, and 4-H. . A Girl Scout for 13 years, she earned Bronze and Silver awards. Her favorite Girl Scout memories include earning all of the Highest Awards and teaching younger scouts new skills.

Celiac Disease Awareness Campaign

Mandy, who was diagnosed with Celiac Disease three years ago, decided to use her Gold Award project as a platform to educate the community about this autoimmune disorder. Celiac Disease can occur in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine, affecting one in 100 people worldwide. Mandy spent hours researching Celiac Disease and developing a Celiac Awareness Campaign to share with others. She invited community members to a presentation about the effects of Celiac Disease, steps to conquer it, and how to eat properly with a gluten-free diet. She also recruited a nutritionist to speak and has created her own health blog on Facebook and Instagram for people to follow for advice about Celiac Disease.

Haley Stevens is a senior at Lakota East High School. She’s participated in community service through “The Eight Tiaras,” worked at Hollister, and performed in various theatre productions. A member for 13 years, Haley’s favorite Girl Scout memories include camping, zip lining, and caroling at nursing homes.

Theatre Education for Scouts

Haley observed that musical education and grade-level performances were being eliminated by budget cuts in school districts. Consequently, she took note that younger generations were missing out on these fantastic opportunities of performing in grade-level shows. Passionate about youth theatre education, she wanted to present performance opportunities to elementary and junior high students. She designed and implemented a theatre education program to close this gap and involve students within her community. Her program cultivated a safe space for students to explore this extracurricular activity and learn about the world of theatre and all of the benefits it has to offer. She spent hours developing several productions for students to perform and was thrilled to see the positive impact her club had on the youth involved.

Jillian Stetter is a senior at Clark Montessori High School. She participates in Cincinnati Zoo T.R.I.B.E., is working to found a school Chicken Club, and is a part of INTERalliance Leadership Council. A Girl Scout for 12 years, Jillian has earned her Silver award. Her favorite Girl Scout memory is becoming a PA and getting to lead younger scouts at events and summer camps.

Kirby Nature Center Bird Sanctuary

Jillian partnered with the Western Wildlife Corridor to develop a bird sanctuary. She addressed a lack of funding by seeking out donations for feeders, seeds, and various supplies to construct the sanctuary. Thanks to her negotiating skills, Wild Birds Unlimited will continue to supply the center with bird seed. Local students donated artwork to transform the sanctuary fence into an outdoor art gallery. Jillian hosted a scavenger hunt in the bird sanctuary as a fun way for others to learn about her project. The Bird Sanctuary will continue to benefit both birds and community members at the Nature Center for years to come.

Ashlyn is a senior at Norwood High School, where she participates on the NHS Varsity Academic Team, NHS Girls Varsity Bowling, and the Norwood Orchestra. . A Girl Scout for 13 years, her favorite Girl Scout memory is being an assistant leader for a Brownie troop for two years.

Norwood Walking Club

Ashlyn’s project worked to address the importance of living a healthy lifestyle while spending time getting to know others in the community. She implemented a community Walking Club for her neighborhood of Norwood. This club blossomed into a family-friendly, walk-at-your-own-pace group, in which people could walk two to three miles twice a week, interact with their friends/family, and meet new friends. Ashlyn also developed resources that feature the health benefits of walking, which will be used in lesson plans at local schools and at the first meeting of next year’s walking club. Throughout the course of her club, Ashlyn watched walkers befriend each other and continue to make plans to get outside. Ashlyn inspired others to lead healthy lifestyles, by demonstrating the importance of setting aside time to get moving and have fun while doing it!

Nicole is a senior at Lakota West High School, where she participates in varsity tennis and recreational soccer. A Girl Scout for 12 years, she serves on the CSA Association and has earned her Silver award. Her favorite Girl Scout memory is going to Washington D.C. for the 100^th anniversary of Girl Scouts.

