Gold Girl Spotlight: Claire Kurio

Introducing Claire!
It’s always an honor to share the accomplishments of our Girl Scouts and today we’re highlighting Claire Kurio. Always striving to fulfill the Girl Scout Promise to help people at all times, Claire created an opportunity for fellow youth to serve their community through the Interfaith Hospitality Network. We could go on and on about Claire’s amazing Gold Girl project, but we’ll let her tell you more!

A Rewarding Journey

My name is Claire Kurio and I’ve been a member of Troop 484 in the Bluebonnet Valley service unit for almost 12 years now. I worked on my bronze and silver awards, completed a journey and have just recently finalized my Gold project. I would encourage all girl scouts to complete each project and award opportunity along the way because it really prepares you for the 80+ hour Gold Award later in high school.

Leading With Faith

For my project, I added a high school youth volunteer component to an already very successful program called Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN). IHN includes over 30 host churches, temples, synagogues, etc. in the Austin area that welcome homeless families into their buildings and congregations for 4-5 weeks each year. These families are able to stay free of charge while they meet with counselors and advisers helping them look for a stable job that can fully support their family again. While the program already used adult volunteers to set-up for their stay, provide dinner to the families each night, stay overnight with the families, do laundry, etc., none of these positions catered to the children. I saw the need for this component after volunteering with my parents to take dinner each time IHN visited Covenant Presbyterian Church over the past 5 years. Each time I noticed that the homeless parents were tired from a long days work or searching for work and wanted to relax, while their kids were longing for attention and someone to hang out with after school!

Getting Others Involved 

I recruited high school volunteers from the Covenant Pres youth group along with National Honor Society students from Anderson High School who volunteered 1-2 hours of their night during IHN’s stay at Covenant to hang out with, mentor and tutor the homeless children. Additionally, as part of my project, I provided a supply box with school supplies, board games and balls for the volunteers and kids to enjoy. The youth volunteer component of IHN will be sustained by the Covenant Student ministries for many years to come!

You Can Do it Too! 

My advice is to pick something you love and are extremely passionate about. I built incredible friends with these homeless kids during their stay and I wanted to give my peers an opportunity to do the same!  But most importantly, choose something that you personally see a need in. It’s crucial that you believe what you are doing is worthwhile and seeing the direct impact afterwards is the best feeling in the world.

Gold Girl Scout Spotlight: Gwendolyn Cochran

Today's Gold Girl Scout Spotlight is Gwendolyn Cochran, who empowered middle and high school girls in her community to be more engaged in the fields of math and science.  Congratulations on earning your Gold Award, Gwendolyn! 

The Dripping Springs community lacked a strong foundation of young women interested in the sciences. There was an absence of female members of the Robotics Club, the Physics Club, and active member’s math and science UIL events.

I targeted this problem in a two part project, first by implementing the Women in Math and Science clubs at the Dripping Springs High School. And secondly, by organizing and leading a symposium to rally young women together and engender them to be more active in the science communities at the middle and high school levels. With this project I engaged young women in my community to be involved in the math and sciences and give them useful contacts and opportunities to get involved in Dripping Springs. 

My club at the school will continue to engender school age girls to be active in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and expand their horizons.  I created a sustainable and beneficial foundation of girls to be inspired and get involved in expanding female influences at school and around our community. 

While the symposium was a one day event, it created a foundation for the group to begin being noticeably active and emphasized the importance of participating in math and science-based extracurricular events occurring locally. The club will be sustained at the high school level by new members taking over as seniors graduate, our teacher sponsor’s continued support, and the affiliation with the longstanding Inventor’s Club on campus. The community now has, and will continue to have, a larger amount of girls empowered to take action in math and the sciences. 

My advice for younger girls would be to first and foremost pick a topic that you feel passionate about, because you will devote a large majority of time and soul into this project. Secondly, never be afraid to ask for help from volunteers and troop members. Chances are if you are passionate about something, so is someone else who would love to get involved. Lastly, keep your head up! This isn’t a project to get just for the prestige of saying you earned it, it is a chance to inspire change. When you face a great challenge, which you undoubtably will, do not give up. Look for a different perspective, because from a different angle a mountain might seem like a molehill.

A New Way to Meet Seniors' Needs

Today's featured Gold Girl Scout is Ella Fischer who created a program to rent medical equipment to senior citizens. Congratulations, Ella, on earning your Gold Award!

My name is Ella Fischer. I am from Troop 1473 out of the Pecan Trail Service Unit. For my Gold Award project, I worked with Drive a Senior to create Ollie’s Closet. Ollie's Closet loans medical equipment to senior citizens who do not have access to medical equipment due to various financial situations. In the process I helped write a grant to pay for the building and purchase software for an inventory and asset control program.  

First, I moved, cleaned, inventoried, barcoded, and entered all of the equipment into a barcoding system. Next, I added a loft and braces to hang walkers and crutches and started moving all of the equipment inside. Lastly, I trained personnel at the Drive a Senior office on how the system works.  This all will allow the organization to better serve their 500 clients and to help them keep track of what is needed in their loan closet for the future.

