Girl Scout Gold Award

Ariana Arnetveit Ripon, WI

I created a mini children’s play center named “The Hub” for kids ten and under. The Hub features a Lego wall, a reading nook, and the Imagination Station Play Counter, where children role-play occupations found within the community. Kids can use the space to learn from the world around them—expanding their mental capacity, motor skills, and sensory skills. The Hub opened to the public on June 4, 2022 and had an incredibly successful summer, proving to be a welcome addition to the community center and the local kids it serves.

Parents: Amy Arnetveit and Erik Arnetveit

Project Advisor: Kris Anderson

Troop Leader: Ruth Retzlaff

Maria Benz

Appleton, WI

Providing therapy dogs to students is just one of the many ways to relieve stress. As a student myself, I know firsthand how much stress can impact performance in school, as well as how important it is to manage this stress well. I addressed this issue by inviting everyone in my school to take advantage of the opportunity to visit with a therapy dog. I told students that this is a great way to deal with stress, and that taking a few minutes out of their busy schedule to come and visit a therapy dog could greatly help them with any stress they may be experiencing.

Parents: Naomi Benz and Richard Benz

Project Advisor: Kristin Billings—St. Mary Catholic High School

Troop Leader: Trisha Schneider

Sandy Brierton Junction City, WI

Working with Veterans has always held a special place in my heart, so I knew that I wanted to do something with them for my Gold Award project. I worked with Camp American Legion in Lake Tomahawk to build four raised garden beds for the camp, researched and developed a booklet on horticultural therapy and how to garden with raised beds, and created two presentations for volunteers at camp for the general public to learn more about the benefits of gardening.

Parents: Bonnie Brierton and Tom Brierton

Project Advisor: Jim Klement

Troop Leader: Angela Hansen

Olivia Caravella

Appleton, WI

My Gold Award project addressed issues of structural safety, increased space, accessibility, improved functionality, and thoughtful building design by creating and installing a new 16ʹ x 20ʹ garden storage shed in a 32-acre public garden. Volunteers, who are often retirees, assist in the development and maintenance of this garden and needed a larger, more accessible space to store supplies. The new garden shed also fits in seamlessly with the gardens surrounding it, allowing volunteers to support the beauty of the public gardens.

Parents: Kristin Caravella and Steve Caravella

Project Advisor: Jim Kinderman

Troop Leader: Kristin Caravella

Gold Award Girl Scouts are the dreamers and the doers who take “make the world a better place” to the next level. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the mark of the truly remarkable—proof that not only can she make a difference, but that she already has. Seniors and Ambassadors who earn the Gold Award tackle issues dear to them and drive lasting change in their communities and beyond.

Earning the Girl Scout Gold Award

• Identify an issue

• Investigate your issue thoroughly

• Get help and build your team

• Create a plan

• Present your plan and gather feedback

• Take action

• Educate and inspire

Paige Dragovich Park Falls, WI

Too many potential adopters pick up dogs and then end up returning them, often because they do not have enough knowledge about caring for an animal or they do not know how to stop animal’s destructive, stressful behavior. I made enrichment themed videos talking about how to handle an animal’s stress and anxiety at the shelter as well as once an adopted animal goes to their new home. My videos are intended to help new animal adopters understand that there is much more behind taking care of an animal.

Parents: Catherine Barbeln and Paul Barbeln

Project Advisor: Tanya Belanger

Troop Leader: Cathy Barbeln

Marie Field Rice Lake, WI

For my Gold Award project, I created a drama club at the middle school that I previously attended. The theater program at my high school always had a number of students that helped with the club and who were in the theater productions. I thought that if there was a club at the middle school it would create more of an interest for them in high school to be more involved and the club would also teach them important skills such as learning to focus on the task or tasks at hand and instilling confidence in themselves and those around them.

Parent: Nate Field

Project Advisor: Lina Coe

Troop Leader: Jenifer Holec

Lara Funnell Oshkosh, WI

In the Christine Ann center, a non-profit organization providing services for victims of domestic abuse and dating violence, I renovated one of the rooms in the basement into an art room. I cleared out the entire room so I could sand the floors and repaint the walls and ceiling. I also raised money to purchase furniture, decorations, and new supplies. I also added an area in the corner with fidget toys and a tent to be used as a calming space. This project created a space where the residents and visitors have a space where they can be creative, relax, and enjoy their hobbies in a peaceful setting.