Lakota West Tennis Camp

Nicole is a firm-believer that tennis builds confidence and critical-thinking skills, which is something she wanted to see more of in her community, especially in girls. In order to spark girls’ interest in tennis outside of school in an affordable manner, she designed and implemented a low-cost tennis camp for girls in fourth through ninth grade. Nicole asked her Girl Scout leader to post an invite to her camp Facebook—the response from the community was overwhelmingly positive and attendance sky-rocketed. She felt most proud of her project when she saw girls staying late after camp to continue practicing. Nicole’s project inspired girls to stay active with tennis and the Lakota West Girls Tennis Team will continue to host the camp for years to come.

Joia is a junior at Stivers School for the Arts, where she’s involved in Volleyball, Basketball, and Track, ranking 38^th in the country for 400M hurdles. A Girl scout for 8 years, she’s earned her Bronze and Silver awards.

LIBRARY RESTORATION –Joia recognized a need in her church community for a library/media center where spiritual material would be available and youth could gather. She got approval from the Greater Allen AME Church in Dayton to convert an unused storage room into the library. To distribute old material, she held “Grab a Book” events for two weeks. She spent countless hours stripping wall paper, cleaning, painting, installing bookshelves, a TV and charging stations. She also supplied tables and chairs, creating a comfortable environment for reading, meetings, and reflection. She collected 100 Christian books and DVD’s to stock the library, held a workshop to train people on library operations, and held an Open House for the public. She created and planned activities such as Game Night, Book Club, and Book Signings with local authors. 

Rachel is a senior at Beavercreek High School. She is a first degree black belt and in the high school color guard. A Girl Scout for 11 years, she has earned her Bronze and Silver awards.

SELF DEFENSE—Rachel wanted to boost confidence in young girls through sharing her knowledge in basic self-defense and how to stay safe. She created and implemented several workshops and presentations in her community for girls aged 6 to 18. Her workshops consisted of explaining how to stay out of danger and basic self-defense techniques. Staying out of danger included avoidance, common sense, body language, being vocal, and when to walk away. Self-defense techniques included wrist, collar and hair grabs, bear hugs, punch attacks, and chokes. After researching and discovering most available self-defense videos were too violent, she decided to create her own with the help of volunteers. She currently has four videos on her YouTube channel as a permanent resource. Overall, she impacted over 300 young girls through her workshops and videos.

Nicole is a junior at Carroll High School, where she plays club and HS soccer, runs track (lettered in both) and is in NHS. A Girl Scout for 12 years, she has earned her Bronze and Silver awards.

Feeding the Homeless—Nicole became aware of the issue of hunger in her community through her youth group involvement. She created a presentation for all the parishioners at Church of the Ascension in Kettering to bring awareness of hunger issues and ask for volunteer support. Nicole then created and implemented a “Brown Bag Lunch” program through her church to feed the homeless at St. Vincent de Paul in Dayton. She got an overwhelming amount of food to make 95 lunches. She also made large casseroles to serve over 100 people at House of Bread, where she did multiple sessions of serving meals. To further increase the awareness of hunger issues in her community, she placed articles in her church bulletin and newsletters, and she created a handout and spoke to various groups. Her church will continue the “Brown Bag Lunch” program.

A 2016 graduate of Stivers School for the Arts, Danica is a freshman at Bowling Green State University, majoring in Criminal Justice. During high school, she played volleyball and orchestra (violin). A member for 8 years, she earned her Bronze and Silver awards.

A Yearning for Learning—Danica loves math and was concerned when she found out about the low test scores at her former elementary school. She decided to create a fun Math/English camp for kids to generate a love of learning. She gained approval from her church, Mt. Enon Missionary Baptist Church in Dayton, to hold her own camp in conjunction with their summer camp. The camp was held two mornings a week for a month. Danica created and implemented multiple games and activities that were age appropriate. Some of the games included Synonym and Antonym Maze, Float or Nope?, Alphabet Jenga, Balloon Order, Numerical Jenga, and puzzles. She had 12 kids (ages 9 – 11) at each session.  She gave a pre-test to gauge their knowledge level and the post test showed their levels improved by 10%!

A 2016 valedictorian and graduate of Miami East High School, Caitlin is a freshman at Purdue University, majoring in Chemical Engineering. During high school, Caitlin was in band, choir, dance, and National Honor Society. A Girl Scout for 12 years, she earned her Bronze and Silver awards.

