Kelly Marzocchi

Park Association

Troop 1537

Having experienced the peer pressures and stresses of teen life, Kelly felt that younger girls would benefit from the opportunity to learn about such topics as self-esteem, body image, attitude, confidence, and stress. Working with sister Girl Scout Alia Jethoo, Kelly spoke about these topics at their “Girl Talk” event. Using clips from the movie “Thirteen” as springboards to conversation, Kelly was able to promote her message that being happy with yourself is the first step to a better life and will give you the confidence to resist the pressures for negative behaviors.

Kelly is a senior at New Hyde Park Memorial High School where she is involved with the Romanettes, and musical activities such as the band and the school musical. She will attend Long Island University 's C.W. Post Campus in the fall, where she is the recipient of a Gold Award Scholarship.

Jessica Dawn Merkel

Herricks Association

Troop 1823

Monica Milteer

Bellmore Association

Troop 981-911

Working with sister Girl Scout Monika Loeschinger, Monica collected items to donate to Mommas House. A non-profit corporation dedicated to helping mothers and their children, Momma's House offers a safe environment for young mothers to learn to take care of their babies. Monica collected paper goods, toiletries, diapers, crib sheets, baby monitors and more. A graduate of Sacred Heart Academy , Monica was a member of Student Council, Red and Gold Spirit Competition, and Catholic League. As a freshman at C.W. Post, she has joined a sorority and in her spare time is an Altar Server and volunteers in her parish teaching religion.

Samantha Mintz

Oceanside Association

Troop 2123

Samantha hoped to give back to a local church that opens its doors to the community. The local Girl Scout Troops, as well as many other community groups, use the church's meeting rooms, and the wear and tear was starting to show. Using her organizational skills, she arranged for materials and volunteers to help her to make over the meeting room. Thanks to her efforts, there is a new, bright look to the church hall, and a group of local volunteers who can feel that they made a difference.

Samantha is in the 11 th grade at Oceanside High School where she is in the “Best Buddies” program. She is also active in her town's roller skating program.

Michele Misitano

Oceanside Association

Troop 2049

Setting up a weekly mother-daughter crochet circle to foster communication and understanding between the generations, while reviving interest in the art of crochet, was the aim of Michele's Gold Award project. Working with partner Danielle Amisano, she taught basic crochet skills to a group of adults and girls, and arranged for the crochet circle to meet on a regular basis for talk and crochet. While the members enjoyed each other's company, they also produced more than 100 baby hats that were donated to Winthrop Hospital 's neo-natal I.C.U. and New Life Center . Michele has completed her freshman year at Molloy College, where she is studying English Education.

Rebecca Molina

West Hempstead/Franklin Square Association

Troop 1325

Rebecca Molina's “Family Literacy and ESL” project collected over 100 books and then recorded the books on tape, which were then donated to the Love and Lunch program. The project was designed to help children enjoy reading and improve their own reading skills and to help non-English speaking parents to assist their children in reading books written in English, while improving the parents' own literacy in English. Rebecca is a graduate of Holy Trinity Diocesan High School , and is completing her first year at Nassau Community College , where she is a member of the Sci Fi Club and the Christian Club. Rebecca is a Eucharistic Minister at St. Catherine of Sienna Church , and she is a volunteer for the West Hempstead/Franklin Square Association of Girl Scouts.

Katherine Moore

Hardscrabble Association

Troop 3288

The goal of Katherine's “Project Preserve” was to raise community awareness of conservation and preservation of our environment. Katherine hosted a used bicycle drive and collected 170 bikes for Pedals for Progress, which ships bikes overseas for needy people. She also collected used baby items for Madonna Heights which, among other services, provides a home and education for young mothers with limited resources and also offers emergency shelter. In addition, she taught a Brownie Troop about Earth Day through the creation of nature treasure boxes and planting flowers. She also organized a Community Clean-Up where Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts and other members of the community joined to clean the Massapequa Preserve. Katherine is a senior honor student at Our Lady of Mercy Academy. She is the Ballet Captain for the Mercy Dance Company and a member of New York Dance Theatre's corps de ballet. She has danced, as a soloist, in the Nutcracker at Hofstra University since the age of seven. Katherine also serves as a team leader for the St. Kilian's Youth Ministry, taught dance for the Liturgical Dance Ministry, and she is a Eucharistic Minister. She has received a scholarship to attend Fordham University at Lincoln Center in the fall.

