Girl Scouts of Western New York is proud to announce Eleanor Schiener of Geneseo, NY, as a 2022 Gold Award Girl Scout. Eleanor is a member of Troop 51074.

What Eleanor said about Girl Scouts

Girl Scouts has given me a love for volunteering and an outlet for my creative problem solving. It’s also given me opportunities to become a leader, friend, and a sister to so many other girls. I will always cherish the memories I have made and keep the fundamentals with me forever. I will always try because of Girl Scouting. I love independence and teamwork and can’t wait to use these skill in the future years to come.

Project: Ice Rink Benches and Skate Donation Bins

For my Gold Award, I worked along with my local village board to create two benches for our local park’s ice rink. I have been a hockey player most of my life and wanted to tie that love into my Gold Award.

I focused on the safety issues with having no place to sit and tie skates when at Highland Park leading to the construction of the benches. I also wanted everyone who visited to have an opportunity to skate, so along with the benches I created a donation bin. This can help provide materials and equipment to any person in my community looking to have some winter fun. Lastly, I made a social media account (on Instagram) to advertise the benches, and keep the community connected even when it is not winter time.

About the Girl Scout 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.