Highest Awards Ceremony and Scholarship Recognition 2024
Highest
Awards Ceremony and Scholarship Recognition 2024
Tuesday, September 17, 2024
The Girl Scout Promise
On my honor, I will try:
To serve God* and my country, To help people at all times, And to live by the Girl Scout Law.
*Members may substitute for the word God in accordance with their own spiritual beliefs.
The Girl Scout Law
I will do my best to be honest and fair, friendly and helpful, considerate and caring, courageous and strong, and responsible for what I say and do, and to respect myself and others, respect authority, use resources wisely, make the world a better place, and be a sister to every Girl Scout.
Gold & Silver Award BY
THE NUMBERS
33
Girl Scouts from the Greater New York council earned their Gold Award in the past year.
3,112 hours of work completed by these Gold Award Girl Scouts.
73
Girl Scouts from the Greater New York council earned their Silver Award in the past year.
3,650 hours of work completed by by these Silver Award Girl Scouts.
Congratulations, Girl Scouts!
Dear Girl Scouts,
Congratulations on achieving the highest awards that a Girl Scout can earn! Through this incredible achievement, you have exemplified the Girl Scout Law and have truly made the world a better place!
We recognize the tireless dedication and commitment that these awards require. In 2024, 73 of you earned the Silver Award and 33 earned the prestigious Gold Award. All combined, a minimum of 6,290 hours were spent taking sustainable action in communities throughout New York City! This year you tackled issues including mental health, literacy, civic engagement, maternal healthcare, invasive species, and so much more.
Throughout this process, you ensured that these efforts were sustainable and would have a lasting impact. Mother Teresa once said, “I alone cannot change the world, but I can cast a stone across the water to create many ripples.” The hours you spent working on these projects does not end with you; the ripple effects will be seen for many years to come.
These ripples spread to your community, country and the world, and flowed inward as well. For this year’s ceremony theme, you all have chosen “Blossoming Leaders: Cultivating Courage, Confidence, and Character” and it truly embodies your personal leadership journeys. We have seen you blossom through these award projects. This is just the beginning! We know you will all continue to uphold the Girl Scout Law and make the world a better place!
Again, congratulations! We are all so proud of you!
Yours in Girl Scouting,
Karen Lundgard Interim Chief Executive Officer
Keynote Speaker
Minerva Phifer
Minerva Phifer is a Senior Delivery Director at Workday, where she has held several leadership positions over the past 13 years. Having more than 29 years of systems implementation consulting experience across multiple industries, she currently leads the engagement management team for North America that is responsible for implementing Human Capital and Financial Management software and business process solutions for organizations in the Financial Services industry. She is responsible for ensuring the successful delivery of Workday’s solutions based on best practices, with leading industry and implementation experts, managing over a $35 million annual project portfolio, and building long-term customer relationships.
Prior to Workday, she spent 16 years of her career as a Management Consultant at Deloitte Consulting and running her consulting firm, Phifer Associates Consulting Group in Chicago, IL.
Over her illustrious career, she has received numerous awards and recognition, including being recognized at the GSGNY’s 30th annual Women of Distinction ceremony.
In addition to being an avid supporter of GSGNY, Minerva has served on various volunteer committees, including Workday’s Giving & Doing program, Women Transforming Technology (WT2) and the Apollo Theater of Harlem’s EmpowHer. She also has held key positions supporting her alma mater, Mount Holyoke College, which includes the Board Nominating Committee, Class Officer, and the Black Alumnae Conference Committee.
Minerva received a B.A. in International Relations and Economics in 1994, graduating magna cum laude and being inducted into the Phi Beta Kappa honor society.
Emcee
Madison Garrett
Madison Garrett, a Brooklyn native and Silver and Gold Awardee formerly of Troop 2261, is a passionate advocate for mental health in the Black community. For her Gold Award project, she addressed rising suicide rates among Black children through articles, seminars, and discussions, earning her the title of 2021 Girl Scout Future Woman of Distinction. Her advocacy has been featured on NY1, PIX11, and Seventeen Magazine.
