2013 Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scout Gold Awards

2013

Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines

As one of 112 Girl Scout Councils chartered by Girl Scouts of the USA, Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines serves more than 28,000 girl members and nearly 10,000 adult members in 41 central and eastern North Carolina counties. With administrative headquarters in Raleigh, regional service centers in Fayetteville and Goldsboro, four camp properties, and community partners, our capacity to serve girls and provide relevant and engaging programming continues to grow.

In MemoriamThis year’s Girl Scouts Gold Award Booklet is dedicated to the memory of Mary Beth Hall. Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines lost one of its most dedicated and tenured members in July 2013. Mary Beth was an outstanding volunteer for more than 20 years and a valued member of the Gold Award Committee. She will be missed.

Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest and most prestigious achievement in Girl Scouting. To earn this award, girls must commit to take action and create a lasting change in their communities. It requires that each girl demonstrate significant leadership, planning, and organizational skills. Each year, girls who Go Gold demonstrate extraordinary leadership through individual Take Action projects that provide a sustainable benefit to their community.

Since 1916, girls have successfully answered the call to Go Gold, an act that indelibly marks them as accomplished members of their communities and the world. Awarded to fewer than six percent of Girl Scouts annually, each Gold Awardee spends one to two years on her project. This year, Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines is proud to bestow the Girl Scout Gold Award on 60 girls.

Congratulations to all of Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines’ Girl Scout Gold Award recipients for achieving their goals and this distinguished honor all while serving their communities.

The Girl Scout Gold Award

Since the Council unification in 2007 which established Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines, 367 Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors have achieved the highest award in Girl Scouting.

Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines takes great pride in recognizing the outstanding accomplishments of the 60 young women who earned the Girl Scout Gold Award in 2013. Congratulations to all of our award recipients for demonstrating leadership, advocacy and compassion in their community and beyond.

Girl Scouting’s Highest Award

2 The Girl Scout Gold Award

Fulfilling the requirements for the Girl Scout Gold Award starts with the completion of two Girl Scout Senior or Ambassador Leadership Journeys; or having earned the Girl Scout Silver Award and completing one Senior or Ambassador Journey. After the Journey requirement has been fulfilled, 80 hours is the suggested minimum hours of work and service for Gold Award projects, which includes these steps:

Steps to the Gold Award

• Identifying an issue• Investigating it thoroughly• Inviting others to participate and building a team• Creating a plan• Presenting the plan to Gold Award Committee• Gathering feedback• Taking action• Educating and inspiring others

Morgan Christine Acree

Taylor Nicole Babson

Madison Ann Barnes

Jessica N. Best

Frances Marie Betts

Olivia Ann Butler

Jillian E. Campbell

Alexis Jeanne Carter

Ciera Elyse Cipriani

Amanda Collins

Kendall Leigh Cunningham

Khushboo Dass

Valerie Brianna Davis

Bridget Elaine Demery

Moli Arin Eddins

Amy Stuart Erkes

Courtney Marie Floyd

Holly Marie Gabry

Ceaira Nicole Gillis

Emily Coles Good

2013 Girl Scout Gold Award RecipientsTatianna Griswold

Alexandria Hanyok

Carly Nix High

Meghana Holegadde

Emily Lauren Hoppe

Napur Jain

Faith L. Jarvis

Claudia Jayne Kennedy

Rachel Ashley Little

Kathryn Chapin Meekins

Hayley Kristine Monsees

Amanda Renee Morrow

Breanna Kaitlyn Moss

Maleah Rachelle Murray

Katie Rose Needell

Violet Simmons Noe

Destiny Oakley

Charlotte Taylor Overton

Jennifer Ann Pabst

Jessica Leighanne Parris

Sarah Peterson

Alexis Elaine Raiford

Sita Janki Uday Ranavaya

Asha Reddy

Alicia Caroline Reed

Amanda Miriam Reza

Devin Virginia Riley

Hannah Nicole Ryan

Marisa Margaret Sampson

Beverly Anne Setzer

Carly Madison Shaw

Ayauna A. Sumpter

Kayla Michelle Tanner

Sonum Tharwani

Maria Clair Tsikerdano

Margaret Mae Tucker

Jessica Hale Vickery

Andrea Jane Wilkerson

Lauren Nicole Wilsey

Morgan Alexis Young

2013 Recipients 3


Morgan has a desire to become a pediatric dentist so her Gold Award project was a perfect fit for her. She learned that Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports show a significant increase in dental cavities among young children and was concerned. She felt the stage was being set for many young children to develop a lifetime of complications from poor oral health. Morgan designed a pediatric dental-care education program. She taught preschoolers the proper way to brush their teeth, discussed healthy foods, and produced a brochure for the children to review with parents and caregivers at home.

At the athletic fields near her home, Madison noticed that plastic bottles were being thrown in the trash, or worse – on the ground. She worked with the Town of Cary to have seven additional recycling bins strategically placed at area athletic fields and facilities. To increase usage of the bins, she implemented creative programs to educate students, athletes, and residents. She taught groups how to use the bins and helped them understand the benefits of recycling. Additionally, Madison wrote and presented a budget proposal to the Town of Cary requesting that funds be allocated for additional bins where residents had indicated a lack of adequate recycling.

As a member of the Cary High School Band, Taylor wanted to reach out to the community to share her love of band and encourage others to participate. She began by hosting Meet the Band Day, which allowed partici-pants to try different instruments and talk with band members. She created an 18-minute video to be used as an informational source and recruitment tool. The video shows what it is like to be a member of the marching band, winter guard, drum line, and spring ensembles. Taylor reached out to area high school band directors encouraging them to create videos as well, offering to share her process.