 My journey towards earning my Gold Award is one that I will never forget. Through Girl Scouts, many new doors have opened for me and even more now that I have earned my Gold Award. The adventures and experiences that I have been able to be a part of, as well as all the things I've learned, all became possible by being in Girl Scouts and striving for Gold. I have also met many inspiring and interesting individuals along the way. There are always challenges involved in accomplishing great things, but the feeling I have now that I've earned my Gold Award is very rewarding. My encouragement towards others to pursue earning their Gold Award is tremendous based on the amazing experience I had and the feeling of happiness I gained from helping others. 

Gold Girl Scout Spotlight: Hannah Buffington

Today's Gold Girl Scout Spotlight is Hannah Buffington, who established a letter-writing campaign for elementary school children to send notes to soldiers stateside. Congratulations on earning your Gold Award, Hannah! 

At the beginning of my project, I knew I wanted to pick an issue that I really cared about; and something that was going to make an impact on many people. I chose my project because our soldiers are something that are truly close to my heart, and I personally know many people who have fought for our country. Once I had my issue, I started thinking about ways that I could potentially impact our troops. Which is where my project, Letters to Soldiers, originated. 

Many of our troops overseas receive letters and care packages and reminders that we are very appreciative of their service; but what about our troops back home? What about our troops who have been wounded in service? 

So I decided to address this issue directly by writing letters to these soldiers that would hopefully show them that they are appreciated and cared for. But I did not want to just do this alone. I wanted to tell more people about my project and spread my enthusiasm for it to many others as well. 

So I thought, what better way to impact two groups of people than teaching children about our troops and helping them write the letters. This worked out perfectly. I was able to teach the second grade classes at Blackland Prairie Elementary School how to write a friendly letter, and then to put those skills to work by writing letters to the wounded soldiers at Brook Army Medical Center. 

Working with the second grade students was really such a wonderful experience because I got to talk about something that I cared about and watch a group of children start to learn and want to make a difference also. I hope that in my setting an example of how even a teenager can make a difference, these children will grow up and take issues that they care about and also work to make a difference. It doesn't matter how old you are, or how large or small the issue is. Anyone can make a difference; all that’s needed is the motivation and the will to make a change. 

Gold Girl Scout Spotlight: Priya Ramamoorthy

Today's featured Gold Girl Scout is Priya Ramamoorthy, who created a documentary on Title IX, a part of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and integrated her documentary into the No Place For Hate program at a local middle school. Congratulations on becoming a Gold Girl Scout, Priya!

For my Gold Award project, I created a documentary on Title IX and collaborated with the No Place for Hate Chapter at Grisham Middle School to implement a sustainable activity consisting of the documentary and discussion questions. To create my documentary, I gathered historical information about the federal law, created a script for the documentary, and sought feedback from experts.  I went through multiple rounds of editing for my documentary and had to establish new connections at Grisham, as there was a leadership change for the No Place for Hate chapter. The students that I trained will present my documentary to the entire student body (around 700 students) every year. These students will be in charge of training the next set of students and sustaining the project. 

Since creating my documentary, I along with friends, have been able to expand upon the work done in my Gold Award through appearing on a Nickelodeon News segment on Title IX and through a presentation at the Women’s Empowerment Conference in Austin.

By watching the documentary and reflecting about Title IX, I hope students are empowered to speak up if they encounter gender discrimination in their school. 

Gold Girl Scout Spotlight: Isabel Prado

My name is Isabel Prado, I am a 17-year-old high school junior, getting ready to start applying for college. For my Gold Award, I created and taught 10 different lessons about the environment to children ages 5-12. I taught at the Turner-Gibbons Recreation Center as part of the Austin Parks and Recreation Center Summer Program. All of my lessons have been put into their database for use in the future.

When I first started the project a year ago, I thought I would never actually get it done, but with support from my family and friends, I managed it. It was a long and often challenging process. I switched what I wanted to teach at least twice. When I finally nailed down a subject, I had to create lessons plans for 10 classes. It took a lot of hard work but the end result was worth it.

Many times along the way I wanted to quit and I was told that it was okay if I did not want to do it. I am so glad I decided to finish it. My experiences teaching the children were so remarkable that when it ended I was sad because I had so much fun doing this project. It was tough and took a good deal of time, but it made me a better person. I learned so many valuable skills that I cannot imagine learning anywhere else. Doing the Gold Award was a journey that I will never forget and it is one of the best ones a Girl Scout can experience.

Gold Girl Scout Spotlight

         This month's featured Gold Girl Scout is Kavya Ramamoorthy who created a                          documentary on Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972. Congratulations                on becoming a Gold Girl Scout, Kavya!
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When I was in 8^th grade I researched a federal law called Title IX for a Nation History competition. Like many other students today, I did not even know that a law like Title IX existed. By learning about this law and the enormous impact it had on society, my appreciation for the rights and opportunities that I have been given has increased. I want to be an advocate for the law and for the power that it gives students. I also want to encourage girls to pursue higher education in any area, be it in STEM, Liberal Arts or any field of their choosing and to dream big. Today, thanks to laws like Title IX, educational opportunities in our country are available equally to boys and girls. This is not the case in many other countries around the world.

