Girls Change the World
2024 Gold Award Girl Scouts
two
thousand
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twenty-four
Gold Award Girl Scouts
Please join us as we recognize and honor the girls who “Took Action,” earned their Gold Award, and made the world a better place.
Katherine Berry*
Kaitlyn Blum*
Elizabeth Broders*
Samantha Cunningham*
Delainey Kaster*
Sarah Loeffelholz
Elizabeth Luther*
Makayla Maxson*
Katherine Miller*
Abigail Pieper
*Indicates girls who have earned Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards
about the Gold Award
The Girl Scout Gold Award represents the highest achievement in Girl Scouting.
Open only to girls in high school, this prestigious award challenges girls to change the world – or at least their corner of it.
Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska recognizes the dedication of the young women who identified a need in their community, built a team, developed a plan, and Took Action to make a measurable and sustainable impact.
For many, the experience that comes from “Going Gold” sets the foundation for a lifetime of active citizenship and often the direction for a career.
Since 1916, the best and brightest have undertaken projects to improve their communities and beyond. Over the years, thousands of women have earned Girl Scout awards for excellence in leadership: The Golden Eaglet, Curved Bar, First Class, and the Gold Award!
Congratulations to our 2024 Gold Award Girl Scouts who join a remarkable century-long tradition of leadership.
the benefits of Going Gold
Gold Award Girl Scouts do well in life! They rate their general success significantly higher than their peers and report greater success in reaching their goals.
Girls who earn the Gold Award say the experience:
• Gave them greater confidence
• Made them feel more optimistic about their future
• Encouraged them to seek additional leadership experiences
• Helped them focus on a successful career, financial security, and being a leader
• Inspired them to seek volunteer experiences and to make charitable donations
• Motivated them to continue to be civically engaged
• Strengthened their appreciation for Girl Scouting and how it has shaped their lives
Katherine Berry
Hometown: Omaha
Parents: Ann Anderson Berry and Thomas Berry
Troop Leader: Ann Anderson Berry
Project Advisor: Warren Narducci
Developing Community Resources for Dog Health Information and Education
I worked with members of my community at the Golden Retriever Rescue in Nebraska (GRRIN) to make pamphlets for dog owners about dog health. After researching topics such as hip dysplasia, cancer, how to care for a newly adopted dog, cataracts, heart conditions, and skin conditions, I designed high impact pamphlets for physical and virtual distribution in key areas around Omaha and online in partnership with GRRIN.
I presented the pamphlets at the GRRIN dog fair where I talked with many dog owners and received great feedback. I distributed pamphlets to veterinarians around Omaha and to the Nebraska Humane Society, and plan to continuously supply them with pamphlets. I am passionate about this project because I have three dogs, including a rescue dog, and felt like there was not a good place for dog owners to get helpful tips and information about their pet.
Kaitlyn Blum
Hometown: Lincoln
Parents: Kimberly and Doug Blum
Troop Leader: Kimberly Blum
Project Advisor: Ian Hartfield
Worship Space Renovation
For my Gold Award project, I organized a team to add braces to the benches in the outdoor worship space at my church because they were wobbly and could be hazardous to people trying to use them. I also added a border around the area and replaced the bridge leading up to the Outdoor Worship Center. My team also re-laid the brick around the firepit and added stone around the fire ring. We added a sign to welcome people into the space and provide some ideas on how to use the space.
Elizabeth Broders
Hometown: Norfolk
Parent: Danita Broders
Troop Leader: Danita Broders
Project Advisor: Diana Kuehler
Busy Boards
I made busy boards for schools and nursing homes. These boards help with fine motor development, bilateral development, hand-eye coordination, and problem-solving skills. They are especially useful in Special Education classrooms and with nursing home residents who have dementia. I made 12 boards and gave them to two nursing homes and five schools. Along with the busy boards, I also provided flyers explaining the benefits of the boards.
I had lots of help from family and friends in making the boards. As I presented the boards to one of the schools, a child who was so excited to receive them wanted to immediately start playing with the boards. I received many financial donations for the project enabling me to complete and distribute the boards. I found while the boards were fun to make, it was even more fun being able to give them away.
Samantha Cunningham
Hometown: Omaha
Parents: Angie and Jim Cunningham
Troop Leader: Jennifer Larson
Project Advisor: Angie O'Connor
Revamping the Girl's Bathroom
For my Gold Award project, I repainted and decorated the girl's bathrooms at Holy Cross Catholic School. I added pictures to the walls with mental health information, and provided each student with a pamphlet about what mental health is and resources they can turn to for help. I wanted the space to be comforting and feel safe for young girls. There are inspirational quotes in the stalls and all the teachers at Holy Cross received a document containing information that they can use to teach their students about mental health. I chose this project to give back to the community that I grew up in and help girls learn about mental health at a younger age.
Delainey Kaster
Hometown: Falls City
Parents: Elizabeth and Michael Kaster
Troop Leader: Elizabeth Kaster
Project Advisor: Martin Elwonger
Discover Nebraska Patch
For my Gold Award project, I created the Discover Nebraska Patch Program. This patch program was designed for girls of all ages throughout Spirit of Nebraska, to learn the history, geography, and fun facts about our state. To earn the patch, Girl Scouts complete specific requirements. I designed this patch program so that girls would have the opportunity to learn more about Nebraska. I can remember having a whole class about Nebraska history in 4th grade that I found really fascinating and I decided to take that class and turn it into a fun and learning experience for Girl Scouts.