Morgan Christine AcreeRoanoke Rapids, Halifax CountyProject: Smile Starters Issue: Pediatric Dental Health

Madison Ann BarnesCary, Wake CountyProject: Increasing Recycling in Athletic Facilities and the CommunityIssue: Recycling

Taylor Nicole BabsonCary, Wake CountyProject: Operation BandIssue: Organizational Recruitment

2013 Recipients 5

At D.H. Conley, Jessica’s high school, students are required to wear uniforms. Jessica realized that some students were encountering difficulties because they lacked clothing items required by the school’s dress code. By soliciting item donations from individuals and businesses, Jessica created a clothing bank that provides uniform items to students who need them. She feels this will enable students who benefit from the clothing bank to have a more positive high school experience. The National Honor Society Club at D.H. Conley High has been enlisted to coordinate future donation drives.

For her Gold Award project, Frances worked with the organiza-tion Rescues 4 Rescues to help train several dogs as service animals and assisted in placing other animals with adoptees. She helped train one of the dogs to walk beside a battery-powered wheelchair and to pull a manual wheelchair. After volunteering at the shelter and learning to care for the animals, she trained others how to do so as well. Frances created a video and brochure to educate and encourage others to participate in rescuing and training animals.

Jessica N. BestWashington, Beaufort CountyProject: D.H. Conley Clothing BankIssue: Clothing Assistance

Frances Marie BettsSelma, Johnston CountyProject: Rescues 4 RescuesIssue: Service Animal Training and Animal Adoption Approximately

one million Girl Scouts have earned the Gold Award or its equivalent since 1916.

The Girl Scouts’ highest award stands for excellence and leadership

for girls everywhere.


Olivia felt that there was a degree of separation between the youth and younger children of her church, so she designed her project to bring them together. She developed a ministry program that allows the youth to teach the children once a month. Her project included the transformation of a room in the church into a chapel. This trans-formation enabled Olivia’s Shine for God Ministry program to take place in a setting more formal than the church’s youth room, but less formal than the sanctuary. Olivia enlisted her construction class to help create ten stained pews and placed them along with a podium in the chapel.

Working with Whiteville’s local government and Arts Council, Alexis brought art to her community on a large scale. She designed a mural depicting a farm scene native to Columbus County and organized volunteers to complete the project. The mural, which covered the side of a downtown building and had to be completed with the help of a crane, was completed at minimal expense using leftover paints. Alexis’ project beautifies the Council courtyard and brings attention to art in her rural community.

As Jillian researched childhood obesity, she felt that she could influence change and have a positive impact on children’s lives. Her objective was to successfully increase awareness of childhood obesity and its effect on youth in her local community. As a certified swim instructor, she introduced children to swimming as a means to promote physical activity. She designed and presented educational programs to youth about the importance of exercise and nutritional habits. Participants were given handouts with nutritional recommendations to teach the importance of making healthy food choices in order to maintain a healthy weight.

Olivia Ann ButlerWhiteville, Columbus CountyProject: S4G – Shine for God Ministry and ChapelIssue: Faith Development and Inclusion

Alexis Jeanne CarterWhiteville, Columbus CountyProject: Beautifying the Art Council’s Courtyard, Our Entrance to Downtown WhitevilleIssue: Art Education and Awareness

Jillian E. CampbellApex, Wake CountyProject: Healthy Lifestyle = Active + Food ChoicesIssue: Childhood Obesity

2013 Recipients 7

Ciera created her project because she believes additional education about physical activity and healthy food choices would help teenagers live healthier lives. She organized a walking group at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics which uses pedometers donated by Be Active NC. Ciera worked to teach students quick, easy ways to incorporate healthy choices into their lives. Her project taught how to integrate fitness into daily activities by adding extra steps and making healthy food choices rather than carving out large chunks of time for exercise or worrying about dieting.

Amanda’s church, Annunciation Catholic Church, has an outdoor Stations of the Cross path. She was concerned that there was no place for families and elder persons walking the path to sit and rest. To enable and encourage more people to walk the stations, she designed and built four weather resistant prayer benches, which were placed along the pathway. As part of her project, Amanda created a video about the Stations of the Cross for educational purposes. She also created a detailed instruction manual for constructing the benches to share with others.

As a student at Oak Ridge Military Academy in northwest Guildford County, Kendall wanted to find a way to give back to her school and enhance the campus grounds. To support this goal, Kendall founded the Green Club to allow cadets to participate in the care and maintenance of their school. The club works to accomplish service projects improving and beautifying the school grounds. Some of the projects that have been organized are the repair of a bridge on the property, cleaning of signage, construction of a compost bin, and bush plantings.

Ciera Elyse CiprianiClayton, Johnston CountyProject: Steps to HealthIssue: Healthy Lifestyles

Amanda CollinsBeaufort, Carteret CountyProject: Prayer BenchesIssue: Faith Practice and Religious Education

Kendall Leigh CunninghamChapel Hill, Orange CountyProject: Green ClubIssue: School Beautification

Gold Award recipients are part of a group of women who embody

community leadership leaving behind a

sustainable legacy.


To promote fun and fitness, Valerie organized an Ultimate Frisbee lunch group at her high school. Her project addressed both declining health in teenagers and the lack of an Ultimate Frisbee program in her community. The program was well received and helped foster increased activity in students: almost half of the students who joined the group were not regularly involved in sports. Students were taught game rules, how to throw a disc, and how to self-officiate. Valerie expanded the reach of her project by providing equipment and game instruction manuals to other athletic directors in the county.

