Girl Scouts of Western New York is proud to announce Kathryn Richardson of Hamburg, NY, as a 2022 Gold Award Girl Scout. Kathryn is a member of Troop 30856.

What Kathryn said about Girl Scouts

Girl Scouts has made me more independent and self-sufficient. It has taught me to be true to myself and stand by others when they need your support. I got to have experiences I would never have been able to have, or had the confidence to do without the support of my troop behind me.

Project: Anti-Bullying App

For my Gold Award, I programmed a short quiz app to help younger elementary students identify different bullying situations. I also recorded a short series of YouTube videos that explain what bullying is, what to do if you notice bullying, and different people you can talk to. The purpose of my project is to teach younger kids because a lot of the time they may not know that what they are doing is hurting someone else’s feelings. I created flyers that were emailed out to the parents of children at the camp I was working at in my village, as well as posted on the Girl Scouts of WNY Creekside Service Unit Leaders’ Facebook page. 

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.