The Cover to Cover Program—Caitlin wanted to improve and expand the pre-school library at Fletcher United Methodist Church. She started by collecting more books and exceeded her goal of 100. She set up a cataloguing system for the upgraded library and built and stained three new bookshelves. She also implemented a new monthly reading program for 10 preschoolers and first graders, which were held during church services. Each month was a different theme, depending on holidays, and included crafts and songs as well as reading books from the library. Themes included Snow, Valentine’s Day, Different Kinds of People, Father’s Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. She trained and organized over 20 volunteers from the church and community. The director of the pre-school will continue this wonderful reading program.

Dana is a senior at Carroll High School, where she plays basketball (Varsity) and participates in Student Council (2^nd VP), NHS, and Spanish HS. A Girl Scout for 10 years, she has earned her Bronze and Silver awards.

Books for our Future—Dana wants to become a teacher. In school, she learned that education is one way to break the poverty cycle. She discovered that St. Vincent de Paul in Dayton had no library for the children that stay there, so she decided to create one. Dana held a major book drive where she collected over 600 books. The book drive also included class and team presentations and a letter to every Carroll family. Her next step was constructing the library in the living quarters. She painted the walls, brought in book shelves, made and hung artwork and organized, and catalogued the books. She created and implemented a summer weekly reading program that impacted over 150 kids aged 2 – 12. She also incorporated activities such as drawing, coloring, and sidewalk chalk paintings.

A 2016 graduate of Northwestern High School, Elizabeth is a freshman at The Ohio State University, majoring in Atmospheric Science. During high school, she was NHS President and in Show Choir. A Girl Scout for 12 years, she earned her Bronze and Silver awards.

Make Springfield a “Champion” Again—Elizabeth wanted to increase awareness within her community of the many service opportunities available to give back. She researched all the organizations servicing Springfield to develop a booklet. Within each organization’s page, she has locations, websites, contact info, hours of operation, and specific volunteer activities. Her booklet is currently a resource at all Clark County schools and libraries, as well as the Chamber of Commerce. She had a booth at the Clark County Fair and passed out many copies. Elizabeth created and implemented a weekly program with Northwestern’s Latch Key kids for five weeks with approximately 50 children. The idea was to make crafts to donate to specific organizations, such as The Humane Society, Police, and Meals on Wheels.

A 2016 graduate of Archbishop Alter High School, Lauren is a freshman at The Ohio State University, majoring in Psychology. During high school, she was President of her 4-H Club and in NHS. A Girl Scout for 13 years, she earned her Bronze award.

Bullying Prevention Awareness Campaign—Lauren knows that bullying is a big issue in schools, including the one she attended. She recognized that bullying has mental health repercussions. To bring attention to this problem, Lauren created and implemented presentations on bullying and ways to combat it for grade school through high school kids. She went to four schools: Archbishop Alter, Incarnation, St. Albert the Great, and St. Charles Borromeo. Her presentation included the types of bullying: physical, verbal, social, emotional, and cyber, and what you can do about it. She handed out anti-bullying bracelets and made and hung posters with anti-bullying slogans around her high school, where they remained all year. Lauren wants students to be comfortable enough to continue the conversation about bullying throughout their academic careers. 

Kaitlyn is a junior at Emmanuel Christian Academy, where she participates in Cross Country, Swim Team, Track (all Varsity), NHS, and Student Government as Secretary. A Girl Scout for 11 years, she has earned her Bronze and Silver awards.

Science Night at ECA—Kaitlyn knows that many kids view science as boring and she wanted to find a way to spark their interest. She researched and found a series of fun, easy experiments she could do with grade school kids. She created and implemented a Science Night at her school and had close to 100 people attend. Experiments included Film Canister Rocket, Fizz Inflator, Homemade Lava Lamp, Cleaning Pennies, Impossible Egg Crush, and Pepper Pick Up. Her next Science Night was with Girl Scouts. She then partnered with The Lion’s Den Latch-key program at her school for 12 sessions of fun science experiments. The kids eagerly participated and kept asking her when she would return. Kaitlyn created experiment books for each child to use during all her Science sessions and then take home.