Leaving a healthy planet to future generations is important to Khushboo. Her project addressed the negative consequences human actions have on natural resources. She worked to educate her community about One Health Initiative, which seeks to estab-lish connections between human and veterinarian health practitioners and organizations. She hopes to inspire others to address issues such as the extinction of endangered wildlife, the destruction of wild vegetation, and reducing our ecological footprint. Khushboo created a blog and promo-tional literature that she distributes at her local farmers market. She has engaged other volunteer groups to support this project.

Valerie Brianna DavisSmithfield, Johnston CountyProject: The ULTIMATE SportIssue: Health and Fitness

Khushboo DassCary, Wake CountyProject: ‘One Health’ in One DayIssue: Environmental Impact

2013 Recipients 9

For her Gold Award project, Bridget coordinated an event at her church that offered needed items and services to persons who were homeless in her community. Food, showers, toiletries, clothing, counseling, prayer, grooming services, job-search assistance, and children’s activities were provided. She designed her project not only to provide needed basic goods and services, but as a response to her observation that homeless individuals often seem marginalized by society. Bridget engaged the local media in recruit-ing volunteers for the event. Operation Gospel Bird will be con-tinued by the church’s youth program.

As a volunteer with Vidas de Esperanza, Moli noticed that some patients were coming to the clinic with issues that could be addressed with basic first aid skills. To meet that need, she partnered with the clinic to provide basic first-aid skills to clients. She created basic first-aid instruction pamphlets written in Spanish and English; provided basic first-aid supplies including antibiotic cream, thermometers, alcohol, peroxide and gauze; and taught patients basic first-aid care. Moli is passionate about health care and feels that her project has empowered the clinic’s patients while also supporting the clinic’s staff.

As a lifelong resident of Wilmington, Amy was well aware of the dangers of rip currents, but felt that the Spanish-speaking community did not have adequate information to prevent drownings. In conjunction with Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue, Cape Fear Literacy – English for Speakers of Other Languages, the communications department at UNC-Wilmington, and Amigos Internacional, Amy produced and distributed an informational video for the local Hispanic community on the dangers of coastal rip currents. The National Oceanic and Atmo-spheric Administration’s website features Amy’s video as part of their educational materials on the importance of water safety and rip currents.

Bridget Elaine DemeryGreenville, Pitt CountyProject: Operation Gospel BirdIssue: Homelessness

Moli Arin EddinsMoncure, Chatham CountyProject: Being First-Aid FriendlyIssue: Public Health

Amy Stuart ErkesWilmington, New Hanover CountyProject: Rip Current DeterrentIssue: Water Safety


Courtney designed her project to address the increasing rate of Type 2 Juvenile Diabetes. She created lesson plans that include learning about diabetes, healthy eating habits, exercise, and journal-ing to track exercise and eating habits. In the classroom, Courtney used interactive methods such as worksheets, sampling healthy snacks, and active games. She shared statistics about diabetes, explained how diabetes affects a person, and emphasized the importance of leading a healthy lifestyle. During the summer, Courtney taught six-week programs at the YMCA, the Boys & Girls Club, and other community youth programs to children ages six to twelve years old.

Inspired by Michelle Obama’s project Let’s Move, Ceaira designed a dance therapy program to help youth find ways to stay physically fit and express their feelings through movement. She enlisted volunteer teachers and held workshops for modern dance, hip-hop, dance games, and liturgical dance at her local community center. Ceaira worked to inspire participants to think of dance as a healthy, alter-native sport by teaching them fun ways to dance. Participants kept journals describing how they felt while they were dancing. Ceaira created a presentation and video to share her program with other groups.

In order to help teenage girls with special needs develop social and life skills, Holly designed a special club for them. To help the girls gain a measure of independence, she taught about cooking, cleaning, exercising, and making healthy eating choices. Holly felt that the program enabled the girls to make great strides in their social skills development. As the girls partic-ipated in small service projects, Holly observed that girls who were especially shy blossomed throughout the year. She created a handbook and website to share information and resources so that others can create similar clubs as well.

Courtney Marie FloydWilmington, New Hanover CountyProject: Weighing in on DiabetesIssue: Public Health

Ceaira Nicole Gillis Garner, Wake CountyProject: Dance: The Real EffectIssue: Physical and Mental Health

Holly Marie GabryWillow Springs, Wake CountyProject: All Girls Can ClubIssue: Special Needs Resources

2013 Recipients 11

Being a cheerleader has taught Emily about leadership, building spirit, team work, and self-confidence. She wanted the girls at her local Boys & Girls Club to have the opportunity to develop these skills as she had, so she designed a cheerleading clinic for them. At a two-week clinic, girls learned about self-confidence and leadership as they were taught cheers, chants, and dance. Emily enlisted a local nutritionist to teach participants about healthy eating habits. She worked with her school’s cheerleading program to ensure that the project would be sustained beyond her involvement.

Tatianna developed her project to benefit residents of local nursing and rehabilitation homes. She created custom-built cornhole board sets which include specially made bean bags with different textures, shapes, and weights. The boards benefit residents by helping them increase sensory stimulation, circulation, hand-eye coordination, range of motion, and upper body movement. Tatianna worked with therapists to develop procedures for safe usage. Her project allows residents to have fun and exercise at the same time. Tatianna believes the enjoyable social interaction will also help patients develop more positive attitudes and feelings of independence.

