The Gold Award is the highest award a girl can earn in Girl Scouting. It’s a national standard that acknowledges a girl’s accomplishments, leadership, commitment, creativity, and personal effort to make the world a better place. Each Gold Award is a significant achievement in a girl’s life and an extension and compilation of all she has learned through her Girl Scout experience.

When Maria Mirrione looked back on her time in middle school, she saw an opportunity to make a lasting difference for the students following in her footsteps. Her Gold Award project, “Kindness Club,” aimed to create a more welcoming and inclusive environment at her alma mater, tackling the pervasive issue of bullying through education and connection. The Kindness Club focused on fostering empathy and understanding among students. Members engaged with impactful anti-bullying presentations and participated in activities designed to bring students together, encouraging teamwork, friendship, and respect. These efforts helped students recognize the power of kindness and created a supportive space where everyone felt valued. By planting the seeds of compassion in her school community, Maria ensured her project would leave a legacy of positivity long after her graduation. The Kindness Club stands as a testament to her commitment to making a difference, proving that small acts of kindness can spark big change. Congratulations to Maria for earning her Gold Award and inspiring others to create a kinder, more inclusive world!

Maria tells us her plans for the future are, “To have and run my own business relating to beauty and hair.”

For her Gold Award project, “Raising Breast Cancer Awareness Amongst Adolescents,” Madison Mitsuuchi tackled an important and often overlooked issue: educating adolescents about breast cancer. Recognizing that early awareness can lead to better health outcomes, Madison developed a multi-faceted approach to engage her community. To ensure her message was both accessible and impactful, Madison created two tailored brochures—one for boys and another for girls—designed to address common misconceptions and provide age-appropriate information about breast cancer. These brochures offered insights into the disease’s impact and emphasized the importance of early detection and understanding. Madison also produced an engaging YouTube video that featured interviews with her peers. By testing their knowledge and sharing key breast cancer facts, the video encouraged a supportive and open dialogue about health and wellness. This multimedia approach allowed her to reach a broader audience in a relatable and impactful way. Her outreach didn’t stop there! Madison shared her materials with local pediatricians and cancer resource centers, participated in community fairs, and presented at her school’s Oasis Wellness Center and Medical Clubs. These efforts connected her project to a wide range of audiences, fostering awareness and promoting a culture of proactive health discussions. By encouraging early education and open dialogue, her work has the potential to save lives and inspire young people to prioritize their well-being. Madison’s project exemplifies the heart of the Gold Award—creating lasting, positive change in the community.

Madison explains, “Through this project, I learned that awareness is the first step to empowerment; by sharing knowledge, we can inspire and make meaningful impacts on our communities. Surround yourself with supportive people, do the hard work, and you can get through anything!

For more information about the Gold Award and how Girl Scouts are creating positive change within their communities, visit here.