Girl Scouts of Western New York is proud to announce Anna Jegierski of Alden, NY, as a 2019 Gold Award Girl Scout. Jegierski’s project was titled “Promoted and Established Danny’s Helping Hands.”

Jegierski explained, “A counselor in the Iroquois School District needed help promoting the program Danny’s Helping Hands because she wanted to see its benefits spread to other communities. Danny’s Helping Hands was started in memory of Danny, a young man who was bullied, yet always gave the shirt off his back to help others. The organization provides items to families in need. I worked with Alden Middle School administration and counselors to bring this organization to my school district. Some of my peers don’t have access to hot showers or hygiene products and are bullied for it. Danny’s Helping Hands at Alden Middle School gives students the opportunity to get cleaned up in a private environment and also take hygiene items home. I have been asked to restock the supplies and also provide healthy snacks for kids who are hungry and cannot afford them. I started my project by hosting a talent show which featured 25 performers. This kicked off my project and the donations that were brought to the talent show stocked a cabinet at Alden Middle School. I received the proceeds from a Christmas performance at the Alden Presbyterian Church to help fund my project. I then also established a bank account for the counselors to purchase other needed items for kids. I met with Girl Scout leaders in my service unit and Girl Scout troops in Warsaw to promote Danny’s Helping Hands and encourage younger troops to carry on my project in their schools.”

Jegierski added, “Girl Scouts has given me many opportunities to discover that helping others makes me feel really good. I have become more confident and find it easier to talk to people and advocate for myself.”

Jegierski will receive her Gold Award at the Gold Award Ceremony on June 1, 2019.The Girl Scout Gold Award is the most prestigious award in the world for girls.

The Gold Award project is the culmination of all the work a girl puts into “going for the Gold.” A Girl Scout’s project should be something that a girl can be passionate about—in thought, deed, and action that encompasses organizational, leadership, and networking skills. The project should also fulfill a need within a girl’s community (whether local or global) and create change that has the potential to be on-going or sustainable. Approximately 80 hours of community service are involved in the project. Completion of the Gold Award also qualifies the Girl Scout for special scholarship opportunities and to enter the military a full rank higher than her peers.

The Girl Scout Gold Award, the most prestigious award in the world for girls, acknowledges the power behind each recipient’s dedication to not only empowering and bettering herself, but also to making the world a better place for others. These young women are courageous leaders and visionary change makers.

The Gold Award requires a Girl Scout to identify an issue and investigate it to understand what can be done to address the problem. The girl then forms a team to act as a support system, including a project advisor close to the issue who is not a troop leader or family member, while she leads the project. The Girl Scout creates a plan to ensure they know what steps they must tackle while working on the project. The Girl Scout submits a proposal for her project to her local Girl Scout council. After acceptance, the girl begins to work through the steps of their plan utilizing the assistance of her support team where necessary. Lastly, the project is used to educate and inspire others about the cause they are addressing.

To learn more, visit gswny.org.