Working with the Bald Head Island Conservancy, Alexandria created a garden highlighting native plants and the role that they play in con-servation. In addition to designing and planting the garden, Alexandria created a plant information chart which is displayed in the garden. Her project educates visitors about the dangers of invasive plants and how they negatively impact the island. She also designed and installed an 11-foot driftwood bench in the garden. Alexandria hosted presentations, where she answered questions from attendees about caring for native plants and the benefits of gardening with native plants.

Emily Coles Good Pinehurst, Moore CountyProject: Cheerleading ClinicIssue: Leadership Development

Tatianna GriswoldGoldsboro, Wayne CountyProject: Independence from BoardsIssue: Public Health

Alexandria HanyokRaleigh, Wake CountyProject: Gardening NativeIssue: Invasive Plant Species


Carly designed her project to preserve the history of her com-munity. She created a gallery in the renovated Whiteville Vineland Depot that displays historical documents, photographs, and artifacts. The gallery includes a timeline of major events in the depot’s past as well as a collection of artifacts that include a vintage conductor’s uniform and a telegraph machine. The exhibit is considered an addition to the NC Department of Forestry located in downtown Whiteville and also as a tourist attraction by the Columbus County Tourism Office and the Whiteville Chamber of Commerce. The gallery will serve as an important connection to Whiteville’s past for future generations.

Knowing that health issues can develop as a result of inadequate dental care, Emily designed her project to help low-income families in Wilmington and surrounding areas locate affordable dental care. She compiled a comprehensive listing of dental providers who offer reduced-cost or free dental care. The resulting brochure was printed both in English and Spanish and will be distributed at various dental offices, the New Hanover County Health Department, Cape Fear Community College, and the North Carolina Division of Social Services. Emily also gave dental health presentations at area schools and provided students with dental care items.

Meghana was inspired to create her project after she learned about white nose syndrome, a deadly fungal infection that has had a significant negative impact on bat populations. She constructed bat houses for Prairie Ridge Ecostation, a research center for the NC Museum of Natural Sciences. The houses will provide shelter for migrating bats and assist researchers in their study of the bats. Meghana produced a brochure and created a website to generate awareness about different bat populations. In addition to providing general information about different types of bats, the brochure and website also address challenges the bats face and the importance of bats in our ecosystem.

Carly Nix HighWhiteville, Columbus CountyProject: Vineland Station History GalleryIssue: Historical Conservation

Emily Lauren HoppeWilmington, New Hanover CountyProject: Creating SmilesIssue: Dental Health

Meghana HolegaddeChapel Hill, Orange CountyProject: Prairie Ridge Bat HousesIssue: Wildlife Conservation

2013 Recipients 13

Napur addressed global health as it relates to personal hygiene while working with Mother Teresa’s Home for Abandoned Children, an orphanage in Secunderabad, India. She taught children about personal hygiene and sanitation, and distributed donations of personal hygiene products that she collected from local groups. Although Napur speaks Hindi, she found it necessary at times to enlist the help of a translator when speaking to children in the orphanage. She created flyers and a presentation about personal hygiene for her project. By present-ing them to groups at her school, she was able to enlist support for her project.

Wanting to help allay the fears children face when hospitalized, Faith creatively designed her project to deliver comfort to pediatric patients. She began by collecting 185 DVDs and purchasing 12 DVD players – one for each room on the pediatric wing at Nash General Hospital. Faith then created a video and comic book to help children understand their hospital experiences. In the video, “Mighty Molly Goes to the Hospital,” Molly teaches children how to be brave. The comic books were printed in both English and Spanish and distributed in several area hospitals. Faith has created a non-profit organization, The Faith Project, to continue and expand this support program.

Napur JainApex, Wake CountyProject: Raising Personal Hygiene Awareness in IndiaIssue: Personal Hygiene

Faith L. JarvisRocky Mount, Nash CountyProject: V.I.P.P. – Very Important Pediatric PatientsIssue: Addressing Pediatric Patient Fears The Gold Award

project fulfills a need within a girl’s

community — whether local or global — creates changes,

and is sustainable.


The desire to provide an opportuni-ty for senior citizens to participate in their community led Claudia to design a program that enables senior citizens to help children in need. Claudia worked with seniors at a local senior center to make 38 blankets that were donated to Project Linus. The blankets are distributed to children in hospitals, shelters, social service agencies, or anywhere that a child might be in need of comfort. Claudia wrote a blog detailing her experience and created a booklet of service project ideas for seniors that retirement homes can use.

Working with the Columbus County Humane Society, Kate developed her project to educate prospective pet owners about adoption. She wrote and illustrated a book that explains the benefits of adopting an older, rescued animal as compared to adopting a puppy or kitten. The book gives suggestions on how to pick an appropriate pet and care for it, and stresses the importance of spaying and neutering. Copies of the book were provided to the Humane Society, who will distribute them. Kate also distributed copies of the book while giving presenta-tions at local schools. She created an online blog where she promotes adoption, spaying, and neutering.

In response to illegal dumping in the Hoke Community Forest, Rachel created a campaign to educate local residents about the forest and the importance of keeping it clean. Her project will help preserve the forest, and protect the Rockfish watershed and drinking water aquifer. The Rock-fish watershed feeds into the Cape Fear watershed which impacts the fresh water supply in a multi-state area. Rachel created a brochure and interacted with residents, business-es, and civic organizations regarding this issue. In conjunction with her ed-ucational campaign, she organized an annual community cleanup day. The inaugural event removed over five tons of garbage from the forest.