Brianna is a homeschooled senior, who participates in Kettering Children’s Choir, Home School Singers, and as an Ohio State Fair Aid. A Girl Scout for 13 years, she has earned her Bronze and Silver awards.

Musical Theatre in a Day!—Brianna has a love of music and theatre. She wanted to show kids with disabilities that they can participate in musical theatre with everyone else. She created and implemented a day-long event at Cross Road Baptist Church in New Carlisle with 11 kids (2nd – 8^th grade) utilizing songs and scenes from “The Lion King”. To raise awareness for her project, Brianna had a craft station at the Ohio State Fair helping over 1200 kids make African Rain sticks and learn a native song. For “The Lion King”, she gathered a group of 13 volunteers to help her with music, choreography, sound system, photography, and lunch for all the participants. The day culminated with a performance for parents and friends, which was a huge success. 

A 2016 graduate of Troy Christian High School, Wynonna is a freshman at Miami University, majoring in Interior Design. A Girl Scout for 8 years, Wynonna was also involved in Volleyball, Musicals, and Choir.

Changing Tomorrow Today— Wynonna created and implemented a successful 3-day workshop for kids aged 15 – 19 to help them with skills needed to gain employment or help them apply to college. Overall 15 kids participated. The workshops were held at Lincoln Community Center in Troy. Wynonna developed brochures to solicit participants and volunteers. Parts of the workshop included interview skills, problem solving, mock interviews, resume preparation and writing, and job search techniques. Presentations were made by representatives from WIOA Youth Works!, Miami County Office of Work Force Development, Troy High School Football Coach, Youth Liaison at Lincoln Community Center, and Piqua Assistant City Manager. Participants completed a survey each day which helped make improvements to the workshops. Troy High School is looking to possibly make this workshop a required class since all students need these life skills.

Megan is a senior at New Bremen High School, where she participates in cheerleading, dance, and Big Brothers, Big Sisters. A Girl Scouts for 13 years, she has earned her Bronze and Silver awards. Her favorite Girl Scout memories include spending time with her troop and helping her other troop members achieve their Gold Award.

Red, White, and Woof!

A passionate advocate for shelter animals, Megan started an annual, community-wide supply drive and adopt-a-thon event to aid the animals in the Auglaize County Humane Society. Using multiple media outlets and interviews on her local radio and television stations, she educated the community on the challenges and needs that the local humane society faces and encouraged her fellow citizens to be part of the solution by participating in the supply drive, adopting a shelter pet, and being an advocate for neglected animals. Called “Red, White and Woof!” her event will be an annual opportunity for those in Auglaize to show their support for animal welfare and their local humane society. 

Sarah is a senior homeschooled student who participates in 4-H, Teens Rediscovering Catholicism, and CYO basketball. A Girl Scouts for 7 years, she has earned her Bronze and Silver awards. Her favorite Girl Scout memory is her troop cruise to the Caribbean.

When Nature Beckons, the Bugs Will Come

Concerned by the lack of biodiversity provided by 48 acres of mowed grass at Four Seasons Park in Minster, OH, Sarah worked with landscape architects and volunteers to create a 13,585 square foot nature area in the park with shade and ornamental trees, shrubs, tall grasses, and numerous bulbs and perennials. The nature area will attract more butterflies, fireflies, hummingbirds, and other small wildlife to create a more balanced ecosystem at the park.  Her nature area also includes a walkway, a learning circle, and a small sitting area for visitors to enjoy the outdoors. The village of Minster has agreed to maintain the nature area. 

Megan is a graduate of New Bremen High School and currently attends Wright State University-Lake Campus. In high school, she participated in Marching, Concert, and Pep Band, Holy Redeemer Youth Group, and Choir. A Girl Scout for 12 years, she earned her Bronze award and has become a lifetime member. Her favorite Girl Scout memories inclue hanging out with peers, going camping, and overnights at the Columbus Zoo and Armstrong Air and Space Museum.

