Gold Award 2020-2021 Yearbook - Girl Scouts of Central Texas
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Gold Award 2020–2021 Yearbook
Dear Gold Award Recipients,
Congratulations! You made it! You have achieved the
highest honor in Girl Scouting.
As a Gold Award recipient, you are a part of an elite group
of women. Since 1916, Girl Scouts have been given the
opportunity to earn this prestigious award, and those who
completed the journey have changed their own lives and
the lives of others in amazing and significant ways. The
leadership skills, organizational competence, and sense
of community and commitment that come from “Going
for the Gold” sets the foundation for a lifetime of active
citizenship.
I see a very bright future for each of you. Today is a great
day to be a girl. As a Gold Award Girl Scout, you know
that you can become anything you desire to be and do
anything you set your mind to do. As you make your way,
it is my hope that you appreciate all the opportunities you
have today and that you take your seat at the community
leadership table. Say yes – to going to college, to traveling
abroad, to running for office, to starting a new business,
to anything that will make you happy and fulfilled. When
barriers arise, remember that you are a Girl Scout. You
have the courage, the confidence, and the character to
tackle anything. You are prepared to change the world and
we cannot wait to see what your future holds.
Despite of these uncertain times, you have persevered. It is
my hope that in many years you will be able to look back at
this time in your life and celebrate your resiliency and the
memories you made.
Always remember that you are very special.
You are Solid Gold!
Yours in Girl Scouting,
Paula Bookidis
Chief Executive Officer
2020–2021
GOLD AWARD RECIPIENTS
BOLD, DRIVEN, AND PASSIONATE. Girl Scouts were changing the world long before women earned the
right to vote, and today we continue to engage and empower girls to take the reins of female leadership
and create a positive impact wherever their journey takes them.
A Gold Award Girl Scout is everything a Girl Scout should aspire to become. She exemplifies courage,
confidence, and character. As rare as she is remarkable, a Gold Award Girl Scout is a true leader.
Resourceful, thoughtful, engaged, and responsible, she recognizes critical issues in her community and
welcomes the challenge to create meaningful and lasting change. A Gold Award Girl Scout’s impact is far
reaching and knows no borders.
Denotes the achievement of all three Highest Awards: Bronze, Silver, and Gold.
Capturing [chemical] Reactions - Adeena’s Gold Award project, Capturing
[chemical] Reactions, encourages interest in Science, Technology, Engineering,
and Math (STEM) outside the classroom. Adeena created a website to host her
self-made coloring book and compilation of science-based demos. Each demo
uses common household products to create and explain chemical reactions. She
partnered with Wells Branch Library to provide take-home bags based on her
science demo and hosted six virtual chemistry events. The events were attended
by individuals from all over the country and featured scavenger hunts, workshops,
Adeena Khan and Kahoots, a game-based learning platform.
Round Rock, TX
Killed in Action (KIA) Honor Wall - To commemorate United States service
members who sacrificed their lives, Andrea’s Gold Award project, Killed
in Action (KIA) Honor Wall, was designed at the Central Texas State Veterans
Cemetery. The dedicated memorial site includes a hand-made railing system
that allows for photos and laser-printed name plates of past and future honored
veterans to be placed and easily shifted on the wall. The Honor Wall will give loved
ones and visitors alike a place to honor these fallen heroes for years to come.
Andrea Vandegrift
Copperas Cove, TX
4 Girl Scouts of Central Texas
Connect to Careers in STEM Web-Series: A Girl’s Guide - While launching her
own career path toward forensics, Angelika discovered important information and
advice for a career in STEM that she wanted to share with others. Connect to
Careers in STEM Web-Series: A Girl’s Guide, her Gold Award project, provides
girls with the resources needed to grow into their prospective careers. Angelika
interviewed women in STEM, answered career field questions, and provided
resources for networking. Interviews and resources will live on YouTube and her
website and will be expanded by the Girl Scout Astronomy Club.