For my Gold Award Project, I created a ten minute documentary on Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 to show how this law has impacted higher education in America. I collaborated with Social Studies teachers at Round Rock ISD to ensure that the documentary covers the TEKS for Title IX and to ensure that the documentary can be used as a supplemental lesson by teachers in the district. I researched Title IX, interviewed experts, used information from my project on Title IX created for the National History Day competition, and gathered information to present. After gathering the information, pictures and video clips, I worked with the technical staff at RRISD to piece together my documentary. My sponsor, Ms. Tina Melcher, who is the lead Social Studies Curriculum Specialist at RRISD, reviewed my status every step of the way. After I had a complete draft version of the video, I sent it for review to various people including Ms. Nita Hornbeck at the American Association of University Women (AAUW); Mr. Brown with RRISD Tech support; and Ms. Melcher, my sponsor. Each of these people helped check the documentary for historical accuracy and clarity. Ms. Melcher helped me in identifying a Social Studies teacher, Mr. Bradley, who did a test run of the documentary with other Social Studies teachers at Westwood High School. This confirmed that he and other teachers will be able to use my documentary in their classrooms. After gathering all the feedback, I made the final revisions to the documentary before submitting it to the school district for them to distribute to teachers district-wide.

From my project, I hope that students will gain awareness about the opportunities they have in higher education today. The documentary can also be used in presentations done by RRISD to promote higher education.

I gained confidence in myself by doing this project. By talking to many influential adults, I learned not to be shy in asking for help. I even got a response from Dr. Bernice Sandler, the Godmother of Title IX. People are willing to help if you ask them. Collaborating with others opens doors to lots of new opportunities. I gained valuable networking skills in this project and have built relationships with organizations like the AAUW.

By teaching about the history of Title IX, I hope to motivate other students to appreciate their opportunities and to empower them to make use of the educational resources that are available today. I also want to show them that the government in our country values education for all.

Seniors Go Tech! - Helping Every Age Stay Connected

This month's featured Gold Girl Scout is Rachel Freeman who focused her efforts on helping senior citizens learn how to use technology to stay connected and active with their communities. Congratulations on becoming a Gold Girl Scout, Rachel!

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My Gold Girl Scout Project, 'Seniors Go Tech!', was designed to provide senior citizens the knowledge and hands-on practice with technology so they would be empowered to maintain and expand their connections with family, friends and their community.  Medical studies have shown seniors who remain socially connected live happier and healthier lives which benefit everyone around.  Technology is one way to help senior citizens can stay connected but many do not know how to use a computer, the Internet or smart phones.  

Although the retirement centers I worked with provided free internet access, only one offered access to community computers and none provided any type of technological support or education to their residents. I created lesson plans and held classes, as well as individual tutoring sessions on several topics including Introduction to the Internet, Introduction to Google, Using Facebook, iPads, iPhones, Email and Kindle for two local retirement centers.  As part of my project I created 'how-to' handbooks for the senior centers and local community groups so others could continue presenting the technology classes I created and possibly expand on the topics.

The 78 senior citizens who attended Seniors Go Tech! classes and tutoring sessions are now able to use their technology much more effectively. In the long-term they will become more connected with their families, friends and communities.  At one Seniors Go Tech! class I met Muriel. Muriel told me she was invited to meet some friends for lunch but she wasn’t going to go. When I asked why not she said she didn’t know where the restaurant was. I told her we could find the address and directions on the internet using her iPhone but she replied she couldn’t read maps very well any more. When I explained to her we could have Google Maps give her verbal directions on her iPhone she was so excited.  We found the address online, programmed the address into her phone and she drove off to meet her friends. I am happy I was able to help her learn how technology can work for her. In the future Muriel will be able to meet her friends for lunch, dinner and movies. She can share what she’s learned with her friends and they will all maintain their connections with families and friends and their community.

Seeing my new friends successfully using technology—some for the first time—was very rewarding. Seniors Go Tech! helped them learn to retrieve voicemail messages, send pictures, texts, emails and “surf the web” with confidence.  I was thrilled to help all of them learn how technology can help them in their daily lives and keep their social connections strong.

Sensory Mural Station: Helping Children with Severe Disabilities

Gold Scouts

The following entry was written by Elizabeth Geisinger, and covers her Gold Award Project "Sensory Mural Station." Learn all about why she chose this project, the challenges she faces and the satisfaction she gained from it! Amazing work, Elizabeth!

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A thousand words could not describe the Gold Award and the journey it takes to get to it. I recently received my Gold Award for a Sensory Mural Station I created for Rosedale School, which helps students with severe disabilities.  I began my journey towards the Gold a little over 2 years ago. When I first came up with my idea, to paint murals on the portables at Rosedale, I was elated.  I got my proposal approved and immediately began planning and researching what to do. By the end of year though, I had to change my project because it was expected the portables would be removed so I decided to build a mobile sensory station. I was still excited and researched Adaptive Learning and eventually built the station.  However the school year came and I began procrastinating my project. I lost motivation to finish my project and couldn't convince myself to do it. However this past year, with the encouragement of leaders in my Service Unit, I pushed myself to complete my project. I painted the various mural scenes and attached the sensory objects. I finished it and turned my paperwork in by the end of September. While the journey will have bumps in the road, it is all worth it to finish your project and feel an overwhelming amount of joy when the letter comes and says “congratulations”.

