2009 Gold Award Recipients
Below are the 2009 Gold Award Recipients listed in alpathetical order. For your browsing convenience, the 74 awardees are grouped according to last name into the sections below:
Catherine H. Appell
GARDEN CITY ASSOCIATION
TROOP 1246
Catherine’s Gold Award project “A Song for the Wise” paired her love of music with her concern for the elderly. After deciding to provide a concert
for residents of a local nursing home, she set out to recruit local musicians to perform. The end result was a family day at The Arbors Assisted Living Communities that included performances by student musicians as well as by the Garden City Chamber Orchestra. The large audience that she
reached loved the music, and the refreshments she provided. More importantly, these seniors know they were not forgotten. A senior at Garden City High School, Catherine’s extra-curricular activities include Italian Club, Amnesty International, Math Research, Wind Ensemble, varsity tennis, and Lo Stivale Magazine. She will attend The University of Scranton, PA in the fall.
Kathryn Artesani
BAY ASSOCIATION
TROOP 304
The residents of Bayville are blessed with a multitude of beautiful beaches for their
enjoyment. Kathryn’s project “Bayville: Enjoy Our Beaches Safely” was designed to educate beachgoers, from toddlers to senior citizens, about the importance of protection from the sun. Through educational displays and flyers, fun activities for the children, and many giveaways of sunhats and sunscreen, Kathryn was able to make her point that fun in the sun needs to be safe as well. Kathryn is a senior at Locust Valley High School where she participates in yearbook, kickline, S.A.D.D., Forensics Club, AIDS Committee, Culinary Club, and Student Leadership Cabinet, among others. Outside of school, and apart from Girl Scouts, Kathryn is a dancer and assistant instructor at a local dance studio, has participated in dance competitions, is in the youth group at her church, and volunteers at Bayville’s Haunted Firehouse. She will attend college
in September.
Jennifer Azzara
FLORAL PARK/
BELLEROSE/STEWART
MANOR ASSOCIATION
TROOP 1557
Jennifer undertook a project addressing the proper care of exotic animals. Called “The Exciting World of Exotic Pets.” Jennifer organized, advertised,
and staged a presentation where children and their parents learned the responsibilities of and appropriate methods for exotic pet care in a fun and interesting way. Jennifer and several other exotic pet owners spoke to the attendees, and
allowed them to have a hands-on experience with exotic pets such as hedgehogs, bunnies, lizards and snakes. Jennifer is a senior at Holy Trinity High School in Hicksville, where she is a tutor, active in the theater department,
and is a member of the Music Ministry, National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Thespian Honor Society, and the Chess Club. Jennifer aspires to become an elementary school speech/language pathologist, and has been
awarded a Gold Award Scholarship from Adelphi University.
Jennifer Baumgarten
ELLM ASSOCIATION
TROOP 2125
Jennifer, a junior at Lynbrook High School wanted to educate students and adults about the
conditions that exist in Appalachia. She was concerned that students in Appalachia did not even have the most basic of school supplies needed for a proper education. For her Gold Award project titled “Remembering Appalachia,” she wrote a
children’s book describing the poverty in Hyden, Kentucky and the need for school supplies. She set up an evening reading program at local elementary schools and requested school supplies as admission to the reading program. At the program, Jennifer read her book to the students and also left a box at each of the schools, allowing students who were unable to attend the program to donate school supplies. Through her efforts, she was able to gather a carload of school supplies, which she personally delivered to the students of Hyden, Kentucky. At school, Jennifer is a member of the National Honor Society, the varsity swimteam, basketball team, and theHelpingHands Club. Outside of school, Jennifer is a lifeguard and enjoys
going camping at Camp Blue Bay with her Girl Scout Troop.
Andrea Boccia
GARDEN CITY ASSOCIATION
TROOP 1246
Andrea’s Gold Award Project was titled “Kids’ Day on Broadway.” Andrea realized that cancer can cripple a child’s mental will, and believed that their minds should be treated with as much care as their
bodies. Andrea wrote and planned a skit, which was
performed for patients in the Children’s CancerWard at Winthrop Hospital. She also created pamphlets which educated her designated actors on cancer. She held a dress rehearsal for the Girl Scout actors she recruited, which prepared them for their performance. After the performance, Andrea held a question and answer segment encouraging patients in the audience to interact with the actors. The patients’ enthusiasm assured her that the children had an opportunity to enjoy their imaginations and escape their worries. Andrea is a senior at Garden City High School where she is involved in Students Helping Students, Drama Club, and serves as the president of the International Thespian Honor Society. In addition to babysitting and working, Andrea volunteers at her church and sings in the choir.