Rosary Walk

Wanting to encourage people of all ages to be more active, go outside, and deepen their faith, Megan worked with Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in New Bremen and community volunteers to build a Rosary Walk on the outside grounds of the church. The Rosary Walk gives the community a place for meditation and prayer, which are beneficial to mental health, while also providing a fun outdoor education resource for students from the parish religion courses. As she shared her project with the younger members of her parish, Megan and the children created rosaries for distribution at a mission in Granada to give her project a global impact. The parish has agreed to maintain the project and promote this important community resource.  

Katelynn is a graduate of Bluffton High School and currently attends Ohio Northern University. In high school, she participated in band, orchestra, and bowling. A Girl Scout for 14 years, she earned her Bronze and Silver awards. Her favorite Girl Scout memories include all the Overnights where she stayed up all night with her troop playing games, watching movies, and eating snacks.

Band Buddies

Recognizing the benefits of musical education and positive role models for youth, Katelynn devised a youth mentorship program for Bluffton school district that paired high school band students with children from the 5^th and 6^th grade band. She and her volunteer mentors met regularly with the younger students, providing positive role models, musical guidance, and encouragement. The continuation of Katelynn’s program by a volunteer or the band president has been written into the music boosters’ by-laws. 

Kelsey Parsell of Troop 20018 is a graduate of Findlay High School currently attending Ohio State University-Lima majoring in Medical Lab Tech. She participated in her high school’s soccer team, their cross country team and track team. She was in Girl Scouts for 13 years and is a Bronze and Silver Award Recipient.

Favorite GS Memory: As a Junior Girl Scout her troop took a train to Chicago and visited all the sites of Chicago.  They sold lots of cookies to earn money for this trip. 

Gold Award Project: “Finding Comfort With God”

Understanding how environment can impact behavior, particularly for children with disabilities, Kelsey consulted with local special education teachers and designed a space at her church that creates a welcoming environment for children with disabilities. She also created and facilitated a training for volunteers that helps them understand some of the common reasons behind children’s misbehaviors and gives tips for positive behavior management in youth activities.  

Shelby is a sophomore at Celina High School, where she participates in Future Teachers of America, Mock Trial Club, and TEAMS—an  elite group of students who participate in Engineering and Science competitions. A Girl Scout for 11 years, she has earned her Bronze and Silver awards. Her favorite Girl Scout memory is of her troop trip to Savannah, GS, where they visited Headquarters and Juliette Low’s Birthplace and stayed in a cabin at the State Park, visited sites, and took a bus tour of the city.

Story Board Walk

Seeking a way to promote exercise while also improving literacy in her community, Shelby partnered with the Mercer County District Library and her city to design, build, and install story boards along a path at a local park. Shelby and her volunteers recruited volunteers for installation and then tested the impact of her project by leading a group of children through the story board walk to ensure the walk was engaging and fun for her target audience.  The library has agreed to promote usage of the story board walk as part of their annual summer reading program. 

Chloe Schwartz of Troop 20307 is a senior at New Bremen High School. She participates in competitive dance, National Honor Society, swimming, softball, and cheerleading. She has been in Girl Scouts for 12 years and is a Bronze and Silver Award recipient. 

Gold Award Project: To Watch Us Dance Is To Hear Our Hearts Sing

Desiring to share her love of dance and provide an opportunity for disability inclusion in her community, Chloe partnered with Boyd Dance Studio and Auglaize Industries to design and implement a dance camp for people with disabilities with a recital at the end open to the local community. Chloe worked with her community to recruit volunteers for her camp to help teach the choreography, on-call nurses, and the campers themselves. Chloe hopes her camp inspires more disability inclusion within her community. Members of the community plan to continue the camp annually. 

Marie Wilker of Troop 20462 is a senior at Marion Local High School. She participates in the Catholic Youth Organization, band, and drama productions. She has been a Girl Scout for 12 years and is a Bronze and Silver Award recipient.

Favorite GS Memory: traveling to many different states and make friendships with new people that she hopes will last forever.

Gold Award Project: Sensing Art

Understanding how early childhood education on topics like sensory education benefits children socially, emotionally, and physically, Marie partnered with her local library to organize workshops for children ages 3-7 with activities that helped children explore the world around them using their five senses. To ensure her project endures beyond her workshops, Marie gave her curriculum to Chapel Hill preschool and also built a sensory box and art drying rack that the preschool will use for sensory education activities. 