Enriching the Lives of the Elderly: A Gold Award Project for the Aging

Gold Award Girls

The following entry was written by Leah Hook, and covers her Gold Award Project "Enriching the Lives of the Elderly." Learn all about why she chose this project, how she accomplished it and what it's doing to bring joy for a particular group in her community. Amazing work, Leah!
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For my Gold Award project, I created a bird and butterfly sanctuary in the main outdoor garden (the Rose Garden) of the Wesleyan at Scenic Skilled Nursing, Rehabilitation and Memory Care facility in Georgetown, TX. This entailed providing appropriate habitat for the birds and butterflies by creating new garden beds of native plantings that attract wildlife as well as installing a variety of birdhouses and bird feeders.

My project addressed the social and emotional needs of the 165 aging residents at the Wesleyan.  As in most health care facilities for the elderly, many of the residents there spend a great deal of time in their rooms, secluded from the other residents.  In medical terms, they are "socially isolated."  The bird and butterfly sanctuary enticed them to come outdoors more often to enjoy the beauty of nature. It also provided them opportunities to socialize with more of the residents and guests.  The enriching activity of bird- and butterfly-watching allowed them to develop both new hobbies and new social connections, thereby reducing their isolation and loneliness.

Over a year's time, I completely renovated the Wesleyan's Rose Garden which serves as the main gathering place for residents and guests.  This involved a great deal of manual labor (of my family, volunteers, and me): we weeded all existing beds, pruned all trees and shrubs, removed leaves and debris, planted new ground cover, drew new garden borders, developed landscaping plans, and selected and installed new native plants and a decorative garden trellis. The other part of my project entailed the the creation and installation of birdhouses, bird feeders and a butterfly house in order to draw wildlife to the gardens.

As the culminating activity, I presented a bird-watching program to the residents in which I educated them about the birds most common to Williamson County and their unique characteristics and calls.  This enabled them to identify the birds that are frequenting the Rose Garden.  Along with a slideshow presentation, I also created a bird reference guide, The Georgetown Chorus, of the ten most common birds to visit bird feeders and gardens in the County.

The most successful aspect of my 110 hour project was increasing senior resident's interest in coming outdoors and viewing the numerous birds and butterflies within the Rose Garden.  The overgrown, weed-filled, poorly maintained Rose Garden is now a beautiful, thriving bird and butterfly sanctuary teeming with life.  Some of the residents are participating in the project by adding birdhouses, bird feeders, and plants of their own.  Most importantly, the residents are interacting with each other as they talk about the new plantings and the different birds and butterflies that are drawn to the sanctuary.  With the new activity of bird- and butterfly-watching, they are building common interests and connecting socially.

All Cooped Up: A Gold Award Project for the (Chicken) Masses

Gold Award Girls

The following entry is about Kelli Robertson's Gold Award Project--a chicken coop for the students at Travis Heights Elementary School. In it you'll read about the idea behind the project, the benefits it will bring and a shout-out to those who helped her accomplish her goal. Thank you, Kelli!

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"The Coop" is Kelli Robertson's finished Girl Scout Gold Award project, which can be found at Travis Heights Elementary. 

Kelli has been a Girl Scout for 12 years and dedicated her project to the students at Travis Heights Elementary School, where her father is the principal. She had many advisers on this project and they are cited on the blue plaque on the side of the coop. 

They include: Krista Ernst, Gail Laubenthal, Veronica Arispe, Tonya Penney, and Andee Knutson. Also, wonderful family friends, Gene, Karen, and Mike Sanders supported Kelli in this project by sharing their expertise since the small space has a 2.5 foot drop from one end of the coop to the other. 

The project was funded through Kelli’s Girl Scout cookie sales, fall product sales, and donations from the following businesses: McCoy’s Building Supplies, Home Depot, Viking Fence, and Callahan’s. 

This spring, The Coop will welcome chicks raised by 2nd graders from Travis Heights Elementary and students in the specialized units under the watchful eyes of Ms. Arispe and Mrs. K! 

Through raising and caring for the chicks, students will learn about life cycles, caring for animals, and the role they play in a habitat. In addition, as the residents of The Coop continue to grow and produce, future groups of students will understand the phrase “farm to table”, the elements of business and finance, as well future planning for an urbanized world.

Thanks to Kelli's project, dozens of students will have access to a real-life, hands-on farm experience. 

Getting "Orch"-anized: A Girl Scout's love of music drives her Gold Award project

Gold Award Girls

The following entry was written by Mackinsey Anne Smith, a Gold Award recipient whose passion for music helped her identify the need for a restored  music collection. She then decided to focus her efforts in the music library at Austin High School. Read all about her project, challenges and her very sage advice to aspiring Gold Award girls.

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My Gold Award project, “Orchanization,” was designed to restore order to a crucial part of an orchestra, the music collection.  I chose this project because I love music and I wanted to give back to a music director and organization that has given so much to me. 