Amanda Borzym
BELLMORE ASSOCIATION
TROOP 925
Amanda’s goal for her Gold Award Project, “Health and Yoga,” was to educate others about the importance of a healthy lifestyle. She noticed that some of her friends returned from their first year at
college with the proverbial “Freshman Ten” (extra pounds) and she felt that by educating high school students to reduce stress through activities such as yoga and healthy snacks, rather than TV and junk food, she would give them tools that could prove useful in college and later in life. A senior at W.C. Mepham High School in Bellmore, she is a member of the Big Buddy Program and the Prom Committee. Amanda will attend Nassau Community College, Garden City in the fall.
Katherine Callaghan
VALLEY STREAM
ASSOCIATION
TROOP 2051
A junior at Valley Stream North High School, Katherine wanted to bring different student groups
together to work on beautifying their school grounds. Through her Gold Award project titled
“Planting Hope/Growing Together,” her school courtyards and entrance beds were revamped and planted with the help of different school groups. As a result of her project, Katie noticed changes in students’ behaviors. She noticed an improvement in
school spirit as students stopped throwing trash in the beds after becoming invested in the beautification project. Katie’s efforts were also rewarded when the Drama Club utilized the cleaned courtyard as a stage for its Shakespeare night, and the PTSA added a budget line for school beautification. Katherine’s school activities include tutoring and membership in the Drama Club, Physics Club, Art Club, Science Honor Society,Math Honor Society, and Spanish Honor Society. She also actively participates in PTSA where she is a PTSA student liaison. Outside of school, she is a member of the Nassau SuffolkWind Symphony, a Youth Group Leader at Our Lady of Lourdes Church, a children’s mass planner and teacher, a rectory receptionist, and a Camp Lourdes volunteer counselor.
Angela Cascione
GARDEN CITY ASSOCIATION
TROOP 1246
Angela took the opportunity to spread her love of music to the children at St. Mary’s Hospital
for Children in a project she titled “Making Music
Memories.” She taught the kids about the sounds musical instruments make individually and how they combine into a song. She transposed and wrote songs for various instruments and recruited musicians to play them with her for the children at the hospital. Angela then helped the children to color musical instrument coloring pages and create a banner to celebrate the event. Angela is a senior at Garden City High School, and is active in marching band, wind ensemble, Dance Club, and Tri-M Music Honor Society.
Victoria Chimento
GARDEN CITY ASSOCIATION
TROOP 1175
Victoria’s objective was to make her community more aware of the plight of war veterans, and to communicate to her fellow classmates the importance of showing support for the men and women who have fought for America. She teamed up with Alyssa Zinga for “Operation: Support War Veterans,” a multi-faceted approach to the issue. She organized a donation drive to benefit veterans,
with collection sites around Garden City and the surrounding area. To put a human face on the issue, she arranged for a veteran to speak at the history classes at her high school so that the students could better understand the importance of
supporting our veterans. Victoria is a junior at Garden City High School, where
she is President of Key Club, and Vice President of the Miracle Club. She is a member of the National Honor Society and Spanish Honor Society, and is a varsity athlete in cross country, and indoor and outdoor track and field.
Marissa D'Ambrosio
SEAFORD/WANTAGH
ASSOCIATION
TROOP 3081
Music is an important part of Marissa’s life, and she felt it was important to give younger musicians the benefit of working closely with more experienced
musicians in a mentor-protégé relationship that would get them more excited about mastering an
instrument. Using her organizational skills, she put together an all-day workshop for elementary and middle school band students, which included sectional rehearsals with high school students, lunch and games, a mass band rehearsal, and a
concluding concert. As a result of participating in this event, Marissa hopes that more students will continue their musical
education. A senior at Wantagh High School,Marissa is President of Student Government, Captain of the girls’ varsity swimming and diving team, President of Band Council, Overall Captain of Sportsnite Gold Team, Captain of Science Olympiad. Outside of school, she is a member of the Nassau Suffolk Performing
Arts Concert Band. Marissa will be attending Ithaca College in the fall to study Music Education.
