Local Teen Earns Prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award

Lia Flores, 18, has earned the Gold Award, the Girls Scouts’ most prestigious honor, for a project to help the Port Washington community prepare for flooding. Lia, a recent graduate of Roslyn High School, is a Juliette Scout, meaning that she pursued an independent pathway supported by the Girl Scouts of Nassau County.

Lia’s Gold Award project focused on helping community members better understand how to prepare for and respond to flooding. Lia researched and created informational brochures in English, Spanish, and French to make flooding information accessible to more members of the community. The brochures explain what can happen during a flood, including potential dangers and damage, as well as the effects that can continue after the flood has ended. They also provide information about flood preparedness and ways people can better protect themselves, their families and their homes.

Lia chose this project because flooding is an important issue on Long Island, especially for communities located on the coastlines. Her interest in the topic is also personal. “When I was younger, I lived in Manorhaven and experienced flooding firsthand when our basement flooded,” she explains. “Our family was not adequately prepared for the flood, which showed her how important it is for people to understand the risks and know how to prepare ahead of time.”

Through her Gold Award project, Lia hopes to help other families become better prepared. The brochures can be viewed at: https://sites.google.com/view/floodingoldawardproject/home. Copies have been available to the Port Washington Police Department and fire houses, and the Port Washington Public Library.

The Gold Award is the highest achievement a Girl Scout can earn. It challenges Girl Scouts to take on an issue that is important to their community and create a meaningful, lasting solution. According to the Girl Scouts of Nassau County, this year’s Gold Award involved “designing and executing a long-term, sustainable project that addresses a local or global community challenge.” Through their projects, Girl Scouts develop leadership, problem-solving, and organizational skills while creating a positive and lasting impact in their communities. A minimum of 80-hours of work on the project is required.