Claudia Jayne KennedyRaleigh, Wake CountyProject: Seniors for ServiceIssue: Senior Citizen Service Opportunities

Kathryn Chapin MeekinsWhiteville, Columbus CountyProject: Help the AnimalsIssue: Pet Adoption/Spay and Neutering

Rachel Ashley LittleFayetteville, Cumberland CountyProject: Hoke Community Forest Clean-Up CampaignIssue: Environmental Conservation

2013 Recipients 15

Hayley is aware of the stress that parents with babies in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) face. She designed her project to help allevi-ate some of their stress and worry. Working with WakeMed Raleigh’s NICU, Hayley designed a program to provide parents the opportunity to relax together. She created scrap-books for parents to keep track of their baby’s growth and devel-opment and a keepsake craft for parents to make using their baby’s footprints. Hayley created a binder she will leave with the hospital that contains instructions for hosting Parent Together Time and instruc-tions for creating the scrapbook and keepsake projects.

As a volunteer with the Coastal Therapeutic Riding Program, Amanda noticed that trainers and the facility director had to take time from providing services to clients to assign tasks to volunteers. She created a color-coded system de-signed to enable volunteers to iden-tify and respond to the needs of the organization’s trainers and clients. Her system is displayed on a board in the barn and has improved the facility’s efficiency. Other volunteer based groups have approached Amanda about incorporating the system into their organizations.

Breanna recognizes that girls often face struggles to fit in and make healthy choices. She designed her self-esteem workshop to com-bat the “can’t” attitude she feels develops when girls feel like they can’t fit in, can’t look pretty enough, or can’t be smart enough. Her nutrition workshop helped elemen-tary and middle school aged girls make healthy eating choices and develop a healthy self-image. Par-ticipants learned how to avoid the temptation of easy but unhealthy food choices. Breanna designed a healthy recipe/snack idea box that will remain in use at the Garner Road Community Center.

Hayley Kristine MonseesCary, Wake CountyProject: Preemie Baby Books and Parent Together TimeIssue: Emotional Well-Being

Amanda Renee MorrowWilmington, New Hanover CountyProject: Rainbow of IndependenceIssue: Organizational Volunteer Coordination

Breanna Kaitlyn MossRaleigh, Wake CountyProject: Dressing Yourself Inside & OutIssue: Nutrition and Self-Esteem

Gold Award projects are more than a good

service project— they encompass organizational, leadership, and

networking skills.


Knowing that girls face many changes when advancing from middle school to high school, Katie designed her Gold Award project to help prepare them for that transi-tion. She led weekly meetings for several months that addressed topics such as social, emotional, behavioral, and physical health issues. Through interactive meet-ings, she helped the girls under-stand the importance of academic requirements and healthy lifestyle choices. She addressed responding to bullying, anger management, and conflict management skills. Katie created a website with community resources for the middle school girls and testimonials from high school girls.

Maleah designed her project to address the need for resources geared toward autistic children in her rural community. She created a lending library, hosted by a local elementary school, containing educational books and interactive activities designed specifically for autistic children. After researching autism and working with children who have autism, Maleah created some of the books and activities for the library herself. Additionally, the center contains informational books about autism for parents and teachers. As a part of her project, Maleah created an educational pamphlet about autism to distribute to schools.

Katie Rose NeedellGreenville, Pitt CountyProject: Connect2MiddleIssue: Emotional and Behavioral Development

Maleah Rachelle MurrayWhiteville, Columbus CountyProject: Autism Lending LibraryIssue: Autism Resources and Awareness

2013 Recipients 17

Violet recognized that many high-school students are not able to incorporate life-skills classes into their schedule and wanted to provide opportunities to expand their learning opportunities. She developed a mini course in carpentry for students at J.H. Rose High School. The class built two elevated benches for the baseball and softball fields. Violet proposed additional life-skill classes for shop, foods, auto-motive, and home economics to school administration. She feels that the limited exposure to these types of classes for some students creates a separation between the college-bound and trade-bound students. Through her project, she hopes to bridge that divide.

Destiny saw an opportunity to help families keep children occupied while waiting in area medical offices and pharmacies, and encourage the development of reading skills at the same time. She built color-ful bookshelves and filled them with donated books and activity booklets she designed to teach the children the importance of reading and healthy living. Destiny then used these books and bookshelves to create children’s waiting areas. By keeping children involved with a good book or activity, these waiting areas help parents and guardians have a less stressful visit to the doctor or pharmacy.

Charlotte designed a website dedicated to promoting the accomplishments and stories of the students, teachers, administrators, faculty, and parents of J.H. Rose High School. The website serves to recognize successes, inspire, and create a sense of community cohe-siveness. Charlotte created a blog documenting the development of the website that she hopes will serve as a road map for other schools who may want to create something sim-ilar. She created a Twitter account to promote the website. Charlotte hopes the successes highlighted on the website will inspire others in her community to create their own successes.

Violet Simmons NoeGreenville, Pitt CountyProject: Building Life SkillsIssue: Life-Skills Education

Destiny OakleyNew Bern, Craven CountyProject: Kids KornersIssue: Child Care and Literacy

Charlotte Taylor OvertonGreenville, Pitt CountyProject: Blooming RosesIssue: Community Building


Recognizing that there was a lack of information about resources for people with autism in her community, Jennifer organized an event to highlight available assets. The event enabled teachers and parents of children with autism to connect with resource providers. Seventeen vendors participated in the fair, including Vidant Hospital and the Greenville Aquatic Center. The fair addressed a variety of academic and athletic options for those with autism. Jennifer also created a presentation to teach others about autism and how to relate to people with autism, which she shared with members of the community.

