7 Valley Girl Scouts receive the prestigious Gold Award

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Currier

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DeChristofaro

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Hykes

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Kozma

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Landers

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Rodgers

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Trimboli

FAST FACTS

About Gold Award

It is earned individually and is independent of other awards.

Girls must be in grades nine through 12 to “Go for the Gold.”

All projects are approved by a volunteer Gold Award Review Committee.

It is a national award with national standards.

Staff report

AKRON

In a June ceremony at the John S. Knight Center in Akron, Girl Scouts of North East Ohio recognized 54 Girl Scouts, including seven from the Mahoning Valley, who have achieved the Gold Award.

Following are Gold Award honorees from Mahoning and Trumbull counties, in the East Region:

Catalina Currier, Boardman

Kaila DeChristofaro, Girard

Jensen Hykes, Austintown

Autumn Kozma, Lake Milton

Alana Landers, Girard

Brooke Rodgers, Lake Milton

Dominique Trimboli, Lake Milton

The Gold Award, the highest honor in Girl Scouts, has stood for excellence and leadership for girls everywhere. The award project challenges girls to identify a need or issue in the community, to research and investigate it, recruit volunteers and build a team to create a plan to address the issue or need.

The plan, called a Gold Award proposal, goes to council for approval by a volunteer committee.

Only about 5 percent of eligible girls take the rigorous challenge to earn the prestigious award, but those who complete their goals change the lives of others and their own in significant ways.

A growing number of colleges and universities have recognized the achievements and leadership abilities of Girl Scout Gold Award recipients by establishing scholarship programs for them.

Girls who have earned the Gold Award often enter the four branches of the United States Armed Services at an advanced level and salary, having been recognized for their leadership abilities demonstrated by earning the award.

Girl Scouts of North East Ohio connects girls to a world of possibilities in a positive and inclusive girl-led environment.

Girls are inspired to discover their passions and empowered to reach their potential through a proven leadership development program.

GSNEO serves 35,000 girls and 14,000 adult volunteer members throughout an 18-county region.

Since it was founded in 1912, Girl Scouts has provided more than 50 million girls with time-honored programs that engage them in their communities; enhance self-esteem; increase financial literacy and interest in math, science and technology; encourage good health and nutrition; and build leadership skills necessary for them to move confidently into their futures.

Today, Girl Scouts is the No. 1 girl organization in the world, with 3.7 million members throughout the U.S., including U.S. territories, and in more than 90 countries through USA Girl Scouts Overseas.