My project took place mostly in the orchestra room at Austin High School where an extensive music library is housed in 50 file drawers. The goal was to update the music database by listing the location and key details of each piece of music (ex: title, composer, arranger), as well as re-file the music in score order. Being able to quickly find music, including which parts may need to be borrowed or purchased, improves efficiency and reduces costs. This is how my Gold Award project evolved. The first part of my project was to accomplish or facilitate the steps noted above. This was done by going through over 1,600 music folders one by one to be sure they were properly filed and matched the database; over 325 folders were also put into score order. The second part of my project was to create a system that would make it easier to maintain the library over time. To do this, I created a website that details how to create and maintain a well-organized library. I also trained the Austin High Orchestra Board on how to maintain the newly organized library. The third part of my project was to expand the scope of the library to benefit more people. This was accomplished by reformatting the music database and uploading it to a cloud-based organization, management, and communication tool used by nearly 7,000 orchestra and band programs nationwide. 

I encountered several obstacles during my Gold Award project. The most apparent was that aspects of my project took much longer than expected, so I had to make adjustments. For example, my original intention was to put all of the pieces in score order, but after spending 125 hours on 325 folders, my project advisor and I agreed that this would have to be a longer-term goal as it would have required over 600 volunteer hours just to finish this one portion of the project. I also had to add a second database checking team, something I did not want to do initially because it increased chance of error. I learned that I need to keep the end goal in mind, but be flexible in how to get there. I had to be willing to make adjustments if something wasn't working out or was taking too long, and I had to recognize that good ideas can come from anywhere, even someone who was less knowledgeable than me, while also establishing myself as team leader. I had to train people in how to do each task and I had to check in frequently at the beginning when they were learning. Because of the nature of my project, my volunteers had to have some musical knowledge. This limited the people I could ask for assistance, but improved my communication skills by forcing me to ask people I didn't know well for help. 

In addition to maintaining good humor, patience, and flexibility, I would advise Girl Scouts beginning their Gold Award to download and carefully read the final report paperwork before beginning your project. It will tell you exactly what you need to track and document throughout your project so you can format your data in a way that the final report is easier to write. Lastly, chose a subject and organization you feel passionate about. This is likely to be the biggest, most time-consuming, and at times, the most tedious, never-ending project you have ever worked on, so it is important that it be something near and dear to your heart. And it will be worth it! You will grow as a person and as a leader, and see the change that a dedicated group of volunteers with a united vision can achieve. I know I have.

Shed the old: How Emilee Remodeled her Band's Storage Area

Gold Award Girls

The following entry was written by Emilee Ward, who took on the task of remodeling the band for the Lake Travis Cavaliers. She wanted to improve her high school campus and help the band and that she did! Read about her Gold Award project below:

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I choose this project because I love being a member of the Lake Travis Cavalier band – it is like a family to me.  The shed was definitely a project that someone needed to tackle because it was an eye sore for our campus and it was a complete mess.  I knew that with help from my fellow troop member, Ashley, we could turn the shed into great project that would give us pride, help the band, and improve our school.

At first, we wanted to replace the building with a new one, but after researching the cost to take down the old building, prepare the land, deal with the electrical and plumbing and the cost of a new building, it was out of our budget.  So we decided to remodel the building instead.  When we decided this, it was like having to start planning a whole new project.

We also faced a challenge when our band our director stepped down and left working for Lake Travis. This put a pause in our plans, because we had to wait for a new director and start all over with getting approval from him and the school district.

Another obstacle we had to overcome was the bases of our awnings. We initially thought that we could dig holes and sink the wood supports in the hole and fill it in with concrete. But when we called the city, using the 311 system, we found there here were electric and water lines underground – so we had to revise our plan.  It is important when digging to make sure there are no plumbing or electrical lines in the path of the hole!

Our budget given to us from the LT Band Parents, Inc. was budgeted at $500. Because we had decided to remodel, we needed more financial help.  Our parents visited several businesses around the community (Lowe’s, Muller, All Seasons Landscaping, The Home Depot, Sherwin Williams and The Brown Paint Company).  We were given materials such as wood, hardware, sheet metal, paint, copper tubing (for the faucets), concrete blocks and many other items.  We were lucky to have such generous businesses in our area.

I believe I have learned a lot from this project!

Working together:  being able to work with Ashley really taught me to keep up my end of the project and the importance of working together as a team to get things done.

Responsibility:  this was really important because I kept up with everything I was responsible for, like keeping track of the budget and the time log. 

Meeting Deadlines:   this year we really had to be done with the shed and done with building and painting by band camp that way it was fully functioning to benefit the band. 

Communication:  I really learned how important communication through setting up meetings and emailing the Principal and other band parents who used the shed for storage of food, water and other supplies.  

Select a project that is important to you, and that you know you will be proud to be a part of, because it makes the project so much more fun and keeps you motivated.  Definitely keep a time log of your work while you work, because you will forget what and when did it!  Finally, take lots of pictures because the before and after is so fun to look and helps show how much you project really contributes.                                                                                                                         

Breaking Bad Eating Habits- One girl teaches youths about healthy lifestyle choices

Gold Award Girls

The following entry was written by Elizabeth Twichell, who was the mastermind behind the nutrition program "Breaking Bad Eating Habits!" Her project was designed to increase awareness of the impact of good dietary choices within a healthy lifestyle. Keep reading to find out about her motivation, challenges and how she overcame them.