For her Gold Award project, Sarah researched three American Revolutionary battles that took place in North Carolina. To spur student interest in learning about local history and teach about North Carolina events in America’s fight for independence, she created a brochure for the Children of the American Revolution (CAR) organization detailing the three battles. She took steps to link the brochure to the Sons of the American Revolution website as well. Sarah made presentations to various groups in an effort to help the community at large learn more about their region’s history.

To supplement geography lessons in elementary school classrooms, Jessica painted a large playground map of the United States at a local elementary school. The map is designed to encourage children to learn geography in a fun, interactive environment. She created acces-sories to serve as learning games for the project, which included beanbags and placards with state names and capitals, nicknames, and other fun state facts. Instructions for these games and other learning ideas for the map were assembled in a notebook and presented to the elementary school for teachers to use.

Jennifer Ann PabstGreenville, Pitt CountyProject: Autism FairIssue: Autism Resources and Awareness

Sarah PetersonCary, Wake CountyProject: What Happened in Your Backyard?Issue: History Education

Jessica Leighanne ParrisElm City, Wilson CountyProject: Project GeoKnowIssue: Elementary Geography Education

2013 Recipients 19

Concerned about deaths and injuries that occur as a result of dis-tracted driving, Alexis campaigned to educate the public about unsafe driving habits. After extensive research, she designed a brochure and posters, developed a video, and utilized a slideshow developed by the NC Department of Trans-portation to make presentations to various student organizations. She shared information with her peers about what constitutes distract-ed driving and its consequences. She posted information about her project on social media sites. As part of her project, Alexis worked to revitalize the Cape Fear High School chapter of Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD).

As a member of the Indian com-munity, Sita Janki wanted to help increase cultural awareness in respect to Hindustani classical and religious music. She feels that it is vital for people to stay connected to their roots and learn the music of their culture, and felt an obligation to share what she had been taught. She designed and conducted work-shops to teach youth and adults. The workshops included both vocal and instrumental lessons. Adult teaching focused on vocal training for the music style, while youth were also taught lyrics, pronunciation, and translation. Sita Janki taught historical and religious references to help participants understand the meaning of songs.

Asha developed her project to help raise vaccination rates in impoverished rural areas in India. She observed that poverty causes people to spend more time obtaining food and shelter and less time attending to their health. She volunteered at clinics and hospitals in Bangalore, India, and joined visiting nurses who educate and care for members of rural communities. Asha helped encourage patients to go to clinics for vaccination as she handed out a brochure she created along with a government-sponsored booklet. She shared a multimedia presentation detailing the project with her fellow students.

Alexis Elaine RaifordFayetteville, Cumberland CountyProject: Distracted Driving CampaignIssue: Safe Driving

Sita Janki Uday RanavayaFayetteville, Cumberland CountyProject: Spreading the Sounds of IndiaIssue: Cultural Awareness

Asha ReddyCary, Wake CountyProject: Vaccinations for UnderprivilegedIssue: Disease Prevention


Alicia designed her project to inspire youth to use art to improve the world around them. She engaged local artist Roger Kammerer to help create a large-scale, high-quality art project at her local Boys & Girls Club. The ocean-themed mural encompasses three separate walls and is approxi-mately 10 feet high by 65 feet wide. Children at the club participated in the process alongside the artist. Alicia created a guide for painting a mural on a cinderblock surface, so that others can create similar projects. Her project includes a plan to bring the local art community together yearly to create works of art and provide art education for the youth who attend the club.

As a volunteer for SAFE Haven for Cats, Devin is well aware of the importance of spay and neuter programs. She worked with the organization to promote their low-cost spay and neuter program and trap-neuter-release program by creating a SAFE Care Facebook page. Devin added pictures and posts to the page and generated 100 fans over a three-week period. She created stained glass pieces for the SAFE Haven building, and created cat boxes that are used in the adoption rooms. The additional cat boxes helped enable the clinic to secure adoptions for 548 cats and kittens in the fiscal year of Devin’s project.

By interviewing staff members and filming areas of the park, Amanda produced an educational documentary about Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve. She attended meetings with The Friends of Hemlock Bluffs; a local volunteer- based non-profit, support organi-zation for the preserve. Much of the knowledge Amanda gathered was posted on the preserve’s website and Facebook pages to help inform local communities about the park. With her project, Amanda aims to raise awareness of the park and the rare hemlock trees, which she hopes will lead to increased visitors and volunteers at the park.

Alicia Caroline ReedGreenville, Pitt CountyProject: Mural Magic: Inspiring Youth with ArtIssue: Art Education

Devin Virginia RileyRaleigh, Wake CountyProject: Save the CatsIssue: Cat Rescue and Adoption

Amanda Miriam RezaCary, Wake CountyProject: Hemlock Bluffs Documentary Issue: Nature Conservation

2013 Recipients 21

The atmosphere in a hospital pediatric outpatient department can be nervous and tense. Hannah designed a program that provides interactive music for children awaiting appointments at New Hanover Regional Medical Center. Her music program sets children’s minds at ease, provides a source of relaxation, and increases comfort levels. Hannah observed a marked improvement in the atmosphere of the waiting room after playing music and allowing children to join in with shakers. She organized a seminar about her project for current volunteers at the hospital so that they could continue providing music therapy to children.

After researching the factors that influence illiteracy, Marisa developed a reading development program tailored for individuals instead of large classes. The program she developed focused on the different variety of learning styles. Finding that children responded well to books on tape, she created recorded readings of books to use while working with students at her local elementary school. Marisa created pamphlets that explain illiteracy, its main causes, and what can be done to help. The pamphlets will be available to adults and children in her local library.