Parent: Amy Funnell

Project Advisor: Carly Hirsch—Christine Ann Center

Troop Leader: Deb Liably

Meredith Gadzik Appleton, WI

I worked with school administrators to create and run a student-led high school graphic design class which provided instruction and resources for students to create the art school’s first yearbook, cultivating community and incorporating original artwork and design. Current and future students will continue to lead this class to support and showcase each other’s talent. Based on student and teacher feedback, school administration has already expanded the project from a one-semester to a two-semester course.

Parents: Stephanie Gadzik and Michael Gadzik

Project Advisor: Annette Koepke—Renaissance School for the Arts

Troop Leader: Stephanie Gadzik

Elizabeth Heimerl

Appleton, WI

I planted Little Free Libraries that have a focus on LGBTQ+ and BIPOC stories. After fundraising, I ordered two libraries from the LFL website, painted them, installed them, and stocked them with books. I’ve been keeping an eye on the books inside, and they have been getting switched out over time. The libraries are located at the First Congregational United Church of Christ on South River Street, and on the corner of Summit and Packard, both in Appleton.

Parents: Katie Heimerl and Gregory Heimerl

Project Advisor: Candace Eisch-Groebner—Xavier Catholic High School

Troop Leader: Cynthia Powers

Jenna Konrad Ripon, WI

I took 120 seventh grade students from Ripon Middle School to a local dairy farm where they learned the importance of agriculture and how it affects their community as well as other jobs outside of farming that relate to agriculture. This includes veterinarian, agronomist, and animal nutritionist.

Parents: Dana Konrad and Dan Konrad

Project Advisor: DBM Emma Schaffel—Waupun Veterinary Service

Troop Leader: Ruth Retzlaff

Grace Retzlaff

Ripon, WI

My Gold Award addressed the issue of engaging young girls to participate in winter outdoor activities. I coordinated workshops that introduced girls to winter activities, such as snowshoeing and skiing, helped them gain confidence in these new skills, and encouraged them to continue to be active outdoors in the winter.

To provide ongoing access to winter outdoor equipment, my project also included donating snowshoes to the Ripon Public Library for families and Scout troops to check out at no cost.

Parents: Ruth Retzlaff and Christopher Retzlaff

Project Advisor: Mindy Arneson

Troop Leader: Ruth Retzlaff

Giselle Rottier

Pulaski, WI

For my Gold Award project, I created virtual camp tour videos for each of the GSNWGL camp properties. This project involved travelling to each camp property, taking relevant tour footage, and compiling and editing the raw footage into high quality camp tour videos. By highlighting each camp property, it is my hope that these beautiful camp properties will be used more often and that more troops will be able to experience the joy of camping.

Parents: Tracie Van Gheem-Rottier and Dustin Rottier

Project Advisor: Susan Van Gheem—Pension, Inc.

Troop Leader: Tracie Van Gheem-Rottier

Anna Zampaloni

Appleton, WI

For my Gold Award project, I wanted to create a fun and exciting activity that could bring people together and reduce the effects of isolation, along with strengthening core skills such as leadership, cooperation, and creative thinking. I was able to accomplish all of this by creating an interactive board game for people from ages 11 to 69. I also created a website with all the resources I used for the game, along with a handful of game kits that I gave to organizations around the Fox Valley area.

Parents: Suzanne Zampaloni and Michael Zampaloni

Project Advisor: Trish Birr-Zimmer—Xavier High School

Troop Leader: Cynthia Powers

Gold Award Mentors

Alzada Bourget

Marie Cain

Rachel Doherty

Lenoma Easton

Kathleen Flickinger

Sue Gonnering

Judy Goodnight

Kelly Gostisha

Mary Grace

Kathie Hunt

Sherry Jasper

Suzy Johnson

Heidi Kolve

Judy Phillips

Deb Reider

Sue Smith

Jennifer Soppeland

Mary Vertanen

Beth Wilson

Kim Wilson

Barry Wolfgram

Holly Wolfgram

Suzanne Worden