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The summer before my senior year of high school, I completed my Girl Scout Gold Award project with Breakthrough Austin, an organization that helps middle school students from low-income backgrounds be the first in their families to graduate from college. I selected this project because I was familiar with Breakthrough through its partnership with my high school and had volunteered as a mentor during my sophomore year. Consequently, I knew how the organization worked, what its strengths were, and what I felt was missing. Breakthrough already had a longstanding fitness program called "Breakthrough Gets Fit,” but, although exercise is crucial to a healthy lifestyle, nutrition must complement it in order to be truly healthy. So, over the course of 112 hours, I implemented a nutrition program into the summer session of Breakthrough Austin. My project, entitled “Break-ing Bad Eating Habits!” was designed to increase awareness of good nutritional practices, addressing topics like the importance of home cooking and reading nutrition labels. I presented my project through a series of 10 lessons at the University of Texas at Austin’s University Teaching Center and arranged to have the Healthy Lifestyles Chair of the Texas PTA come to relate healthy eating habits to academic performance. My nutrition program will be a key component of Breakthrough Austin’s summer program for years to come.

My goals in my project were to inspire youths from low-income families to improve their quality of life by eating healthier foods on a regular basis. Despite my careful planning, however, I encountered scheduling conflicts and technical issues throughout the course of the summer. A few days, I even arrived at the UTC and was told that I would be unable to present my lesson due to complications beyond my control. Since the nutrition program was new to Breakthrough this summer, the Breakthrough staff had to balance the original Breakthrough summer program with the schedule for my project. Consequently, plans sometimes changed and I had to be flexible. To ensure I was still able to cover enough material, I pushed back lessons a day or two, and prioritized which lessons I felt were the most important to present to the Breakthrough students.

Throughout my Gold Award project, I learned much about interacting with professionals, teaching students, creating lesson plans, public speaking, and efficient organization. My contact with Breakthrough staff and with the guest speaker I arranged taught me the proper etiquette used when working with professionals. While planning my lessons, I carefully designed outlines before making PowerPoint slides to maximize effective teaching in a short period of time. Sometimes I even rehearsed my lessons before presenting them so I wouldn’t falter while teaching the students. I developed an organized system for presenting each lesson, which included an introduction, a demonstration or interesting hook to attract the students’ attention, a series of key points, and a review assessment. Clearly, even though the students were supposed to be learning from me, I learned many invaluable lessons about myself that I will remember in the future.

For other Girl Scouts thinking about pursuing their Gold Award: Start early! More than half of the hours that went into my project were spent planning and organizing the resources needed, so it is always a good idea to start thinking about your project several months before you plan to put it into action. Choose a project you feel confident about doing with an organization you are familiar with. Lastly, don’t be intimidated of working with professionals, be patient and flexible with scheduling conflicts as they arise, and don’t forget to thank those who have helped you along the way!

Back to Basics: helping children experience nature

Gold Award Girls

The following entry was written by Nicolette Newton about her Gold Award project-- a hands-on booklet to help children experience nature--and how she accomplished it. Keep reading to find out her motivation to stick with Girl Scouting through the years and the impact it has made in her life.

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I started as a Daisy, at age five, not knowing at the time that Girl Scouts would have taken the course it did.

At first, Girl Scouts was all about earning badges, being with friends, and having fun, but then it became more; it was more about learning and growing. This was around the time that many girls were dropping out and saying it wasn’t cool, but I made my decision to stay. I remember reading an article in the newspaper about three close friends who earned their Gold Awards, which is so rare. I also remember thinking how cool it would be to stay in Girl Scouts and be as happy as they were in that picture. That was my “aha!” moment and my reason to stick with it. I think that was one of the first big decisions I made in life.

I chose to focus my Gold Award project at Candlelight Ranch because they have been an inspiration to me. CLR aids special needs and at-risk children, focuses heavily on the importance of the outdoors, and represents conservation in many of their projects.

My father is a member of the advisory committee for Candlelight Ranch and I have done many service camps at the Ranch, so the location was an obvious choice. Choosing my Gold Award project was another step along the path of my passion for helping others. It was a monumental goal, which I pursued enthusiastically. I’m also really handy with a computer and designing, so I wanted to pick a project that I could be very successful at. 

My goal was to create a hands-on booklet that helps children learn and experience nature. My goals were definitely met. 

I was faced with many challenges. My main obstacle was time management. It was my senior year when I focused on this project and time management was very difficult for me. One day, I spread all my notes out, organized layouts and buckled down. It was a very exciting and rewarding experience and I became very passionate about the outcome.

I’m glad I stuck with Girl Scouts for the adventure, fun times, learning experiences, and the discoveries I made about myself. I am so proud of having reached my goal, and completing my Gold Award. Not only did it enrich my past, but it will greatly impact my future. Being a Gold Award recipient is an honor and is well respected by colleges, employers, family and peers. It will open up opportunities, which would not have been accessible before. I believe this was a factor in my acceptance to Baylor University, where I am a freshman majoring in Graphic Design. 

I remember the days when I was selling cookies at Randall’s, going on campouts, wrapping presents at Brown Santa, designing and selling t-shirts, hosting a father/daughter dance, and so much more. It was a whirlwind of adventures and I wouldn’t take the experience back for anything. 

Advice I have for girls seeking their Gold Award is to have fun! Pursuing the Gold Award is a very rewarding and challenging experience. Keep in mind that organization, time management, budget and contacts are all important aspects of attaining a successful project. Most importantly, always believe in yourself, and just like the Olympic athletes, “Go for the Gold!”

