Herricks Association Girl Scouts Awarded Highest Honor

Herricks, NY (June 30, 2016)— The Girl Scouts of Nassau County recently distributed 101 Gold Awards during a ceremony hosted by the United States Merchant Marine Academy. Jane Anne Baranello and Megan Carson of the Herricks Association were among the awardees. Now in its hundredth year, the Gold Award program recognizes the power and dedication shared by an elite group of young women who earn the highest honor a Girl Scout can achieve. Jane and Megan spent more than 80 hours over the past year planning, executing and presenting the results of their projects, which aimed to make the world a better place for others as well as herself.

“We are extremely proud to celebrate the achievement of over 100 local young women earning their Girl Scout Gold Award during its 100th year,” said Donna Ceravolo, Executive Director and CEO of the Girl Scouts of Nassau County. “On average, only five percent of eligible Girl Scouts successfully earn the Gold Award, making these girls part of an exclusive group of women with the tools to become leaders in the 21st century.”

Gold Award projects have positively impacted girls’ lives, their communities and the world for 100 years. Approximately 1 million Girl Scout alumnae have developed Gold Award projects that addressed local or global issues. After identifying an area of interest, a successful Gold Award recipient performs hours of research and prepares a project proposal to be submitted for feedback and approval to the Girl Scouts Council before embarking on her project. The Girl Scout presents her final conclusions as the last step of the journey.

Both recipients tackled a project that held a deep significance to them. Their projects are described below:

Through Jane’s Gold Award project, “Patriotism: Student Civic Contributions to Democracy via Collective Thinking,” she encouraged respect and participation in the democratic process. Jane participated in Empire Girls State, an internship on principles of American government. Understanding the difficulties in maintaining a democracy and the freedom it espouses, Jane observed a lack of patriotism and respect toward the American flag, veterans and our political system among her peers.

Jane conducted a series of workshops for middle school students in public speaking and running for office, identifying a public policy issue, drafting a bill, presenting it for vote, and promoting active participation in government. Jane prepared a handbook that included a DVD with pictures and video of her workshops and collaborations to distribute to local libraries, historical societies and the American Legion Auxiliary.

Megan undertook “Trash to Treasure” to combat the overproduction of trash/waste that negatively impacts our planet. She conducted workshops with children that taught them how to turn trash into works of art, and she utilized a Youtube channel with tutorial videos to keep these tactics available for all the world to view and practice. As the project’s “CEO,” Megan felt that this project boosted her leadership skills and helped to make her a more independent person.

Lifelong value comes with having earned a Gold Award. According to the Girl Scout Research Institute, Gold Award recipients display more positive life outcomes pertaining to sense of self, life, satisfaction, leadership, life success, community service and civic engagement. Recipients of the award who enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces may receive advanced rank for their achievements and can receive scholarships or other recognition from most colleges or universities.

Notable Gold Award recipients include Jan Hopkins, CNN financial news anchor, and Betsy Boze, Senior Fellow at American Association of State Colleges and Universities and President at Kent State University Stark.

We’re the Girl Scouts of Nassau County: We’re 23,000 strong – 23,000 girls and adults who believe every girl from Nassau County can change the world. It began over 100 years ago with one woman, Juliette Gordon “Daisy” Low, who believed in the power of every girl. Today, we continue her vision of building girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place by helping them discover their inner strength, passion and talents. And with programs in Nassau County, across Long Island and throughout the United States, there’s a chance for every girl to do something amazing. We’re the Girl Scouts. To volunteer, reconnect, donate or join, visit www.gsnc.org or contact Donna Rivera-Downey at 516 741-2550.