Girl Scouts of Western New York is proud to announce Arielle Tyrpak of Orchard Park, NY, as a 2020 Gold Award Girl Scout. Tyrpak’s project, Saving the Unborn, involved increasing education and reflection around the Pro-Life movement at her high school, St. Mary’s in Lancaster.  

Tyrpak explained, “I chose this project because I feel very strongly about the importance of saving every single life since I, myself, am a child of adoption. I think my project impacted the community by opening up a sincere dialogue about this very impactful issue.” Tyrpak had a representative of the movement come and speak at her school, she also published an informative article in St. Mary’s Gazette newspaper.

Tyrpak finished off her project by planting a garden at Nativity Church in Orchard Park with the purpose of giving people a place to go and reflect. Tyrpak said, “Girl Scouts encouraged me to see my surroundings in a different light, made me more confident in being able to achieve a goal, and showed me how enjoyable and fulfilling it can be to work as a team or individually to help those who may be less fortunate.”

By earning her Gold Award during the 2020 Girl Scouting year, Tyrpak will be included in a virtual acknowledgment this June. All 2020 Gold Award Girl Scouts will receive the option to be a part of the 2021 in-person Gold Award ceremony next year to receive their Gold Award pin. 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 she can enlist in the military at a higher starting pay grade.

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.