Girl Scouts of Western New York is proud to announce Hannah Elliott of Ontario, NY, as a 2021 Gold Award Girl Scout. Hannah is from Troop 60834 and has been a member of Girl Scouts for 10 years.

What Hannah said about Girl Scouts

Girl Scouts made me a better community member and friend to others.

Project: Burroughs Audubon Nature Club Interactive Touch Table

My project was located in Ontario/Pittsford, NY, as I collaborated with the Burroughs Audubon Nature Center. I built a table that was to be filled with items from nature and put on display for community members around the town. It is mostly intended for children and should help in broadening their senses, because the table is interactive. I built and stained the table, found items from nature and got some from the nature center as well, and made informational cards for them.

During my Gold Award, I learned more about building and constructing things, along with skills like critical thinking. Creativity was already a skill I possessed, but I further developed it during this project. My problem-solving and leadership skills were also used during the building process.

The goal of my project is to help children experience and learn more about nature and things other than just technology. The entire building process was done at my own home, but the final table will be located at the Nature Center Clubhouse.

About the Gold Award

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.

For more information on the Gold Award, click here.