Angelika Heath
Round Rock, TX
Let’s Connect - PWS Friends and Families - Drawing from her personal
experiences in living with a rare genetic disorder called Prader-Willi Syndrome
(PWS), Ashlynn often felt excluded in social groups. She developed her Gold
Award project, Let’s Connect – PWS Friends and Families, in collaboration with
the Texas Prader-Willi Association, PWSA USA, and People with Smiles Camp
to deliver a curriculum where campers can work on social skills, build stronger
relationships, and stay connected through the social group “Camper Connection”.
Ashlynn produced an awareness video discussing the importance of inclusion of
Ashlynn Arcaya people with disabilities.
Cedar Park, TX
Making Camp Accessible for All - For her Gold Award project, Making
Camp Accessible for All, Audrey worked to make the Camp Kachina archery
range more accessible for girls with disabilities. She designed a way to transform
the rock pathway into a smoother, more durable pathway and created a seating
area from composite decking. To improve the accessibility of the shooting range,
Audrey created an aluminum post to hold the bow vertically, allowing girls the
opportunity to pull back on the string and shoot their arrow independently.
Audrey Bibb
Austin, TX
Keep Lake Travis Beautiful Science Kits - For her Gold Award project, Keep
Lake Travis Beautiful Science Kits, Cadence created interactive curriculums for
three elementary schools in the Lake Travis School District. Each school received
three reusable kits in both English and Spanish. Lessons included an interactive
watershed model, a litter sorting relay, and a litter timeline activity that illustrates
how long litter takes to decompose. Her curriculum teaches more than basic
recycling and clearly visualizes the lasting effects of pollutants in a way that a
younger audience can begin to grasp.
Cadence Housmans
Lakeway, TX
2020-21 Girl Scout Gold Award Yearbook 5
Music Makers - Caroline’s lifelong passion for music inspired her Gold Award
project, Music Makers, geared towards making school music programs more
engaging and modern. She found that most schools do not have the resources
to incorporate a modern music program into their curriculum. After reaching
out to school administrators and district directors to provide information, she
partnered with Brule Elementary School to introduce Little Kids Rock, a nonprofit
organization, to provide curriculum, conferences, and instruments for teachers to
use in their music class.
Caroline Lobb
College Station, TX
Manual for Livestock Assistance for Project Success - Darien created her Gold
Award project, Manual for Livestock Assistance for Project Success, to assist
her local Future Farmers of America (FFA) with instructions needed to support
students new to the program with the knowledge and skills necessary to properly
tend to their livestock. She created a resource guide to address procedures,
needed supplies, health, hygiene and more. The manual provides educational
instructions to new FFA members when agricultural advisors are unavailable and
covers diverse topics, such as when an animal becomes ill.
Darien Maxwell
Pflugerville, TX
Bluebonnet Humane Society Social Media Project - Elizabeth’s personal
commitment to equine rescue and adoption inspired her Gold Award project,
Bluebonnet Humane Society Social Media Project. Her project became a multi-
media educational project including a color brochure about how to successfully
adopt, an informational tri-fold board, articles about adoption success stories, a
PowerPoint outlining adopting equine and a video featuring her personal equine
rescue, Dante. Elizabeth set up informational tables at riding competitions, shared
resources with Bluebonnet, and sent articles out to other rescue organizations
Elizabeth Beazer and riding club websites.
College Station, TX
Preserving Community History - Elyssa’s neighborhood inspired her Gold
Award project, Preserving Community History aimed at preserving and
sharing the Lost Creek Neighborhood Association (LCNA) history. She found that
the earliest newsletters were falling apart and that LCNA no longer had a complete
set. Recognizing the value of preserving history, Elyssa scanned more than 200 of
the LCNA Scribe newsletters from the 1980s to present and uploaded them on the
LCNA website. Along with the digitized newsletters, she produced an informational
video explaining the who, what, and why of preserving history.
Elyssa Reynolds
Austin, TX
6 Girl Scouts of Central Texas
Archery Club - When her local archery range closed, Grace used this
opportunity to put her passion for archery and teaching others into action.
For her Gold Award project, Archery Club, she began the process of creating and
establishing an effective club where students would participate on a weekly basis.