Regina Musgrove

Plainedge Association

Troop 3500

Regina Musgrove planned and delivered her “Senior Fitness Forum” to motivate senior citizens to stay fit. Working with participants at a senior center in Wantagh and volunteering at Cold Spring Hills Rehab, Regina found ways to demonstrate and discuss the ways for seniors to remain active throughout their lives. Regina is an eleventh-grade student at MacArthur High School. She studies ballet and modern dance at the Cultural Arts Center in Syosset and runs track for the Levittown Track Team. For the past three years, she has volunteered for Special Olympics and for nine years has been an assistant teacher of religious education.

Nicole Noronha

Herricks Association

Troop 1823

Nicole Noronha used her musical skill and talent to create her “Music Connectors” project, which was a peer-to-peer mentoring program that enabled children with physical limitations to play an instrument. Nicole coordinated with the administrators and teachers at the Henry Viscardi School , as well as with a group of volunteer student musicians, to teach piano, violin and guitar to more than forty students. At the end of four weeks, the students gave a concert. Her project not only promoted musical skills, it also provided an opportunity for inclusion for both students from the Henry Viscardi School and other student musicians. Nicole is a tenth grader at Herricks High School where she is a member of the National Art Honor Society, the Art Club, Tri-M Music Honor Society, Amnesty International and ASTA. Nicole is a member of the Metropolitan Youth Orchestra, has played at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center , and has performed in Europe . She currently has an internship at the DNA Learning Center . Nicole studies karate and is active in her church.

Christine Pallas

Seaford/Wantagh Association

Troop 3093

Sewing is a skill that is useful and rewarding, yet many young people do not have the opportunity to learn this most practical of the household arts. Christine decided to teach younger girls how to sew, setting up workshops where she taught basic stitches, pinning, and knotting. The younger girls produced squares, which were then turned into finished blankets by Christine, her Troop mates and other volunteers. Thanks to her efforts, more than fifty new baby blankets were donated to Project Linus.

A junior at Seaford High School, Christine is involved in a mentoring program, is a Peer Leader, and is a member of Key Club and Symphonic Band.

Ashley Pender

Baldwin Association

Troop 2311

As an individual who embraces new ideas and new cultures, Ashley hoped to use a visit to China as an opportunity to debunk some misconceptions that the Chinese may have about Americans and vice versa. She spent time interviewing people in both countries, asking them about their perceptions of the other's culture. By bringing her personal touch to these interviews, which she conducted in English and in Mandarin Chinese, she was able to help bring the two cultures together and show that we can accept our differences when we also find our similarities.

Ashley is a senior at Baldwin Senior High School where she is a member of National Honor Society, Medical Explorers Club and Key Club. She plays Varsity Tennis and is Manager of the Varsity Badminton Team. She has completed a Pediatric Internship at Long Island Pediatrics and is a member of the American Forum For Global Education. She will attend Brown University in the fall.

Courtney Pincus

Oceanside Association

Troop 2123

Courtney's Gold Award Project, “A Step Off Broadway,” brought together girls of different ages from different troops and schools to put on a show of Broadway moments and presented them to the community. A junior at Oceanside High School , Courtney is involved with Natural Helpers, and is a member of the Swing Choir and NYSSMA. When she's not singing and dancing in school, you'll find her in one of three community theatre organizations, at voice lessons or busy with her Senior Girl Scout Troop.

Jennifer Piontek

Oceanside Association

Troop 2147

Jennifer Piontek helped develop a “Junior Ranger Program” to teach girls about environmental issues. Jennie worked with sister Girl Scout Samantha Rosen to research, develop and produce a seventeen-page environmental workbook that enables Junior Girl Scouts who visit the Fire Island National Seashore to earn the Wildlife badge and girls 11 –17 may earn the From Shore to Sea and/or Wildlife Interest Patch. A tenth grader at Oceanside High School , Jennie concentrates on her academic studies and is a member of the Key Club. During the summer, she volunteers at the Fire Island Lighthouse.