Helping them Remember: How one Girl Scout helped Alzheimer's patients

Gold Award Girls

The following entry was written by Marissa Konde about her Gold Award project--helping Alzheimer's patients--where she drew inspiration from and how she accomplished it. Thank you, Marissa!

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For my project I made and led activities for an Alzheimer’s /dementia respite group called Mike’s Place. Mike’s Place program is part of Meals on Wheels (MoW) and is held in east Austin in the MoW building. About 16 families were being served with my project. The activities engaged the Alzheimer’s patient’s minds and helped them to keep communicating. It also strengthened family bonds since some activities were taken home and done with a family member.  It benefited others because the Alzheimer’s patients engaged their minds, reduced anxiety/ restlessness and kept them intellectually active. Also, their caregivers got a break, and the volunteers helped the participants grow.  Indirectly, I believe that others in Austin (and in the United States) benefited from my blog, which listed activities and directions to complete the activities. These groups or families would then have ideas for interacting with persons who have dementia.

I chose this project because my grandma has been having memory problems, and this project could help me learn more about memory difficulties.  I also selected it because my mom volunteers at Mike’s Place and she thought it would be a great place that could use my contribution. 

My goals were to impact the Alzheimer’s/dementia patients and families in a positive way, advertise my activity blog, and have some money donated for supplies for the sustainability of the project. I also created an interest survey for the participant’s families to complete so different kinds of focus could be incorporated into activities at Mike’s Place. 

 Many of them are sustainable because they can be reused again, time after time (see list of sustainable activities attached). I purchased some decorations to go with Mike’s Place weekly themes that can be reused year to year too.  I also raised $400 along with my church, which went to Mike’s Place to provide funding for purchasing materials needed for activities. I recruited the craft group from my church to commit to making a few activities for Mike’s Place next year. Hopefully my blog will continue to be a source of inspiration for others to do the same in their communities.

One of my biggest obstacles was collecting funds for supplies. I sent letters and emails explaining my project to various businesses requesting funds to support with little to no response.  I was able to get a couple of businesses to donate supplies and one of them donated laminating services, which was very helpful.  Once I saw where most of the money was going, I did find ways to cut costs.  My church allowed me to make color copies using their copier, as did Mike’s place.  This helped me cut down significantly on costs. I was able to raise money in my church to support Mike’s Place for next year.

My advice to anyone getting their gold award is to pick a subject that you really like and won’t get tired of. Most importantly never give up!

Conservation: A Way of Life Worth Teaching

Gold Award Girls

The following blog entry is by Catherine Vrabel, a Gold Award girl from Central Texas. She wrote about her experience attaining her award and the positive impact it had on her community and her as well. Thank you, Catherine!

                                                                                                                                  

My name is Catherine Vrabel. Over the past year I've worked very hard to achieve something I have always wanted to earn: the Gold Award. When I got old enough to start working on the Gold Award I was not sure exactly what I wanted to do for my project. My dad is a farmer and when he received an award for Outstanding Conservation Farmer, it really inspired me to do something about conservation. I was reading an agriculture magazine when I came across a page about the topic. It hit me that it would be amazing if I did something similar-- reaching out to people about conservation. However, instead of reaching out to adults, I thought “What about youth?” This was the project I wanted to do, so I began to fill out the proposal and my project began. 

My project was called “Conservation for Youth” and it was about all things conservation. I did many projects. One was doing a class at a Girl Scout camp where I did experiments with Girls explaining conservation and its meaning. I also did projects with other girl groups, like nature hikes. I talked about soil conservation and did projects with them. In the spring I ran a booth at a festival in Belton, TX. Here I handed out coloring books about conservation to children and they got to plant their own tomato seed that they could take home and transplant. I also had some adults that were interested in what I was doing and asked about conservation and what they could do. The whole idea of my project was to reach out to as many youth as I could about conservation because they are the face of the new generation. I envisioned them conserving as they grow up, then they pass it on to others to make this world a better place!

I did have challenges along the way.  For example, I didn't know how I would put my project into action. I was a bit overwhelmed. I also faced the challenge of not really wanting to get in front of people and talking and giving directions because I felt I was being bossy. I realized if you need something to get done and you ask in a nice way that is not being bossy, it is being a leader. All this hard work was definitely worth it and I don’t regret one minute of it! I had so much fun, met different people who were so nice and helpful. The most rewarding outcome was looking back and seeing how many people benefited from my projects and how many people I helped.

My advice to any girl who is thinking about going for their Gold Award is to have great friends and family to help you out. Pick a project you really feel strongly about. Most importantly, don’t get discouraged because if you set your mind to anything, it is possible. You can do it!

How Getting My Gold Award Changed My Life

Hi, my name is Mandy Jústiz.  I am 17 years old and have been a Girl Scout for 10 years.  As a Girl Scout, I have always loved community service, whether it be wrapping gifts for Blue Santa or collecting blankets for an animal shelter.  It was not until about half way through my Girl Scout career that I learned about the Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards, but once I did, I knew I had to complete them. 