AnnMarie Clemente
MASSAPEQUA ASSOCIATION
TROOP 2028
AnnMarie calls her project “Bridging the Gap: From
Generation to Generation.” She set out with the goal of making a connection with the seniors at
the Broadlawn Nursing Home and Bristal Assisted Living Center. AnnMarie organized a large group of volunteers for her project, which included planting new flowers at Broadlawn and organizing craft days at Bristal. Her volunteers and the residents worked alongside each other to make Thanksgiving
turkey cards, sing holiday songs, make winter snowflake and snowmen decorations, and organize a Valentine’s Day party. A senior at St. Anthony’s High School, South
Huntington, AnnMarie will be attending Hofstra University in Hempstead in the fall and aspires to become a teacher. She is currently a member of the National Honor Society, St. Anthony’s Leadership Team, Future Teachers of America
Club, and the Peanut Butter & Jelly Gang.
Jordan Davidson
EAST MEADOW
ASSOCIATION
NTA
Wanting to continue the tradition of knitting that was an important part of her relationship with her greatgrandmother, Jordan taught a group of beginners the basics of knitting. She then used those skills to create more than one hundred hats and scarves for the homeless. Her donation of
these handmade items to a local homeless shelter was received with appreciation and enthusiasm. Her project “Knitting from the Heart” created a loving connection between all involved. Jordan is a senior at W.T. Clarke High School in Westbury
where she is a member of the National Honor Society, National English Honor Society, National Art Honor Society, Science Honor Society, and Tri-MMusic Honor Society, Languages Other Than English Honor Society, and takes part in advanced science research.
Sara Di Caro
ELLM ASSOCIATION
TROOP 2198
As a lifelong resident of the Village of Lynbrook, Sara wanted her Gold Award project to help
new residents of her community to feel more at home. Meeting with various village officials, from the Mayor to department heads, she gathered information that would be useful to any newcomers to Lynbrook. She then produced “Welcome Home to Lynbrook: A New Resident Reference Guide.” To introduce the guide, she held a “New Resident Night” at which the Mayor and other officials were on hand to answer questions
and where Sara distributed her booklet. As part of the project, Sara also collected items that would be needed by our Troops serving in Iraq. Due to Sara’s leadership, she was able to gather enough items to ship 24 shoe boxes of donated items to the Troops, as well as sending warm wishes and expressions of appreciation from those in Lynbrook. Sara is a senior at Sacred Heart Academy, Hempstead, where she is a member of Catholic League, Latin Club,
Computer Club, and National Honor Society. Outside of school, she volunteers for Habitat for Humanity, teaches religious education and is a lector at her church. Sara also studies Tae Kwon Do and has attained the rank of Black Belt.
Lia Di Giovanna
MASSAPEQUA ASSOCIATION
TROOP 2081
Bicycling is one of the joys of childhood, and Lia DiGiovanna wanted to help others enjoy their
bicycles safely. She planned and ran a Bicycle Safety Rodeo for children in her community,
where they had their bikes checked by a technician, learned how to wear a helmet properly,
and practiced skills such as riding in a straight line, turning, and stopping. The 20 volunteers she recruited interacted with the children to test their knowledge of safety rules, and everyone
received safety-related materials to take home with them so that the day’s lessons would not be forgotten by the children or their parents. Lia is a senior at Massapequa High School, where she plays varsity field hockey, is Treasurer of the National Honor Society, and plays trumpet in the wind ensemble and marching band. Outside of school, she plays on ice hockey travel and tournament teams, and volunteers at a local hospital. Lia will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the fall, where she has received an Army ROTC scholarship.
Jamie Di Silvio
MASSAPEQUA ASSOCIATION
TROOP 2081
In order to create awareness and address the issue of autism, Jamie created a mural for Genesis
School in Plainview. Due to autism’s effect on the development of communication skills, Jamie hopes that the visual impact of her mural will help
to increase its efficacy among students and adults at Genesis School. She calls the mural “Understanding the Puzzle: Autism Awareness” and hopes for her work to have a lasting effect on raising autism awareness. Jamie is a freshman at Nassau Community College where she is active in art club, S.A.D.D., the tennis team, and the lacrosse team.