Now a Junior at Columbia University, Madison is pursuing a political science degree. She has interned at the New York City Mayor’s Office, worked with Columbia Law Professor Olatunde Johnson, and currently interns for New York Senator Chuck Schumer. At Columbia, she founded the Black Pre-Law Society to support marginalized students with LSAT prep and mentorship.
Madison also serves as Vice President and Community Service Director of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority, Inc., and is the fiscal student liaison for Black-identifying groups on campus. She aspires to become an attorney and elected official, with plans to study at Oxford University in 2025 as part of Lady Margaret Hall College’s Law and Politics Program.
Madison credits Girl Scouts with shaping her leadership skills and commitment to social justice, which she continues to uphold in her work and studies.
Gold Award Girl Scouts
Amaya Arthur
BROOKLYN, NY
Worry Free Zone: Journaling Your Way Through Anxiety
Amaya’s Gold Award focused on increasing mental health awareness among middle school girls by teaching them to recognize and manage anxiety. She hosted journaling workshops to educate participants about anxiety and gave out worry-free boxes with tools designed to reduce anxiety and promote well-being.
Kiara Bijoux
BROOKLYN, NY
CAPT (Communities and Police Together)
Naomi Browne
BROOKLYN, NY
Canarsie Reads: Fostering Literacy with a Little Library
Kiara’s Gold Award tackled the historical lack of cultural sensitivity of police towards communities of color in the U.S. She organized and facilitated community events to foster positive interactions and dialogue between police officers and residents, in order to bridge gaps and improve relationships.
Casey Boyle
STATEN ISLAND, NY
No Page Unturned Casey created and installed a Free Little Library in a public area of her community, where children could exchange books, for her Gold Award. Inspired by her love for reading, this initiative aims to promote childhood development and foster a love for reading among children in her community.
Naomi’s Gold Award addressed her community’s lack of literacy and engagment by creating a Little Free Library to provide a space for people to exchange books of all genres. She also organized gardening activities to foster neighborhood engagement and build a sense of community.
Meng Chen
QUEENS, NY
“Kick (Cigarette) Butts” Environmental Protection and Design
Meng formed a “Kick (Cigarette) Butts” team to advocate for the No Cigarette Butts campaign for her Gold Award. As a team, they collected 10,027 cigarette butts from 50 streets, parks, and beaches and educated the public about the pollution of cigarette butts’ litter to protect our planet.
Eskyla Chesson
BROOKLYN, NY
Fashion For All
Eskyla’s Gold Award tackled fast fashion, which has increased clothing waste throughout the world. She worked to bring awareness about clothing waste and provide affordable ways to repurpose pieces of clothing people may already own, instead of just throwing them away.
Gold Award Girl Scouts
Adrienne Cui
BROOKLYN, NY
Rehabilitation of Under the K Park
Adrienne’s Gold Award addressed issues of environmental justice and remediation, habitat restoration, and community development. She partnered with the North Brooklyn Parks (NBP) Alliance to rehabilitate a section of a new park in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, transforming it into a large pollinator garden teeming with sunflowers.
Shania Eleazar
QUEENS, NY
CPR/AED Certification Class
For Shania’s Gold Award, she launched a CPR/AED Certification Class at her school to provide Juniors and Seniors with essential life-saving skills and to decrease the number of cardiac arrests that happen every year in the United States.
Emily Eleusizov
NEW YORK, NY
Implementing a Recycling System to Benefit Informal Waste Pickers in Kosovo
Emily’s Gold Award addressed the issue of child labor among the Roma, Ashkali, and Egyptian (RAE) communities in Kosovo, where children collect recycling from trash to support their families instead of attending school. She raised awareness and advocated for measures to break this cycle and improve access to education for children.
