Three Herricks Girls Scouts from Troop 1089 engaged in projects of public service that earned them Gold Awards, the highest award attainable in girl scouting.
Jessica Bikales, Victoria Flemm and Melanie Pavladis, all recent graduates of Herricks High School, received their awards from the Girls Scouts of Nassau County.
Bikales and Flemm teamed up for their Gold Award project titled, “Help a Kid be a Kid,” which brought helped children, who were undergoing chemotherapy. They utilized their creative sides by designing crafts and attractive boxes to collect toys to give to the sick children. After each treatment, the children would receive a toy intended to take their minds off their illness.
Bikales and Flemm also created a brochure and spoke to community members to raise awareness of the children.
Bikales was a member of the STARR Club and yearbook committee at Herricks High School, and will be attending Adelphi University in the fall.
Flemm was a member of Youths Against Cancer, yearbook committee and the track team at Herricks and will be attending Molloy College in the fall.
Melanie Pavlidis wanted to introduce fresh produce and composting to spark interest in horticulture among her fellow high school students. For her Gold Award project, entitled “The Green Growers,” she brought together the students and faculty at Herricks High School to create an organic garden in one of the courtyards.
Under Pavlidis’ direction, they removed concrete, built a greenhouse and enriched the soil with organic compost. To further beautify the space, she had the art honor society paint a mural in the courtyard.
Pavlidis was a member of the Student Action for the Environment Club, Recycling Club and French Club at Herricks, and is a volunteer at Clark Botanic Gardens. She plans to attend SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in the fall.
“We are proud of all the young women who earned their Girl Scout Gold Award this year,” said Donna Ceravolo, executive director of the Girl Scouts of Nassau County. “Only 5 percent of eligible Girl Scouts choose to take this rigorous path towards earning their Gold Award. We couldn’t be happier for those that achieved this award and really changed the lives of others and improved their communities in significant ways.”
On June 12 the Girl Scouts of Nassau County honored the three young women The Inn At New Hyde Park. On June 8, Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano presented the girls, along with their Eagle Scout counterparts from Boy Scouts, with certificates for their achievements at the Theodore Roosevelt Legislative Chamber in Mineola.
The Gold Award project helps high school-aged Girl Scouts develop leadership skills and explore various career paths.
Overall, the Gold Awards require up to a three-year commitment from each young woman.