Danielle Donohue
FLORAL PARK/
BELLEROSE/STEWART
MANOR ASSOCIATION
TROOP 1483
Danielle wanted to utilize her love of music to help give back to her community. Her focus was on the homebound elderly, and with her project, “Voices
That Care … Uniting Three Generations,” she lifted their spirits and spread some Christmas cheer. In order to achieve her goal, Danielle recruited over one hundred thirty volunteers to sing and bake cookies for elderly folks all over Garden City, Stewart Manor, New Hyde Park, Floral Park
and Franklin Square. Danielle is a junior at Floral Park Memorial High School, where she is a multi-sport athlete, a member of the National Honor Society, Key Club, Leader Corps, Operation Respect, and All-County Chorus.
Michelle Eckert
ELLM ASSOCIATION
TROOP 2179
“Reading, Respite, & Recovery” was Michelle’s project focused on collecting new and lightly
used books for donation to local hospitals. She also gathered and donated craft supplies to the hospitals that were willing to accept them. Michelle wanted
to make sure that every hospital in her community had a variety of books so anyone unfortunate enough to be hospitalized would have a better chance of finding a book they would enjoy reading.
Michelle is a graduating senior at Lynbrook High School and plans to attend the State University of New York at Cortland.
Grace Ecton
BAY ASSOCIATION
TROOP 304
Grace decided to utilize her love of the written language to reach out to senior citizens. The project she developed was a series of creative writing workshops she administered at the Jones Manor senior citizen home. She called her project “Living in
Writing,” and focused on encouraging the participants to keep their minds fit through taking
part in exercises designed to promote imagination and memory skills and applying them to their writing.
Grace is a senior at Locust Valley High School where she participates in the school’s dramatic productions and writes for the school newspaper. She will be attending NYU in the fall where she plans to major in dramatic literature.
Katherine Egan
ROCKVILLE CENTRE
ASSOCIATION
TROOP 810
Katherine teamed up with her friend Regina Zaremba to develop a project called “HealthyMe,
HealthyWorld,” which focused on teaching young children to live healthy lives. Katherine and Regina created fun, educational activities to teach in untraditional ways the importance of making healthy choices for their bodies and their planet, including an interactive lesson on the sorts of things that can be recycled, and a fun yoga lesson. Katherine is a senior graduating from South Side High School, Rockville Centre where she participates in art club,
Leo Community Service Club, student government, and Red & Blue Sports Night. She will attend James Madison University where she plans to study Speech Pathology and Special Education.
Megan Ehrlich
ELLM ASSOCIATION
TROOP 2253
Megan’s “Warm Up America” project was focused on providing handmade blankets to the less fortunate. Megan knitted several blankets herself, and also enlisted the help of others in the form of donations from local citizens and businesses, as well as help with knitting blankets from her friends and some of the women residents at Sunrise
Assisted Living. Megan had to teach her friends, and help some of the older women to re-learn how to knit, but soon they were all working together for the benefit of others. Megan is a senior at Lynbrook High School, and will be
attending the State University of New York at New Paltz. She is currently active in cross country, track and field, Athletes Creating Excellence, and the SKIP program.
Alexandra (Lexa) Esposito
BAY ASSOCIATION
TROOP 304
Lexa teamed up with Brooke Hahn to create a project called "Together We Dance to Stay
Fit” with the goal of teaching children about the physical and mental benefits of dance, as well
as offering them the opportunity to have a free lesson. Focusing on dance as a sport
and method of exercise, the objective was to make the point that you do not have to engage in competitive sport to lead an active life and feel good about yourself. Lexa and Brooke went to the Locust Valley Boys & Girls Club, where they
stressed the importance of exercise, and proper nutrition. They then led Hip-Hop and Jazz dance classes, and had their students perform a show. Lexa is a senior at Locust Valley High School where she is Co-Editor of the Yearbook, as well as a member of S.A.D.D., Interact Club, Forensics Club, Culinary Club, and Co-President of the Foreign Language Honor Society.
