Gold Award Girl Scouts don’t just change the world for the better, they change it for good. The Gold Award is earned by girls in grades 9–12 who demonstrate extraordinary leadership in developing sustainable solutions to local, national, and global challenges. Since 1916, Girl Scouts have answered the call to drive lasting, impactful change.
GSKH Gold Award Girl Scouts ❧ 2018-2019 Anayah Elsen, before graduating from Parsons High School,
earned the Gold Award for her "Cut the Drama out of Trauma" project. Discovering how difficult emergency room environments are for children, she focused on creating an initiative that would comfort children during difficult times. Her program delivers supply bags filled with coloring books, stress alleviating toys, and safety tips for families of the children. New decor and child-safe tablets for gaming and watching movies were also provided. This sustainable effort has been introduced to several hospitals and other medical spaces for children.
Ashley Mann graduated this May from Parsons High School. After noticing a lack of access to books, she decided to take action. Ashley set up two Little Free Libraries in her community, citing her love for reading inspired by her father as a driving force behind her project. Building the libraries required her to learn new skills including woodworking, power-coating, and welding. Along the way, she also discovered a new love of problem solving to better her community. Earning the Gold Award has encouraged her to continue making the world a better place. Dalyn McFee graduated from Rawlins County High School
in 2019. Dalyn's passion for working with children manifested in her "Snuggle and Read" project, which focused on increasing the literacy skills of children in foster care. She placed donation boxes at local church and several businesses, activating the support of community members through the collection of books and blankets. Coordination with local social workers and ministries allowed her the opportunity to donate bags filled with books and blankets. These bags will continue to be given to foster children as they are moved to and from homes without the ability to take personal belongings. 8
Spark ☙ SEPTEMBER 2020
