8 Stellar Girl Scouts Receive Scholarships Totaling $12,500 for Creating & Executing Exceptional Gold Awards

Girl Scouts of Connecticut recently recognized 35 exceptional Girl Scouts who earned the organization’s highest achievement at the Annual Girl Scout Gold Awards Ceremony in New Haven. Now, the non-profit organization is pleased to announce that eight exceptional awardees received monetary scholarships totaling $12,500 for their positive community-enhancing projects. They are Julia Farrand of Berlin. Lily Picard of Farmington, Riley Simons from Milford, Grace Piccioli of West Hartford, Leah Corso-Greene of Wallingford, Kayleigh Kirchoff from Hamden, Grace Moriarty of Wallingford and Sophie Zezula of Ridgefield.

“To earn the Gold Award, a Girl Scout identifies an issue affecting her community, drafts a plan to address a root cause, and then leads a team of volunteers to implement it. When the project is complete, Gold Award Girl Scouts and their teams will have made a sustainable impact on their community that continues to last beyond their involvement,” said Elicia Pegues Spearman, CEO at Girl Scouts of Connecticut. “This alone is a major feat, however, eight shining stars have taken their projects to the next level with their exceptional leadership and citizenship skills that set them apart.”

Spearman highlights each Girl Scout’s specific contribution and scholarship reward:

• Julia Farrand of Berlin received $1,000 for developing and delivering more than 20 sensory boards to the Berlin Public School system and the ACES organization to support special needs students who struggle with sensory processing challenges.
• Lily Picard of Farmington was awarded $1,000 for spearheading “Go Gold for Silver”, a community program to make Farmington a safer, more bike-friendly town by improving bike education, infrastructure and public awareness.
• Riley Simons from Milford earned $1,000 for creating the “Teen Wall Initiative”, a mental health education course designed to help adults recognize and respond to warning signs of mental illness in teens.
• Grace Piccioli of West Hartford won $1,000 for revitalizing her church’s low-cost summer Bible camp to provide engaging, affordable childcare for local families and build leadership opportunities for teen volunteers.
• Leah Corso-Greene of Wallingford received $1,000 for creating a “Mindfulness Garden” designed to address mental health struggles in middle school students, and which provides a safe space for them to unplug and detach from social media.
• Kayleigh Kirchoff from Hamden was awarded $1,000 for building a slingshot range at Camp Jewell YMCA to promote outdoor activity, improve eye-hand coordination and offer a fun accessible alternative to traditional ranged sports.

Additionally, Grace Moriarty of Wallingford received the $5,000 award from Girl Scouts USA and Sophie Zezula of Ridgefield received the Connecticut Elks Association scholarship in the amount of $1,500.

All 35 Gold Award honorees also received an official Gold Award Certificate, Letter, and Proclamation.

“Less than six percent of all Girl Scouts earn the prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award,” adds Spearman “Above all else, this achievement makes a girl understand what a difference one person can make, and how dreaming big can make positive change in the world.”

About Girl Scouts of Connecticut

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