Jade Everett QUEENS, NY
Lanternflies: Invasive Species
Jade’s Gold Award educated children and adults in her community about invasive species like lanternflies, Asian lady beetles, and Japanese honeysuckle. She taught her community how to reduce their spread and build and maintain traps.
Olivia Farrell
QUEENS, NY
Supporting New Mothers at St. Johns Hospital
Olivia’s Gold Award focused on supporting new mothers and mothers-to-be. She organized and led supply drives at her school and church. With the support from her community, she was able to coordinate a baby shower for 25 families at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital.
Sarah Flores
QUEENS, NY
Let’s Go Out and Vote!
Sarah’s Gold Award focused on the importance of voting. Sarah hosted a voting drive to register seniors at her high school and people in her local community. She also educated her peers and the community on the history and importance of voting.
Katie Fludgate
BROOKLYN, NY
Goal Line Girls Flag Football Clinic
Katie created a free flag football program aimed at empowering underprivileged female youth by providing access to this traditionally male-dominated sport for her Gold Award. Through weekly clinics in partnership with Seeds in the Middle, she offered girls a supportive environment to develop skills, gain confidence, and foster a sense of community.
Willow Lafontant
BROOKLYN, NY
Sydney Glover
QUEENS, NY
Warrior Comfort Project
Sydney’s Gold Award used education and advocacy to dispel common myths and raise awareness for an underserved population. With the Warrior Comfort Project, she was able to enlighten and educate caregivers, educators, and providers about what it is like to live with Sickle Cell Disease. Sydney also created comfort bags for patients.
Ashley Jennings
BROOKLYN, NY
The Ocean Hill Beautification Project: Save the Bees Ashley created a bee garden, educated her community about the crucial role of bees, and learned how to care for them effectively for her Gold Award. By planting flowers that support the needs of the bees, she made a positive impact on their population, which has been declining locally but is now showing signs of recovery.
Nicole Jordan
BROOKLYN, NY
Maternal Health in Communities of Color
Nicole addressed the disparities in maternal healthcare in people of color for her Gold Award. She did this by learning more about the disparities and educating her community about maternal health resources. created a pamphlet for Black women with health resources and questions to ask their doctors.
Art of My Culture Uncovered Willow’s Gold Award addressed the underrepresentation of female artists of color by showcasing their artwork and sharing information about their lives and contributions. To further support these artists, she organized workshops for children to learn about their work and engage in creative projects, raising awareness and promoting inclusivity in the art world.
Fiona Lawson
BROOKLYN, NY
Bring Back the Butterflies
Fiona’s Gold Award raised awareness about the challenges Monarch butterflies face due to threats like pesticides and climate change. She helped urban New Yorkers learn how they can play a role in bringing back Monarchs through planting milkweed.
Charlotte Lecomte
NEW YORK, NY
Tutoring for All
Charlotte’s Gold Award created Accessible Tutoring to Encourage Student Achievement (ATESA Inc.), a nonprofit organization aimed to serve students with special needs, particularly those from low-income families. She established a Board of Directors and expanded the organization from one-on-one tutoring to partnering with NYC institutions.
Miceli Leung
BRONX, NY
Suicide PSA
Miceli, motivated by her passion for mental health advocacy, created a short animation that delved into facts and figures around suicide rates among younger demographics for her Gold Award. Miceli hopes to raise awareness and spark vital conversations for those affected by this challenging issue.
Gold Award Girl Scouts
Hannah Maher
QUEENS, NY
Get into Gear
Hannah’s Gold Award, Get into Gear, focused on safety awareness, healthy living, and protecting the environment through cycling. With support from the Parks Department and Vision Zero, and in collaboration with her local councilwoman, she hosted two free bike helmet giveaway events. She also gave a presentation on bicycle safety awareness to her entire high school.