The summer before my sophomore year, I learned about National Young Women of Distinction, an award which is annually given to ten Girl Scouts who showed exemplary leadership, innovation, and problem solving skills in their Gold Award.  I applied for the award and, a few months later, learned that I would be one of the 2013 recipients.  Soon after, I was informed that I was also one of five National Young Women of Distinction chosen to represent Girl Scouts at a brunch with Congress in Washington DC where female Congress members were inducted into Troupe Capitol Hill. My trip to DC was incredible and the brunch was beyond words!  I had the opportunity to talk with several members of Congress as well as Anna Maria Chávez, the CEO of Girl Scouts.  A month later, I flew to Phoenix, Arizona to receive my award. There, I was interviewed by Justine Magazine and Girl Scouts of the USA.  I also participated in a panel for Girl Scouts who were interested in completing their Gold Awards.
 The award ceremony was amazing.  The room, filled with Girl Scout CEOs and COOs from councils across the country, was charged with an amazingly high energy.  I was terribly nervous to give my thank you speech; I had never made a speech before, although this one became my first of many.  At the ceremony award winners recieved a $4,500 scholarship from Kappa Delta and were given our National Young Women of Distinction and life time membership pins.  

  
 I started thinking about my Gold Award the summer before freshman year. I have always been very interested in marine biology and knew I wanted to incorporate my hobby into my Gold Award.  After bouncing several ideas off of my father, I decided that I should build a fish tank for an elementary school.  I figured that it would be an effective, fun way to introduce children to the aquatic world.  I contacted the University of Texas Elementary School and got approval to build a tank in their main office.  However, after some thinking, I decided that I was not content with just building an aquarium.  I again started talking with my dad and finally decided that, in addition to the aquarium, I would create a 3-day module, which could be incorporated into an elementary school curriculum, which I could use to teach children about aquatic ecology and conservation. 

The elementary school put me in contact with a 5^th grade science teacher, who welcomed my idea and offered her help should I need it. With my plan completed, I started to design and build the aquarium. For the next several months, the 60 gallon aquarium was my baby. I checked on it often, ran tests on the water, and added various chemicals and bacteria at least once a week. I couldn't wait for the water to be stable enough to add fish.  When it was finally ready, we went to the pet store and picked out the fish.  The fish I chose were cherry barbs, Mickey Mouse platies, black mollies, otocinclus, powder blue gourami, and ghost shrimp. The array of fish allowed me to teach children about how different lifestyles and habitats affect the fish and its adaptations.  Once the fish were added to the aquarium, I started creating the module.  I played around with the organization of the material, did a lot of research, and tried desperately to find ways of teaching that would not bore the children. I decided the best way of doing so would be to keep a healthy balance between anatomical, physiological, conservation, and environmental information mixed with fun facts and pictures.  I continued to update the module whenever I learned something new, but I always tried to maintain the balance.  My first time teaching the 5^th graders was a life changing moment.  Experiencing the student’s energy and excitement, and hearing their insightful questions made me realize my love for teaching. 

          
  When I was a Brownie, I never imagined the impact that Girl Scouts would have on my life.  It has led me to discover myself, my passions, and my dreams.  Because of this wonderful organization, I have become the confident leader I am today. 

Update on Gold Award Committee

As many of you may have heard, Girl Scouts of Central Texas is currently revamping our Gold Award Committee structure and re-configuring the way we process Gold Awards. We are doing so in order to provide stellar support to our amazing girls. However, please do note that the content of the Gold Award is not changing at this time.

The new process will actively involve all areas of council with the goal of being able to provide each girl with a mentor in their area. While we working through this transition process, the committee has been reinstated to help ensure that we provide the best service to all girls working towards their Gold Award. The committee and council staff will work collectively to make sure that the transition is well planned out and the proper training materials are available to help guide everyone through the process.

The committee will resume meeting every two weeks beginning on July 3. We are currently seeking additional Girl Scout Superstars to serve on the Gold Award Committee in all four areas of the council. If you are interested in joining the new committee, please complete an application and send it to mygoldaward@gsctx.org 

Together, we will get her to the Gold!

-Sherry Wolfe, Director of Program Services

Spotlight on National Young Woman of Distinction Mandy Justiz

Mandy Justiz, 16, is currently a sophomore at St. Andrew’s Episcopal School, where she is active in musical productions, a member of Chapel Advisory Board, Select Choir and on the dance team at Shirley McPhail School of Dance.

Mandy is honored to be recognized as a 2013 Girl Scout National Young Woman of Distinction. The opportunities and experiences this award has given her are life-changing. In February, she was one of the NYWOD chosen to attend a Girl Scouts USA breakfast in Washington D.C., where they released the Girl Scout Centennial Coin and welcomed legislators into Troop Capitol Hill. The following month, she traveled to Phoenix to attend the National Girl Scout CEO Convention, where she received her NYWOD award.

The focus of Mandy’s Gold Award project is marine science and conservation. Passionate about the health of the ocean and how youth education impacts global problems, Mandy designed an aquarium and three-day curriculum to expose 5th grade students to ocean health and environmental threats to the ecosystem. Mandy is currently expanding the curriculum based on teacher request and continues to host lectures at the school. She hopes to soon bring the program to other schools and communities and after high school, will pursue her studies in the field of Bio-medicine and Environmental Science.