Through motivation and determination, Grace brought archery directly to the
students at Johnson High School. Her project continues to bring youth together to
learn new skills and have fun in an active way.
Grace Vasicek
Austin, TX
Austin Farm Sanctuary Garden - Hailey’s passion for animals and
environmental awareness have merged and prompted her to collaborate with
Austin Farm Sanctuary in building an organic garden. Through her Gold Award
project, Austin Farm Sanctuary Garden, she educated others on the benefits of
gardening, the impact on the environment, and the importance of nutrition for
animals. Along with providing sustainable food for the rescued farm animals,
Hailey promotes environmental awareness through educational programs used
to inform visitors and volunteers of gardening benefits and its impact on the
Hailey Gonzalez environment.
Leander, TX
Blankets of Love - Volunteering for the American Cancer Society, Jaya knows
the statistics and has witnessed the effects of chemotherapy. Treatments
often leave patients feeling fearful, isolated, and cold. With this knowledge and her
passion to help others, Jaya created her Gold Award project, Blankets of Love, to
bring warmth to the patients at Dell Children’s Hospital. Jaya taught local volunteers
to crochet, leading to the creation and donation of sixteen blankets. Partnering
with Project Chemo Crochet, an additional fifteen blankets will be donated a year.
Jaya Bhatnagar
Round Rock, TX
Free Virtual Health Fair - As an aspiring physician, Kashvi recognizes health
care can be unaffordable without insurance. For her Gold Award project, Kashvi
organized the Free Virtual Health Fair to provide primary health screenings, such
as blood pressure checks, vision tests, and BMI consultations to those who could
not otherwise afford it. Included were free consultations with a pediatrician, a
gastroenterologist, and a pain management specialist. This free health fair was
able to serve over one hundred individuals and is slated to continue annually.
Kashvi Lalchandani
Austin, TX
2020-21 Girl Scout Gold Award Yearbook 7
Giving Garden - Kiara recently discovered an obvious need for an accessible
and peaceful place to go in her community. Her Gold Award project, Giving
Garden and Path began with the complete overhaul of the outdated and
inaccessible community garden. Partnering with the Dripping Springs Presbyterian
Church, her family, volunteers, construction consultants, and landscape
specialists, Kiara was able to create her vision of a multi-use, self-sustaining,
outdoor sanctuary now easily accessible to everyone, no matter their physical
limitations.
Kiara Bobb
Dripping Springs, TX
Full Circle T’s - Geared towards providing students with an opportunity to learn
about pollution, Lindsey’s Gold Award project, Full Circle T’s is dedicated to
reducing plastic bag pollution by creating reusable t-shirt totes. Lindsey spread
the word by hosting how-to workshops and held discussions on plastic bag
pollution and being more environmentally friendly. Collaborating with Stiles Middle
School and Round Rock Area Serving Center (RRASC), Lindsey is able to provide
a sustainable way to deliver reusable shopping bags to RRASC in exchange for
materials.
Lindsey Walker
Round Rock, TX
Smart Field Trips - With guidance from Austin Independent School District
(AISD) and Capital Metropolitan Transportation Authority (CMTA), Luci
created her Gold Award project Smart Field Trips to promote transit-oriented
field trips. A program that is safe and educational, while still being free, and good
for the environment by using public transit. Luci created a guidebook, now posted
on AISD and CMTA’s websites, hosted an online webinar during AISD’s annual
teachers training, and coordinated pathways to make the training easily available
as a tool for teachers, students, and parents.
Luci Borowski
Austin, TX
The Colors of Texas Film Festival - As a passionate filmmaker and supporter of
social equality, Madison’s Gold Award Project, The Colors of Texas Film Festival,
aims to increase support and minority roles in the film industry. With the lack of
diversity impeding the progress of discovering new creators and amazing talent,
Madison created a platform to showcase the dedication, hard work, and talents
of people of color. The film screening addressed issues of inclusiveness, the
celebration of differences, and the need for a societal change.