Libby
Nebres
MADISON, NJ
Ready to Dance: Ballet for Everyone
Annabelle
Peterson
NEW YORK, NY
It’s Your Museum
Annabelle’s Gold Award increased STEM mentorship by improving access to the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) for children from under-resourced backgrounds. She conducted a digital awareness campaign, developed educational resources, and organized events such as an in-class museum day and a guided tour for children, ensuring future visits could be planned at no cost.
Libby’s Gold Award addressed the issue of ballet’s exclusivity and high costs, which often make it difficult for many to access its benefits, including mindfulness, confidence, and performance opportunities. She provided a realistic overview of the costs involved and offered practical tips to help families overcome financial barriers to support aspiring young dancers.
Kathryn Owens
RINGWOOD, NJ
This Wonderful Thing Called Reading
For Kathryn’s Gold Award, she created a reading program in her community to help develop and enhance a child’s love of reading by improving their reading skills and showing them how to find books they would enjoy. She created a website and Facebook page to promote the program and curated a library of books.
Tori Phelps
NEW YORK, NY
Adepa
Tori’s Gold Award addressed the lack of resources in schools in Ghana, such as sanitary napkins and volleyball jerseys. She raised awareness about period poverty and the critical need for supplies through informational posts, and further emphasized the importance of understanding and addressing the critical issues affecting students’ daily lives in Ghana.
Melissa Pratt
QUEENS, NY
Girl Scouts and Parks Department Badge Boxes
Melissa partnered with the Parks Department to create badge boxes containing guides and steps for completing outdoor badges for her Gold Award. Creating these materials provides Girl Scouts with easier access to the resources needed to earn their badges, and park rangers have gained new ideas for organizing free events and hikes to encourage public participation.
Hana Prokop
NEW YORK, NY
Making “Cents” of Finance
Hana developed a curriculum and website to educate students on essential financial topics such as credit scores, budgeting, and investments for her Gold Award. She led weekly lessons for female students to spark their interest in financial literacy and prepare them for future financial management. Her website offers a user-friendly introduction to personal finance, making the subject more accessible and less intimidating for young learners.
Kelsey Robinson
QUEENS, NY
Positive Change for Alzheimer’s Patients
Sophia Tom
NEW YORK, NY
Life Skills Series Badge-in-aBox
Sophia’s Gold Award aimed to equip young adults with essential life skills like cooking, laundry, and basic sewing, which many young people lack. By teaching these practical skills, she hopes to empower others to feel more confident and self-sufficient, ultimately saving them time and money in the future.
Cecilia Utter
NEW YORK, NY
Healing Hands: Navigating the Crossroads of Healthcare and Human Trafficking
Kelsey’s Gold Award focused on creating memory boxes to combat memory loss among patients with Alzheimer’s disease. Through this project, she got to meet and interact with seniors from various ethnic backgrounds who had many different stories to share. While the seniors recounted stories from their past, she brought different tasks for them to complete at the Catholic Charities Alzheimer’s program every Saturday.
Skylar Tom
NEW YORK, NY
Crocheted with Care
Skylar’s Gold Award addressed the excessive use of screen time that youth are exposed to and provided alternative skills and solutions. She taught Brownies in a local Girl Scout troop how to crochet. They crocheted keyhole scarves and donated them to a local VA shelter in the Bronx.
Cecilia’s Gold Award addressed the surprising prevalence of human trafficking cases that interface with healthcare. By developing protocols for human trafficking response in collaboration with healthcare professionals and experts through HEAL Trafficking, Cecilia implemented procedures at Wheeling Hospital to better identify and support trafficking victims.
Jayleen Velazquez
BRONX, NY
Can’t Smile? Look Within! Jayleen brought awareness to a community facing discrimination and exclusion due to challenges associated with Moebius Syndrome through her Gold Award. She believes that acceptance should be based on one’s character, not appearance, as it is crucial for their well-being. Her ongoing goal is for people to see beyond face value and abilities.