Amanda Esposito
EAST MEADOW
ASSOCIATION
TROOP 1062
Amanda wanted to bring awareness to the public about the importance of some powerful women and the achievements they have made. Through her Gold Award Project, “Women on Stamps,” she achieved her goal by painting and displaying replicas of famous USPS stamps which portrayed inspirational
women. Her paintings were hung at a Post Office in Florida. She also created flyers that explained the significance of the stamps she chose to recreate. Amanda is a 2008 graduate of EastMeadow High School where she was a member of National Honor Society, American Language Honor Society, Key Club, Student Art League, and marching band. She was also on the board of Coins for a Cure Child CancerWalk, and participated in tutoring and a bowling league. Amanda is currently a freshman at Adelphi University.
Melissa Flanagan
ROCKVILLE CENTRE
ASSOCIATION
TROOP 810
Melissa worked together with Kathleen Gray to restore the outdoor area at the Rosa Lee Young child-care center. Prior to their efforts, the yard was in disrepair and lacked a natural element. Melissa and Kathleen approached local politicians to
donate the funds to help them improve the grounds, and successfully raised enough to replace the fence and ground coverings, and install flower beds, a grassy berm, and a sand pit, as well as a stage. They call the new outdoor area the “Rosa Lee Young Learning Garden.” Melissa is a senior at Kellenberg Memorial High School, Uniondale, where she is active in varsity lacrosse, Parish Religious Education Program, Math Club, Community Service Club, Senior Retreat Staff, Leader’s Club, and Catholic League. She will be attending the University of Notre Dame in the coming fall.
Stefanie Flower
BAY ASSOCIATION
TROOP 304
Stefanie’s Gold Award project is titled “Painting from the Heart.” Stefanie held a workshop enabling Girl Scout Juniors to finish the requirements needed
to receive the Visual Arts Badge. Through her workshop, the girls expressed themselves and their
passions through art. The girls’ artwork was displayed at the Bayville Library for the community.
Stefanie held a food drive as admission to the art show which was then donated to the local food pantry. Some of the artwork was also displayed at the DeMatteis Center for the benefit of patients of the medical center. Stefanie, a senior at Locust Valley High School, is a member of National Honor Society, S.A.D.D., student government, Interact, Locust Valley Jesters, and Chamber Singers. She is also involved in the St. Gertrude’s Youth Group and volunteers by taking the elderly shopping. In the fall, Stefanie plans on attending college to study nursing.
Athena Gatto
MASSAPEQUA ASSOCIATION
TROOP 2081
Athena believes that kids need to have confidence in themselves regardless of what people say or do. To support her belief, Athena created a project called “Like What You See!” focused on improving the self-esteem of younger kids. She focused on getting the kids interested in extra-curricular activities, because finding something you are passionate about doing is a great way to gain self-confidence, self-esteem and improve your self-image. Athena is a graduating senior at Massapequa High School active in S.A.D.D. and her church, and she will be
attending St. Joseph’s College to study Early Childhood Education in the coming fall.
Jessica Gelbart
VALLEY STREAM
ASSOCIATION
TROOP 2051
Jessica wanted to show teenagers that there is help
available if they are ever feeling depressed or suicidal. In order to do this, Jessica created a
project called “Opening the Doors to Communication,” a project wherein she spoke on the subject to groups of teenagers and parents. She also created
attractive poster boards to help her with these presentations and informative pamphlets to give out at various locations throughout her community. She gave them information not only on what to do if they themselves are feeling suicidal, but also how to help a friend in need. Jessica is a senior graduating from Valley Stream North High School where she works on the school newspaper and yearbook. She also participates in Kids on the Block.
She will attend SUNY New Paltz in the coming fall.
Carlyann Gierak
OCEANSIDE ASSOCIATION
TROOP 2147
Carlyann wanted to promote creativity and individuality among younger girls, so she created a project called “Art Festival.” She organized an event where girls from throughout Oceanside could come together with local Girl Scout Troops to express themselves and support each other’s creativity. Carlyann planned out several different types of crafts for the girls to make that would leave room for each girl to construct each project in her own creative way. Then, Carlyann had the girls swap
with each other, so they could learn about the SWAPS pin tradition. Carlyann is a senior at Oceanside High School where she is on the varsity swim team. She plans to attend Nassau Community College, Garden City.
