Girl Scouts of Western New York is proud to announce Madison Anderson of Rochester, NY, as a 2023 Gold Award Girl Scout. Madison is a member of Troop 60570.

Project: Cataloging and Showcasing the Museum Collection of Temple B’Rith Kodesh

I organized, cataloged, and curated the collection of Jewish historical objects at the Museum of Temple B’Rith Kodesh in Rochester, New York. I curated three exhibitions across the temple and cataloged over 100 objects into a database which I also helped create. Local history has a large impact on communities, and if we do not learn about it through historical objects, it can easily be erased. Working with this museum was an act of preservation, both for the Temple’s local history and for Jewish history as a whole.

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.