Sarah Loeffelholz
Hometown: Pleasanton
Parents: Kami and Bruce Loeffelholz
Troop Leader: Kami Loeffelholz
Project Advisor: Corliss Dixon
Preserving Small Town History
The Union Pacific Railroad Depot in Pleasanton was the target for my Gold Award project. I wanted people who visited the impressive landmark to learn about its history, so I created history boards showcasing photos and a detailed timeline of the Depot. I started a GoFundMe page raising more than $500 to help pay for expenses. I also created a website that includes historical information about the Depot, worked directly with a sign company bringing my concept to life, and participated in media interviews informing community members about my project. My Gold Award project will be sustained by the Pleasanton Village Board who will maintain it and ensure it will always look nice and presentable.
Elizabeth Luther
Hometown: Nebraska City
Parents: Christine Parkyn and Stephen Luther
Troop Leader: Donna Fitzsimmons
Project Advisor: Sarah Knutson
Honeybee Middle-School Curriculum
I developed a curriculum for middle school students to learn about the importance of honeybees as they are a dominant pollinator as well as about the processing process. I also set up a demonstration hive available to any students or teachers that want to work with bees. Knowing outreach was one of the most important parts of my project, I made a website, https://www.esbeesne.com. There you can find information and tools to use to learn more about honeybees. I have already received feedback from a former teacher who is using my curriculum with good results and who had high praise for my project.
Makayla Maxson
Hometown: Kearney
Parents: Kathy and Tom Maxson
Troop Leader: Kathy Maxson
Project Advisor: Savannah Lyon
Literacy for All
I partnered with the United Way of Kearney to provide greater access to literacy for children in my community. With my team, I installed two new Little Free Libraries for the Kearney community. I was supported by my community with monetary and book donations as well as promotion of my project. My team assisted me in building, installing, and stocking the Little Free Libraries. For sustainability, the United Way will continue to stock and monitor the books in the libraries. For the second part of my project, I created a two-level patch program to teach Girl Scouts about the importance of literacy and caring for books. This patch program is available to all co-leaders on the Spirit of Nebraska website.
Katherine Miller
Hometown: Omaha
Parents: Jennifer and Mathew Miller
Troop Leader: Ann Anderson Berry
Project Advisor: Dr. Jennifer Griffin
Menstrual Products in Elementary School Bathrooms
For my Gold Award Project, I provided menstrual products in the bathroom at elementary schools in my school district. Young girls often feel uncomfortable talking to an adult at school who they don’t know well to request a pad. I wanted to find a way to help girls feel more comfortable and confident about their periods.
I set up bins in the school bathrooms stocked with pads that young girls could use anytime. I also provided resources such as books and more pads to nurses to offer girls who came to them for help. This project not only allows young girls to feel more comfortable with their periods but also gives girls who don't have access to menstrual products at home the ability to get these products. I also created a website that includes information so that anyone interested can learn more about my project.
Abigail Pieper
Hometown: Scottsbluff
Parents: Belinda and Christopher Pieper
Troop Leader: Belinda Pieper
Project Advisor: Shelley Thomas
Family Interview Room Remodel
I remodeled the local Department of Health and Human Services family interview room, bringing the room to life, for my Gold Award project. The children they serve are already going through a hard time, and I wanted them to have a space where they could feel safe and process their emotions and cope with them. I added shelves for storing toys and books that I built out of old wood pallets. I also added step stools in the bathrooms for younger children. Lastly, I also deep cleaned the space, and I continue to go in about once a week to clean up. This project has created a much safer and more inviting space for children of all ages while they wait for a foster placement, or even for family visits.
2024 Nebraska Girl Scouts of Distinction
Pat Meyer Nebraska Gold Award Girl Scouts of Distinction Award
Abby Harveson, Scottsbluff
Abby's project used acoustic monitoring to gain species data for Nebraska bats. These monitors will be used at Girl Scout camps across Nebraska as part of a camp program she designed to educate campers and add data to her survey. Abby also built two bat houses and one of which will be placed at Camp Catron in Nebraska City.
Katherine Miller, Omaha
Katherine addressed a common discomfort among young girls: accessing menstrual products at school. In elementary school bathrooms across her district, she installed bins stocked with pads and equipped school nurses with periodical resources and additional pads to support any girl seeking assistance.
Ria Vootla, Omaha
Ria created VanityHelp, a global platform to address hygiene poverty and educate people. The platform includes a website, mobile app, and social media presence. Additionally, Ria conducted a GoFundMe fundraiser to support her school district's Family Resource Center for hygiene products and presented to organizations and at community events to raise awareness.
Pat Meyer was a lifelong Girl Scout devoted to supporting girls and helping young women earn their Gold Awards. Following her death in 2014, her family created a Girl Scout award in her memory.
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.
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.
Girl Scouts Spirit of Nebraska • GirlScoutsNebraska.org