Madison Ureste
Belton, TX
8 Girl Scouts of Central Texas
Spring in Water - After becoming a Texas 4-H Water Ambassador, Myla discovered
a global issue she is passionate about. To combat a lack of educational materials
surrounding water conservation, Myla’s Gold Award project, Spring in Water,
brings direct attention to the ongoing water crisis. Partnering with Middle Trinity
Groundwater Conservation District, Myla’s guideline booklet, Spring in Water,
will be available for individuals and educators to provide fun and easy water
conservation experiments. Posted on YouTube are additional resource videos and
PowerPoints on varying water topics and aquifers.
Myla Childers
Stephenville, TX
Vital Love - For her Gold Award project, Vital Love, Paige focused on providing
a religious education program and space for the high school youth of Hearne
through a collaboration with the St. Mary’s Catholic Church. Paige provided a newly
decorated and activities stocked meeting room where she led example youth
nights and created a safe, and comfortable space for all. By engaging volunteers
in the process and providing them with detailed materials and outlines, Paige has
enabled the youth group of Hearne to grow in its faith.
Paige Hudson
College Station, TX
Special Needs Toy Library - Rhea’s Gold Award project, Special Needs Toy
Library, partners with Easterseals Texas in providing special needs children with
new and high-sensory toys, specific to their needs. Rhea hosted local toy drives to
expand her supply, established a structured inventory system, and implemented a
return sanitation process. In addition to creating a handbook outlining the library's
functions, she hosted Zoom meetings for staff on the library's process and
meetings with parents expanding on the importance of different developmental
toys for cognitive learning.
Rhea Mucherla
Austin, TX
Food Allergy Awareness – Being a Friend to All - Understanding how
growing up with a food allergy can be difficult, Riley focused on educating
young girls though her Gold Award project, Food Allergy Awareness – Being a
Friend to All. In addition to hosting virtual meetings to raise awareness, Riley
created a children’s book and supplemental lesson plan for leaders with meeting
materials focused specifically on allergy awareness. Her book addresses a
common social scenario where a food allergy creates an uncomfortable situation
and how best to react.
Riley Miller
Austin, TX
2020-21 Girl Scout Gold Award Yearbook 9
Garden to Classroom - For her Gold Award project, Garden to Classroom, Sarah
revamped her high school garden to improve the school’s courtyard environment
while providing fresh herbs and vegetables to the culinary classes. To combat the
overgrown garden, she teamed up with a master gardener, her culinary instructor,
and a multitude of volunteers to make her vision a reality. Sarah created the Cedar
Ridge Garden Guide, which includes gardening and weeding tips, and how to do
square foot gardening, a vital guide for future students maintaining the garden.
Sarah Turner
Round Rock, TX
Diabetic Cookie Solutions - While selling Girl Scout cookies, Victoria noticed
potential customers declined due to diabetic reasons. Her Gold Award
project, Diabetic Cookie Solutions, helps individuals with Type 2 diabetes keep
a healthy diet while still being able to enjoy a cookie or two. Victoria created two
trainings focused on carb counting, reading food labels, and portion control. The
first training targets adults with Type 2 diabetes. This training was hosted at Texas
A&M AgriLife and is now available on their website. The second training covers
diabetes prevention for fellow Girl Scouts.
Victoria Schubert
Waco, TX
Project Education - To emphasize the importance of education, Zahra’s Gold
Award project, Project Education, aimed to provide Posada Esperanza, a women’s
and children’s immigrant shelter, with emotional and educational support. Zahra
designed an educational website, set up a virtual tutoring system, hosted supply
drives, and created care packages for the residents. Zahra expanded her findings
with presentations to various school clubs and has partnered with University of
Texas Humanity First Directors and local NHS members to continue providing
educational support.
Zahra Haider
Austin, TX
10 Girl Scouts of Central TexasElizabeth
Beazer
Congratulations
to the 2020-2021
GSCTX Gold Award Whether it’s your Bronze, Silver or Gold – You
Girl Scouts! worked hard and achieved great things!
You are a blessing to us and inspiration in your
dedication to your horses and equine rescue.