Louise Wang
NEW YORK, NY
Roosevelt Island Plogging Club
Louise addressed the issue of littering by founding the Roosevelt Island Plogging Club for her Gold Award. Plogging combines jogging with litter collection to clean up our neighborhood and promote environmental responsibility.
Silver Award Girl Scouts
Giada Aloise
Kathleen Armstrong
Giuliana Assaf
Jessica Benoit
Elena Brown
Adanya Bynum
Julia Carbocci
Alyssa Castillo
Rebecca Cavallaro
Madison Chan
Samara Charles
Astrid Christensen
Chloe Chung
Tiffani Clements
Leilani Colon
Emily Curley
Sofia DeBlasi
Sophia DeCaro
Ariel Defrias
Colleen Dennehy
Ariana Edwards
Alexandra Fessak
Madeleine Fong
Katherine Fridlin
Zoe Fridlin
Aleksandra Glacel-Tyrtyshnaya
Polina Glacel-Tyrtyshnaya
Chloe Gordon-Zolov
Adela Halollari
Madison Hodnett
Caroline Hsieh
Chloe Huber
Jenesis Hurley
Jaethea Shantelle Jackson
Torin Johnson
Chloe Kelley
Adrianna Kertesz
Saniah King
Tessa Kump
Jocelyn Kung
Allison Lauer
Zoey Leung
Marina Likourezos
Kayla Lin
Layla Lloyd
Julia McAuliffe
Abigail Mo
Lucia Mollica
Maddalena Moog
Shayna Nicholls
Morireoluwa Olushola-Oni
Scarlet Palmgren
Jamie Perez
Zoe Picard
Sara Polsky
Maya Rahman
Sydnee Rerrie
Isabella Robles
Samantha Roderique
Charlotte Saffayeh
Saanvi Singal
Ashley Smith
Maria Swan
Esme Tan
Gabrielle Terry
Charlotte Torkel
Sage Tso
Rebecca Vildman
Abigail Weiss
Meagan Wildes
Destiny Williams
Vivienne Wong
Ava Yip
Scholarship Recipients
GSUSA Gold Award Scholarship
The Girl Scouts of the USA Gold Award Scholarship is awarded to recipients who have completed Gold Award projects that demonstrate extraordinary leadership, measurable and sustainable impact, and that address an issue of national and global significance.
Ashley Vargas Gold Award Project: The Art of Kindness
Carmen Dubroc Bright Future Scholarship
This college scholarship is for registered Girl Scout of Greater New York members ages 14 to 18 interested in pursuing a career in the arts, education, civil service, the nonprofit sector, or STEM. Recipients must have a dynamic Girl Scout history, demonstrate community service and participation in extracurricular activities, and show a solid commitment to the Girl Scout Promise and Law.
Adrienne Cui
Sashi
Atkinson Osorio
The Carmen Dubroc Bright Future Scholarship was established as a gift by Lewis Haber to recognize GSGNY Board President Emeritus Carmen Dubroc.
Dr. Harry Britenstool Scholarship
The Britenstool Scholarship is endowed in honor of Dr. Harry Britenstool for Girl Scouts of Greater New York. It is designed for graduating Girl Scout Ambassadors demonstrating academic success, a dedication to serving their communities, and career goals oriented towards medicine, science, or citizenship.
Future Woman of Distinction
Each year at the Women of Distinction benefit, Girl Scouts of Greater New York recognizes one Ambassador Girl Scout who embodies courage, confidence, and character as the Future Woman of Distinction.
Shania Eleazar
Ashley Jennings
Maddison Nelson
Kathryn Owens
Charlotte Peterson
Faith Sanichar
Jayleen Velazquez
Through their commitment to community service, high academic achievement, and demonstrated leadership skills, they have distinguished themself as an exceptional role model for their sister Girl Scouts.
Hana Prokop
Thank You!
Thank you to the troop leaders, project advisors, Highest Awards committee members, GSGNY staff, parents, caregivers, and friends for supporting each Girl Scout in their journey to completing their Highest Award.
