Girl Scouts of Western New York is proud to announce Brooke Czajkowski of Orchard Park, NY, as a 2023 Gold Award Girl Scout. Brooke is a member of Troop 30517.

Project: Quiet Garden

I chose to pursue the creation of the Quiet Garden, because many areas lack spaces where people are able to gather outdoors; and safely enjoy nature within the community. Choosing the right location for the project was crucial for the turn out and effectiveness of the garden. Having the Orchard Park Community Center as the location of the garden, benefits the senior population, families, and individuals of all ages. Being outdoors is not only beneficial for people’s physical health, but their mental health as well. The world today is filled with both stress, and hardship. With people spending the majority of their time indoors, this doesn’t help with those issues; it amplifies them. It is also important to note how beautifying the community can have such a big impact on the people’s mental state. Having a pleasant environment to look at puts people at ease, and gives them a sense of pride in their community. Thus, this is how my project connects to not just local issues that need to be resolved, but international issues that have been neglected for too long.

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.