We are so proud of you! Love you, Mom & Dad
- GSCTX Board of Directors
PROUD
GOLD AWARD
GIRL SCOUT
GIRL SCOUTS OF CENTRAL TEXAS
Dear Luci-
We are beyond proud of your amazing accomplishments as a
Girl Scout! Your adventures, your commitment, and your hard
work --- you gave so much to your Troop, your Community,
and GSCTX. Your love of Scouting and your dedication shines
through.
Thank you for staying on the path to Gold and giving Girl
Scouts all that you did. It was fun and awe inspiring to watch
you grow and accomplish all that you did.
Love -
Mom, Dad, Henry & FlorenceAshlynn, Congratulations!!! Through your sweet and car- ing ways, you have touched so many lives. We couldn't be more proud of you. Continue to reach for your dreams!! Love, Mom, Dad, Abby and Cash Congratulations Ashlynn on earning your Bronze, Silver and Gold Award. We are so proud of you. As a recipient of Girls Scouts’ highest honor, you have distinguished yourself as a leader willing to go the extra mile for what you believe in. It has been an honor to be part of your journey! We will be there for you as you start your next journey ahead. Love, Ms. Mary Ann and Ms. Lesley, Troop 917 troop leaders
Troop 1587
Gold Award Class of 2021
Congratula�ons
We are proud of you
Darien Maxwell
Welcome to our Sisterhood
Gold Award recipients with troop 1587
Marillah King (20)
Mary Ruiz (18)
Isha Singh (18)
Rachel Wilkinson (18)
Marie Young (18)
Joanna Casey (14)
Sarah Young (13)
And Leader, Kate Woodward Young (85)OurOurOur Dear
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Our dearest Andrea,
Congratulations on earning your Gold Award, Girl Scouts’ highest Award. You are
truly a special young lady and very compassionate with whatever you put your
mind to. Given what you have gone through in life and in Girl
Scouts, we have no doubt that you will go on and do bigger
and better things for not only the community but for your-
self. We love you very much and are extremely proud of you.
Love always,
Mom, Dad, William, Chris and TonyCONGRATULATIONS
KIARA!
We are truly proud of
your hard work and
dedication!
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We love you!
Mom, Dad, Karsten
and Grace
“There is no limit to what we, as women,
can accomplish.” ~ Michelle Obama
Zahra,
You are a gift and an inspiration to
your Girl Scout sisters in Troop 2959.
We celebrate your accomplishments
and the work you have begun to do to
make the world a better place for girls
and women. We are so proud of you
for blazing the trail as our troop’s first
Gold Award recipient.
—The Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, Seniors,
Ambassadors, Leaders & Parents of Troop 2959Lydia, We are so incredibly proud of your accomplishments and know you will continue to soar. Congratulations on earning your Gold Award! We love you! Mom, Dad, Josie, and Grandma
Sarah, We are so very proud of your amazing accomplishment. Reaching this Girl Scout milestone proves that you are pure Gold! Your dedication, focus, and organization allowed you to achieve this truly astonishing goal. Congrats on this Gold Award! Love, Mom, Dad, Dawson, and Ryan
Katy, We are so proud of you with your perseverance & steadfast commitment of seeing you grow through your Girl Scout adventures over the past 13 years! Your helping with hand tied lap quilts for a local nursing home for your Bronze award, your helping provide a well stocked & supplied reading cart at the local crisis center for your Silver Award, and your ongoing project fidget lap quilts helping with all of our county’s Dementia nursing home residents for your Gold Award - you never backed down from others during their time of need and always with a smile!!!!! We all look forward to seeing how you will be making a difference with helping others in need as an Adult Girl Scout and where ever the future leads to helping others! Forever and always, Keep smiling our precious Tortoise, Papa & Granny, Dad & Mom, Emily, Abby, & Mikey
gold award committee
Staff Volunteers
Wendy Riley Kathy Beifuss Nicole Payne
Program Manager, GSCTX Doug Brown Liz Poprik
Lisa Cairns Carina Reason
Jessica Ewing Sadia Rodriguez
Mary Ann Fitch Kay F. Simmons
Wanda Jean Freeze Amy Wallquist
Patricia-Hayes-Workman
Congratulations to the 2020-2021
GSCTX Gold Award Girl Scouts!You can also read