Emily Gold
HARDSCRABBLE
ASSOCIATION
TROOP 3204
Emily designed a “Child Abuse Awareness” seminar to educate her community about child abuse, how to recognize abuse, and the appropriate steps to
take when you suspect abuse is taking place. She conducted hours of research on the subject of child abuse, and presented her findings to sophomore,
junior, and senior level Health classes at Farmingdale High School. Emily also crocheted blankets which she donated to abuse victims at the Garden City Coalition Against Child Abuse and Neglect. Emily is a senior at Farmingdale High School with plans to attend Adelphi University. She is currently active in her
school’s drama club, and is Co-Captain of the Lady Dalers varsity tennis team.
Kathleen Gray
ROCKVILLE CENTRE
ASSOCIATION
TROOP 810
Kathleen worked together with Melissa Flanagan to restore the outdoor area at local child-care center Rosa Lee Young. Prior to their efforts, the yard was in disrepair and lacked a feeling of nature. Kathleen and Melissa approached local politicians to
donate the funds to improve the grounds, and successfully raised enough to replace the fence and ground coverings, and install flower beds, a grassy berm, a sand pit, and a stage. They call the new outdoor area the “Rosa Lee Young Learning Garden.” Kathleen is a senior at Kellenberg Memorial High School where she is active in cross country, track, Book Club, Orchestra, and Christians Reaching Out Spreading Spirituality. She plans to attend the State University of New York, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, Syracuse.
Brooke Hahn
BAY ASSOCIATION
TROOP 304
Brooke teamed up with Alexandra (Lexa) Esposito to create a project called “Together We Dance to Stay Fit” with the goal of teaching children about the physical and mental benefits of dance, as well as offering them the opportunity to have a free lesson. Focusing on dance as a sport and method of exercise, the objective was to make the point that you do not have to engage in competitive sports to
lead an active life and feel good about yourself. Lexa and Brooke went to the Locust Valley Boys&Girls Club, where they stressed the importance of exercise, and proper nutrition. They then led Hip-Hop and Jazz dance classes, and had their students perform a show. Brooke is a senior at Locust Valley High School where she is a member of S.A.D.D., AIDS Awareness Committee, and the Locust Valley Jesters. She will be attending college in the fall.
Caroline Horowitz
ROCKVILLE CENTRE
ASSOCIATION
TROOP 810
In the world of business, the first impression means a lot. Many women who do not have the means to acquire appropriate attire are at a disadvantage when interviewing for professional positions. Caroline knows the importance of helping others to
achieve their goals, and this is why she created the “Dress for Success” clothing drive to collect business suits and other professional attire to donate to needy women. In addition to the clothing, Caroline also developed an informative pamphlet
full of tips and techniques for handling job interviews. The drive was a success, collecting and donating over seven hundred suits and hundreds of other garments to help women all over the state. Caroline is currently a senior at South Side High School in Rockville Centre and will attend George Washington University in the fall.
Katelyn Imbesi
WEST HEMPSTEAD/
FRANKLIN SQUARE
ASSOCIATION
TROOP 1270
Katelyn chose to share her artistic gift with the children and mothers at Momma’s House by painting a mural to create a happy and relaxing atmosphere. Using her artistic talents, she designed and created a lively scene of a cheery jungle full of animal favorites. She calls her mural “Characters of Happiness,” and she hopes it will spread joy to the children and mothers at Momma’s House for years to come.
Katelyn is a junior at H. Frank Carey High School, Franklin Square, and is a volleyball player and a member of National Honor Society.
Rebecca A. Juliano
ELLM ASSOCIATION
TROOP 2198
Rebecca wanted to help other girls learn the importance of sportsmanship, and so she chose
to coach a soccer team of third grade girls for her Gold Award project. Rebecca focused not just on winning games, but on teaching the girls worthwhile lessons about healthy habits and how to be a good sport. Rebecca, a junior at Sacred Heart Academy in Hempstead, is active in the Catholic League, and is an athlete on the soccer
and track teams.
