Twenty-one Manhasset Girl Scouts received honors for their presentations on world issues at the 100th annual Gold Awards for the Girl Scouts of Nassau County. Each honoree spent 80 hours planning a “Take Action” project that focused on community service and ways to improve the world for others, according to the organization.
“We are extremely proud to celebrate the achievement of over 100 local young women earning their Girl Scout Gold Award during its 100th year,” Donna Ceravolo, executive director of the Girl Scouts of Nassau County, said in a news release. “On average, only 5 percent of eligible Girl Scouts successfully earn the Gold Award, making these individuals part of an exclusive group of women with the tools to become leaders in the 21st century.”
The Manhasset girl scouts recognized at the event were Julie Alonso, Courtney Aspinall, Jill Calderone, Gabriela DeCastro, Nandita Desikan, Meghan Fahey, Skyler Gaccione, Daniela Haigian, Julia Henry, Caitlyn Kim, Regan Lavin, Jordyn Mannino, Paige Mantikas, Lauren Merola, Lauren Moschitta, Stephanie Palma, Alexandra Steck, Olivia Tatarian, Jessica Thalheimer, Emily Treacy and Amanda Wysota.
The chief marketing and communications officer for Girl Scouts of Nassau County, Donna Rivera-Downey, said that since a small percentage of scouts receive the honor, it is a significant accomplishment that a large number from this year’s honor class are from Manhasset.
To be considered for a Gold Award, scouts must complete two Senior or Ambassador Journeys or earn a Silver Award and complete one of the journeys. Each of the requirements help build necessary skills for the girl scouts to start their “Take Action” project, according to the news release.
“It’s a culminating award. They start learning how to do this as young as Brownies and the younger ages so that eventually they can get to this point,” Rivera-Downey said. “From then on, they can have all the fun they want. They’ve done the hard part.”
One awardee, Julie Alonso, started a “Concert/Choral Cooperative Clothing Exchange,” which provided gently used concert attire for needy students. Many of the students received the clothes in time for their winter performances, the news release said.
Another project called “Steps to Health” by an awardee, Nandita Desikan, took on the issue of childhood obesity by teaching students at the Manhasset after-school program Adventures in Learning about staying active and eating healthy. Desikan created a recipe book for each of the students and shared the recipes on a Twitter account, the news release said.
Rivera-Downey said the honor is equivalent to the Boy Scouts’ Eagle Award, and can lead to benefits beyond their time in the organization. Recipients may be eligible for scholarships when they apply to colleges, can receive an advanced rank when enlisting in the military, and use the recognition as a boost for job placement, she said.
Kaitlyn Genari, who earned her Gold Award in June 2014, shared her experience on receiving the recognition.
“Just like my fellow Girl Scout sisters, my journey through scouts was unique, filled with an array of different experiences, but the one thing I share with all of them, is the experience of earning my Gold Award,” Genari said in the news release. “There truly was no feeling like completing my Gold Award. I felt a sense of pride and belonging as I was able to connect with others and make a difference in my community. Being able to pioneer my own Take Action project allowed me to showcase my abilities as a planner, leader and action taker.”
Genari’s project focused on pedestrian safety, and she petitioned to increase crossing times at intersections on Hempstead Turnpike. Her project resulted in the addition of pedestrian walk signals along the roadway, the news release said.
