Girl Scouts who changed the world for the better honored
Council recognized Girl Scouts who earned Bronze, Silver and Gold Awards
November 20, 2023
BEDFORD, NH – Fifty of the 161 outstanding young women across New Hampshire who have worked hard to make the world a better place were recognized by Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains at the council’s Young Women of Distinction event on Sunday, Nov.12, at the Bedford Event Center.
Earning one of Girl Scouting’s highest honors is the pinnacle of a Girl Scout’s experience. Girl Scout Juniors, those in grades 4 and 5, are eligible for the Bronze Award, which is typically earned as a team or troop, and requires them to spend at least 20 hours taking action in their community, helping them to gain skills in many areas. Girl Scout Cadettes, those in grades 6-8, are eligible for the Silver Award, which is typically earned in pairs or small groups, and requires at least 60 hours of community service. The Gold Award is available to Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors in grades 9-12, and requires 80 hours of service. These are earned individually, requiring the Girl Scout to make a sustainable impact on the world that addresses a particular issue, becoming young adults of courage, confidence and character.
In the 2022-23 membership year, 18 have earned the Gold Award, 54 the Silver, and 89 the Bronze. Those who could not attend this event will be honored at upcoming ceremonies.
The following Girl Scouts were recognized on Nov. 12:
Gold Awards
Olivia Britton of Grantham – A New Page for the Library’s Marketing. Britton designed and built a sign for the Dunbar Free Library to help the library advertise events and resources.
Sophia Day of Somersworth – Care Bags With A Purpose. Day arranged to provide 40 care bags to middle and high school students filled with items like canned goods, snacks, playing cards, coupons, and a brochure listing local parks and their activities, including a bus schedule.
Jenna Dinndorf of Bedford – Grieving Through Art. To help children deal with grief after the loss of a loved one, she created a traveling art show with art made by grieving children as well as “Coping Cards” which provide advice, working closely with the Friends of Aine grief support group in Manchester.
Corinne Kelly of Pelham – Veterans History Project: Remembering the Past to Change the Future. To preserve the stories of service to our country by the military and instill patriotism in youth, Kelly interviewed veterans and sent the recordings to be kept by the Library of Congress. She also provided care packages to veterans, spoke to many audiences about her effort, and taught a workshop on community service at Miss America.
Samantha Laflotte of Merrimack – Merrimack NH Drive-Through Food Pantry. Food insecurity among all ages led Laflotte to create a drive-through food pantry that is partnered with Laura’s World Fund, Northeast Planning Associates and other businesses to be sure all have enough to eat.
Melody Roe of Merrimack – Community Story Stroll. Children walking through a local park can now enjoy reading a story while being outdoors and away from electronic devices. The Merrimack Public Library will maintain the story walk, changing content regularly.
Silver Awards
Books & Song Creation for Children with Special Needs - Amalia Gloss and Callen Myers of Exeter and Olive Lovvik of Kensington.
Broken Ground Maker Space - Caia Kimball of Concord.
Gaga Ball Pit - Isla Mailhot, Elizabeth Weir, Sienna Howes, Eva Harris, Aliya Fish and Alayna Flanders of Chichester and Shayla Brazil of Boscawen.
Humane Society Collections - Ella Evans of Nashua.
Little Free Food Pantry - Sarah Prouty of Salem.
Love for Little Libraries - Isabella Hwalek of Nashua.
Nottingham Fitness and Wellness - Emeline Friend-Gray and Samantha Perron of Nottingham.
Operation Adaptive Gardening - Aubreigh Pfeiffer of Claremont, Natalya Ash of Lempster and Saphira Cox of Newport.
Project Pawsome! - Abigail Marcotte, Allison Okenquist, Cadence Friend-Gray, Evangeline Paoletti and Teia Beech of Nottingham.
Signs and Fairy Gardens for Graylag - Cynthia Pelletier of Pittsfield and Megan Wimpey of Concord.
Supplies for the Behavioral & Training Dept. for the SPCA - Mary Kavanaugh and Layla Baker of Exeter.
Bronze Awards
The Great Conquest of Sir Bee-sifer - Josie Mirra and Emilia Jarrett of Exeter.
Crayon Initiative - Exelia Rourke, Shahin Grewal, Riley Young, and Lillian Sandhu of Bedford.
Rain Garden - Kirby Lafortune of Merrimack.
Fun Run - Aubrey Pickering, Dalia Corbett and Haven Strobridge of Loudon.
Little Free Library - Elizabeth Knowlton and Madeleine Kilgour of Hudson.
Coping Kits - Aeris Morgan and Gianna Cunningham of Raymond and Nadia Lakhbal of Manchester.
Blessing Bags for Bronze - Jade Grant and Rachel Greenland of Hooksett and Ella Hollingworth of Bedford.
A Buddy Bench Built by Buddies - Janelle Huggins and Josie Murphy of Brookline.
Camp Crossroad - Megan Getschmann of Exeter.
Supporting Animal Adoption - Hanna Kausch, Juliana Glover, Mariam Iqbal, Olivia Caron, Samantha Yates, Sarah Delsignore, Sarah Iqbal, Seraphina Jorgensen and Violet Giguere of Amherst, and Mackenzie Woolf of Mont Vernon.
Gaga Ball Pit - Arilyssia Brazil of Boscawen
Hospital Helpers - Ryleigh Covey of Hooksett.
N and E’s Blankets for Kids - Nora Campbell of Merrimack
Pet Dental Care - Sophia Caron of Amherst
Helping the Homeless - Rhys Maxner of Plymouth.
Helping the Environment - Isabella Archer, Ava Ledbetter, Caleigh Epple, Madelyn Ledbetter, and Kyla O’Connor-Beck of Bow; and Emma Carter of Concord.
Also recognized at the event was Nora Campbell of Merrimack, who earned the Cadette Community Service Bar.
● ● ●
About the Girl Scout Gold Award
- Gold Award Girl Scouts on average spend one to two years on their project.
- A Gold Award project must be sustainable after the girl’s involvement ends.
- The average age of Gold Award Girl Scouts is 17.
- Since 1916, more than 1 million girls have earned the Gold Award or its equivalent.
- Gold Award Girl Scouts are entitled to enlist at a higher pay grade when they join the military.
- University research indicates that noting you are a Gold Award Girl Scout on a college application is influential in the admissions decision-making process.
- Eighteen young women from New Hampshire and Vermont have earned their Gold Award in the 2022-2023 membership year as part of Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains.
- The Girl Scout Gold Award is the mark of the truly remarkable.
We Are Girl Scouts
Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs from coast to coast, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. To join us, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, visit girlscouts.org.
Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains serves girls throughout New Hampshire and Vermont through volunteer-run troops, events, and virtual programs. Visit www.girlscoutsgwm.org to learn more.