Samantha Knoerzer
FLORAL PARK/
BELLEROSE/STEWART
MANOR ASSOCIATION
TROOP 1622
Samantha and her friend Janica Proscia knew that the group they most wanted to help with their Gold Award project was struggling families. They knew that there was a day care center at the Westbury Family Court House for the siblings of the children attending the court. So they set out to make a difference in the lives of the children at the court
day care. They collected donations of toys and books which they put into goodie bags for the kids, and they planned a fun set of activities for them. Samantha, Janica and the children also worked together to decorate the day care room with crafts they had made. When future children attend the court day care center, it is hoped that these decorations will help them understand that other children have experienced the same things they are going through now, and will feel less afraid. Samantha is a senior at Floral Park Memorial High School, where she is a member of Key Club, drama club, chorus and book club. Outside of school, she participates in ANCHOR and plays guitar. She plans to attend Wagner College in September.
Meredith Kraner
CENTRAL PARK
ASSOCIATION
TROOP 3653
In her project, “Community Awareness Beyond Long Island,” Meredith ran a school supply drive for a needy school in North Carolina and worked with Girl Scouts to raise awareness of the poverty-stricken areas around the country. She reached out to local businesses, friends, family, and churches
as well as designing group activities for Brownie and Junior Troop meetings to show them that the idea of “community” doesn’t stop at people you interact with on a daily basis. Meredith is a junior at Holy Trinity Diocesan High School in Hicksville where she participates on the gymnastics team, Spirit Night, math and Spanish tutoring, and Student Council.
Aviya Lanis
PORT WASHINGTON
ASSOCIATION
TROOP 409
Aviya wanted to educate students at her school about the proper precautions to take in case of emergencies, and so created her project “Planning
for Emergencies.” Aviya arranged for speakers to come to her school from the American Red Cross, the Nassau County Department of Health, and her
local police and fire departments to enlighten her classmates about the importance of being prepared for emergencies. Aviya also made Emergency Contact Cards for all the students at her school and developed an Emergency Preparedness Packet to be incorporated into her school’s policy. Aviya is graduating from Solomon Schechter High School of Long Island in Glen Cove where she is currently active in the school newspaper, literary magazine,Mathletes, model congress, as well as participating in mock trials. She plans to attend Washington University in St. Louis,MO.
Caitlin Lawler
ELLM ASSOCIATION
TROOP 2179
Caitlin’s “Literacy Development in Children” project was born out of her desire to do something to further the educational means of Native American children. To this end, Caitlin collected books from her community, spread awareness about the need for educational resources being made available to Native American children, and delivered the books to reservations on both the East andWest coasts.
Caitlin is a senior graduating from Lynbrook High School, where she is Editor-in-Chief of the yearbook, a member of Athletes Creating Excellence, and a member of the National Honor Society.
Amanda Lev
EAST MEADOW
ASSOCIATION
TROOP 3177
“Women’s History Taking Flight,” was a project Amanda designed so that children could learn about extraordinary women in aviation. Coinciding with the centennial celebration of aviation on Long Island, Amanda worked with the Cradle of Aviation Museum to present her curriculum at their Friday night sleepovers. She also presented her program at local elementary schools. Amanda is currently a junior at East Meadow High School where she is a member of the National Honor Society, and American Sign Language Honor Society. She is the
Religious and Cultural Vice President for the Temple B’nai Torah Youth Group and volunteers at the Susanna E. Heiman Religious School.
Stephanie Leverone
THE PLAINS ASSOCIATION
TROOP 3232
Stephanie developed a project focused on assisting coaches to help their teams and themselves. Her project, called “Basic First Aid for Coaches,” addressed the responsibilities that coaches have to learn the basics of first aid in order to properly take
care of their team or themselves in the event of an accident or injury. In order to help with this endeavor, Stephanie enlisted the help of Kevin Regan of the Wantagh Fire Department to lead a first aid discussion for coaches. A lawyer from the Nassau County Bar spoke about coaches’ responsibilities to their team as well as their potential legal liabilities. She also assembled a first aid booklet full of information she received from the Mayo Clinic, and gave out first aid kits to all of the coaches who attended. Stephanie is a senior graduating from General Douglas MacArthur High School in Levittown, where she is a member of Key Club, Symphony Orchestra, Tri-M Music Honor
Society, she is a peer leader, and plays on the varsity softball team and soccer teams. She will be attending C.W. Post, L.I. University in the fall, where she plans to study Mathematics and Special Education. She has been awarded a Girl Scout Gold Award Scholarship in the amount of $2,000 per year for four years.