Abbie is in the 10th grade at the Toledo School for the Arts. She is active in the Toledo ZooTeens program, where she serves as President and previously as enrichment program chairman. A Girl Scout for 11 years, Abbie earned her Bronze and Silver awards. Her favorite Girl Scout memory is hiking in the mud with her troop and drying their soaked socks on sticks in front of the fire.

Halloween Enrichment for Toledo Zoo animals

Abbie taught zoo visitors about animal behavior and the ways in which we keep the animals active. Her project, which involved many members of the community—specifically the incoming zoo teens and other children who helped create and build these masterpieces—directly benefited the animals by giving them a special treat that helped stimulate natural behaviors.

Ellie is a freshman studying Biomedical Science at the University of New Hampshire. An active Girl Scout for 12 years, she earned her Bronze and Silver awards. Her favorite Girl Scout memories include attending the Girl Scout national convention in Utah and traveling around Europe with her troop.

Juliette Gordon Low Hiking Trail

When Ellie learned the Girl Scouts had no official hiking trails, she took the opportunity to create one. On Saturday, October 29, 2016, she dedicated the first ever, nationally recognized Girl Scout hiking trail to Juliette Gordon Low to rekindle the connection between Girl Scouts and the outdoors, and everyone worldwide. She created the trail to inspire people to get outside and connect with nature and to raise awareness about Girl Scouting. Educating the public about scouting provides greater opportunities for Girl Scouts to aid their communities and create positive changes across the world. 

A 2016 graduate of Toledo School for the Arts, Molly attends Bowling Green State University and majors in biological sciences. A Girl Scout for 13 years, Molly earned her Bronze and Silver awards. Her favorite Girl Scout memory is traveling the world with her troop.

Adelante Summer Art Camp for Kids

Molly discovered that the children in the summer camp program at Adelante, The Latino Resource Center, were not learning about their heritage at home or in school. To address this concern, Molly worked with the Hands-On Studio at Toledo Botanical Gardens and organized free art classes for the children. Molly developed projects that focused on traditional Latin American and Hispanic history and culture, and participants created multiple kinds of art, including mosaics, pottery, and paintings. The kids then showcased their projects at a Toledo Art Walk. Her lesson plans and Adelante’s continued collaboration with Hands-On Studio will ensure that her project continues. 

Stephanie a freshman at the University of Toledo, studying bioengineering and business. In high school, she was extremely active in sports including soccer, basketball and track. A Girl Scout for 13 years, she earned the God & Family, Bronze, and Silver awards. Her favorite Girl Scout memories include bonding with her camp counselor, Tadpole, and climbing the Camp Libbey rock wall “insanely fast!"

We Are the Champions
    To ensure female athletes’ accomplishments weren’t overlooked,     Stephanie worked with the coaches and athletic director at her high     school to compile a list of current athletic records and develop a plan for     keeping them up to date. She had a sign shop design and install new     record boards and contacted graduated record holders to write     inspirational letters to current athletes. She held an assembly to unveil the     boards and read the letters aloud. Her project was featured by a local T.V.     station, expanding the impact of the project which will continue to inspire     female athletes to push themselves further and build confidence that will     last a lifetime.    

A 2016 graduate of Lakota Local Schools, Samantha currently attends Capital University and majors in Computer Science and Aerospace Engineering. A Girl Scout for 12 years, she earned her Bronze and Silver awards, co-emceed the Toledo Women of Distinction event, and spent a term as a girl member on the Board of Directors. Her favorite Girl Scout memories include camp, the great people she’s met, and all the amazing experiences she’s had like destinations.

Starting with the STEM in STEAM

Samantha was motivated to develop a project that would give middle school-aged students an appreciation for STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) careers after attending a space camp.  She developed a science fair event at her school, creating a website where students could obtain project ideas, attending science classes to encourage students to participate, and creating posters to advertise her event.  At the event, a panel of STEAM professionals talked about their careers and a panel of college students answered questions about their education experience in STEAM fields.  Students displayed projects and enjoyed making rockets with Samantha to shoot off at the end of the program. A local newspaper published an article about her event and the importance of STEAM careers.