Girl Scouts of Western New York is proud to announce Sydney Brister of Pittsford, NY, as a 2022 Gold Award Girl Scout. Sydney is a member of Troop 60288.

What Sydney said about Girl Scouts

Girl Scouts has introduced me to my best friends since the start, allowing us to spend time on excursions and adventures while helping the community at the same time. It makes me feel like I am making a difference in my community and spending my time benefitting the world.

Project:  Bike Rack Initiative

My Gold Award project was in partnership with Rochester Regional Hospital and Sustainability Director Michael Waller. We designed, organized, and coordinated the implementation of 5 bike racks around the Rochester Regional Health System. The goal was to not only encourage an eco-friendly mode of transportation, but also to increase access to the hospital for urban residents and health staff unable to get to the hospital or who do not own a car. I created a stethoscope design to be welded by General Welding and Fabricating. These racks were placed around the system at different buildings to maximize the effects of accessibility, as well as help to encourage reduced carbon emissions.

Rochester Regional has received requests to put in more bike racks which is proof that this is a long-term and wanted project. I am so grateful that I was able to work on this project with them because I gained immense leadership skills while simultaneously exploring a possible career path for me down the road. It helped me solidify my college major and made me realize how much I want to dedicate my skills to sustainability.

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.