Hannah Nicole RyanWilmington, New Hanover CountyProject: Harmony in the HospitalIssue: Music Therapy

Marisa Margaret SampsonWilmington, New Hanover CountyProject: Reading in NCIssue: Illiteracy

Gold Award alumnae are more successful in school, develop a stronger sense of self,

and report greater satisfaction with life

than their peers.


Beverly’s project addressed promoting adoption of rescued animals as an alternative to buying puppies. She worked closely with the Southeast German Shepherd Rescue, fostering and training three dogs herself as part of her project. Beverly designed an educational brochure to increase awareness of German Shepherd adoption and fostering options and to address expectations and preparation for an adopted dog. She distributed these brochures at presentations she gave throughout the commu-nity. Southeast German Shepherd Rescue will continue to hand out the brochures at events and make them available online as well.

Ayauna developed a program to teach students how to safely and effectively use social networks. She outlined the advantages and disadvantages and explained how social media can affect professional networking—a crucial element in successful career planning. Hacking, cyberbullying, stalking, fraud, and virus attacks were among the topics in the multi-media course Ayauna developed and presented. After learning about social media usage, students were asked to create skits based on dif-ferent types of situations. Durham Technical Community College has incorporated Ayauna’s project into their Technology Awareness class.

Having worked during the summer at her local farmers market, Carly decided that children visiting the farmers market could benefit from an educational play area. She created a mulched area that contains picnic tables and a large, permanent display with interactive flip-boxes that teach about local fruits and vegetables. Another display shows a global map of fruits and vegetables grown all over the world. Children visiting the center can play and work on handouts prepared by Carly. The handouts are designed to help children make healthier choices and to make eating healthy fun and easier.

Beverly Anne SetzerRaleigh, Wake CountyProject: Foster Home for Southeast German Shepherd RescueIssue: Animal Rescue and Adoption

Ayauna A. SumpterDurham, Durham CountyProject: Social MediaIssue: Social Media Education

Carly Madison ShawChadbourn, Columbus CountyProject: Children’s Fruit and Vegetable Learning CenterIssue: Nutritional Education

2013 Recipients 23

To help senior citizens overcome apprehension about using com-puter technology, Kayla designed a class to teach seniors basic computer skills. In classes, she taught how to navigate a Windows computer environment, access the Internet, and use Microsoft Word and email. One of Kayla’s main goals was to help seniors develop a better knowledge of basic computer skills so that they would be able to access information and take an active part in their own healthcare. She created a brochure containing helpful tips that can be used to review the information taught and to maintain basic skills.

Sonum’s project is a natural extension of her passion for working with children. She part-nered with SAFEchild—a child abuse prevention agency—to promote awareness of child abuse and inform parents about the services that the agency provides. Sonum created and distributed informa-tional visuals and brochures, and utilized social networking sites. She spoke at several venues raising awareness and teaching how to recognize and help when child abuse is suspected. She enlisted various groups and organizations in her community to help provide items to create care kits to distribute to children being served by SAFEchild.

At a local residential-care home for senior citizens, Maria renovated basement space and created a recreational center for residents. She transformed the space by clearing out stored items, painting walls, decorating with artwork, and providing appropriate furniture. The recreation center greatly expanded the common area in the home, allowing expanded leisure activities including bingo, card games, and puzzles. With the increased area, community groups will be able to visit with residents. As she worked on her project, Maria took the opportunity to educate groups about Alzheimer’s and dementia, conditions which affect residents of the home.

Kayla Michelle TannerRaleigh, Wake CountyProject: Senior Citizen Computer SkillsIssue: Technology Accessibility

Sonum TharwaniCary, Wake CountyProject: I Am SomebodyIssue: Child Abuse

Maria Clair TsikerdanoWake Forest, Wake CountyProject: Elsie’s PlaceIssue: Senior Citizen Care

In recognition of their achievements, Gold

Awardees who join the armed services enter at one rank higher than

other recruits.


Jessica was motivated to create a skin cancer prevention project for her Gold Award as a result of a family member’s experience with skin cancer. She constructed a shade shelter and picnic table at a local school and created a sun safety presentation for the school’s first grade physical education class-es. Sun safety tips were stenciled on the shelter, which was constructed to give teachers and students shade from the sun during recess. At the shelter’s ribbon cutting ceremony, Jessica spoke and handed out bags containing water bottles, bookmarks with sun safety tips, and sunscreen samples.

Working with Hope Reins Raleigh, a Christian equine therapy program, Margaret organized the building of a horse trail. The project involved mapping out the trail, organizing volunteers, clearing the trail, and soliciting donations for the project’s completion. Volunteers helped clear the trail and then spread mulch over the new trail with the help of a front-end loader. Before Margaret’s project, riders were initially limited to a riding pen. With this new trail, Margaret facilitated the opening of an unused section of the organization’s property, widening the options available for providing therapy.

Jessica Hale VickeryWake Forest, Wake CountyProject: Fun and Safe in the SunIssue: Cancer Prevention

Margaret Mae TuckerRaleigh, Wake CountyProject: HRR Reflection TrailIssue: Equine Therapy

2013 Recipients 25

Andrea noticed that the elementary students she was tutoring did not seem interested in science. She designed her project to engage the children in an activity that would broaden their knowledge about science in a fun way. Andrea created an outdoor fossil dig box for Lead Mine Elementary School. She arranged to have the box filled with ground rocks from mines containing remains of ancient sharks, whales, fish, corals, and other fossils. Andrea created a fossil dig challenge game and a fossil identification sheet. Young paleontologists at the school can now get their hands and minds involved in learning about fossil science.

Lauren was concerned about the challenges fragile moths and butterflies face. She worked to share information about how pesticides are affecting habitats and threatening extinction. After conducting research, Lauren created informational signs, brochures, and bookmarks that include steps for planting pesticide- free butterfly gardens. Lauren grew a variety of plants at home that attract butterflies and moths and passed them out at a number of festivals in the community to help raise awareness. She partnered with the Cape Fear Botanical Gardens, which is helping distribute her bookmarks to its visitors.

Morgan wants girls to have the opportunity to participate and feel confident in trying new sports. She designed a program to introduce elementary-aged girls to the world of sports. Morgan taught girls basic athletic skills, confidence, and positive attitudes. She encouraged them to not be afraid to try some-thing new, to discover unknown talents, and to explore their potential. Morgan created a booklet containing rules for different sports and a list of local sports organiza-tions for girls. She created a video in which girls involved in sports share why they love the sport they play and give words of encouragement to younger girls.

Andrea Jane WilkersonRaleigh, Wake CountyProject: Fossil DigIssue: Elementary Science Education

Lauren Nicole WilseyFayetteville, Cumberland CountyProject: The Importance of Butterflies and MothsIssue: Wildlife Conservation

Morgan Alexis YoungNew Bern, Craven CountyProject: Girls are Tough Too!Issue: Self-Esteem and Fitness

Girls often partner with community organizations when working on their Gold Award projects. The following organizations were associated with Girl Scout Gold Award projects awarded in 2013.

Annunciation Catholic Church, Havelock

Bald Head Island Conservancy

Boys & Girls Club of Pitt County

Boys & Girls Club of the Sandhills

Brian Center Health and Rehab

Cape Fear High School SADD Chapter

Cary High School Band

Children of the American Revolution

Coastal Theraputic Riding Program

Columbus County Farmers Market

Columbus County Humane Society

Cornerstone Missionary Baptist Church, Greenville

D.H. Conley High School

Durham Technical Community College

Elsie’s Place

First Baptist Church of Whiteville

Garner Road Community Center

Hemlock Bluffs Nature Preserve

Hoke Community Forest

Hope Reins Raleigh

J.H. Rose High School

Lead Mine Elementary School

Mother Teresa’s Home for Abandoned Children

Nash General Hospital

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

New Hanover County Health Department

New Hanover Regional Medical Center

North Carolina Division of Social Services

North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics

North Carolina Strive

Oak Ridge Military Academy

One Health Initiative

Prairie Ridge Ecostation

Project Linus

Raleigh Girls’ Club

Rescues 4 Rescues

SAFE Haven for Cats

SAFEchild

Smithfield-Selma High School

Southeast German Shepherd Rescue

Thales Academy

Town of Cary

Vidas de Esperanza

WakeMed Raleigh NICU

Wells Elementary School

Whiteville Arts Council

Whiteville Vineland Depot

Wilmington Boys & Girls Club

Wilmington YMCA

Wrightsville Beach Ocean Rescue


2013 Recipients 27

Jane S. Barringer AwardGirl Scout Gold Award recipients are eligible to apply for the Jane S. Barringer Award. This award is a $750 cash scholarship established to honor Mrs. Barringer, an outstanding teen advisor. A group of her former Girl Scouts, along with Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines, has instituted an award in her name to be given to an individual who embodies the principles and spirit “Mrs. B” works to instill. Mrs. Barringer was recently recognized for 50 years of membership in Girl Scouting.

Misty Crabtree Eastham Memorial ScholarshipThe Misty Crabtree Eastham Endowment was established to honor the memory of lifelong Girl Scout Misty Crabtree Eastham, and provides scholarships for Gold Award recipients to help defray college expenses. As a girl in foster care who earned her Girl Scout Gold Award, Misty felt that Girl Scouting had a tremendous impact on her life and provided opportunities that she may never have had a chance to pursue. This scholarship embodies Misty’s sense of selflessness, generosity, drive and determination.

For more information about these and other council-sponsored scholarships, please visit www.nccoastalpines.org.

FREEDOM TO DREAM.

FREEDOM TO BELIEVE.

FREEDOM TO BUILD A STRONGER COMMUNITY.

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PROUD TO SPONSOR GIRL SCOUTS – NORTh CAROLINA COASTAL PINES

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Bernadette Spong, Chair

Jean Carter, First Vice Chair

Bonnie Hancock, Second Vice Chair

Annette Moore, Third Vice Chair

Melissa Reed, Fourth Vice Chair

Jim Peterson, Treasurer

Michelle Lewis, Secretary

Lisa M. K. JonesChief Executive Officer

Scottie Bryan

Cheryl Burns

Karen Hausser

Jenna Green

Kristen Hess

Manju Karkare

Debra Laughery

Damita McDougall

Courtney Mumford

Valerie Quiett

Edelmira Segovia

Karine Stallings

Sue Stevens

Marie VanHeusen

Frank Westmeyer

Dymon Atkinson

Brianna Bennett

Victoria Daniels

Hillary Jacobs

Katherine King

Leah Wuebbens

Jane S. Barringer

Mary Beth Hall

Emily Adcock Hayne

Jennifer Stewart Jones

Lori Winkelstein

Staff Liaison: Terrica Hay

Board of Directors Members Girl Board Members

Gold Award Committee

2013 Girl Scout Gold Award

Documents

Transcript of 2013 Girl Scout Gold Award