Gracemarie Louis
CENTRAL PARK
ASSOCIATION
NTA
In a world where technology is so integral to our culture and society, many children still do not have access to a computer. Gracemarie wanted to do what she could to help kids who did not have those resources to gain more contact with technology by collecting donations in a project called “Technology
Comes to All Kids.” She used the funds that she raised to purchase two new computers for the Divine Mercy Academy’s after school program in Ozone Park, Queens for the kids to utilize for their homework and research. Gracemarie is a senior graduating from Bethpage High
School where she participates in drama, art, dance, yearbook, Girls Select Chorus,Mock Trial, and Relay for Life. She plans to study graphic design or education in college next fall.
Riana Mahmood
BELLMORE ASSOCIATION
TROOP 925
Riana wanted to utilize her love of music to help children in need. To accomplish this goal, she created a project she calls “Explorations in Music,” a program focused on using music in positive ways to help kids manage their emotions in difficult situations. Riana exposed the kids in her program to many different types of music, had them play various rhythm games, build finger cymbals and
even taught them to play the guitar and drums. She taught them that channeling frustration and negative emotions into music instead of lashing out at others or turning inward to hurt yourself will always yield a positive result and you will “come out the other side” feeling better. At the end of the project, the children performed a song for their parents. Riana is a senior graduating from W. C.Mepham High School in Bellmore. This fall, she will attend George Washington University,Washington, D.C. where she plans to major in engineering.
Amelia Malito
GARDEN CITY ASSOCIATION
TROOP 1246
Amelia wanted to make the public more aware of the Garden City High School Bird Sanctuary and to educate people about its contents, history, and upkeep. For her Gold Award Project titled “For the Birds!” she created a guide book for the Garden City
Bird Sanctuary. The booklet informed the community of the time taken to create a bird sanctuary; the complex wildlife needed to create a bird sanctuary and the amazing wildlife there. Complete with color
pictures, maps and a list of the different bird species at the sanctuary, the guidebook is a lasting benefit to the sanctuary.
Amelia is a senior at Garden City High School. She participates in marching band and is a member of the student staff. She is also a cashier at Golfsmith Co., and baby-sits. Amelia is involved in the Youth Group at the Garden City Community
Church, volunteers at her church’s summer school, and contributes to food drives and blood drives.
Cathryn Maloney
EAST MEADOW
ASSOCIATION
TROOP 1062
Following the news of our current economic troubles, Cathryn wanted to do something to help people in her community who have been hurt by the recent rise in unemployment. She organized and ran a fair where the goal was helping people in their quest to get back to work. She brought in local business owners who were interested in meeting prospective employees, got people to volunteer their time to help with writing résumés, and had a donation drive for new and gently used women’s
business attire to give to the women who attended the fair. Cathryn is a junior at W. T. Clarke High School in Westbury where she is active in National Honor Society, Red Cross Club, Reflections Magazine, English Honor Society, Book Club, and plays volleyball and badminton.
Julie Marissael
WARM ASSOCIATION
TROOP 1810
Julie joined forces with Andrea Scavelli to create a project they called “Interactive Pet Newsletter for the Children’s Learning Center (CLC)” in order to
promote and encourage literacy among the developmentally disabled children at the CLC., a program of United Cerebral Palsy. In order to encourage the children to read the newsletter,
Andrea and Julie focused on animals, a subject that interests many kids. In order to help the children to read the newsletter, they printed each issue at two different reading levels, one designed for easy comprehension by new readers, and an intermediate level for those students who were more comfortable with the fundamentals of reading. Topics for the newsletter were chosen through a series of questionnaires to find what the kids wanted to read about. The newsletters were a great success, and the teachers at the CLC were glad to have access to a free publication aimed specifically at what their students
were interested in learning. Julie is graduating from theWaldorf School of Garden City where she is class secretary, plays softball and is a member of
Singers. In the fall, she will be attending New York University.
Katherine Maxted
PORT WASHINGTON
ASSOCIATION
TROOP 409
Katie has always loved to read and write stories, particularly fairy tales. So, for her project, it was easy for her to decide to share her love of fairy tales with children at her local library, inspiring them to love fairy tales and creative imagination as much
as she. She developed a workshop for children where she would begin by reading fairy tales to them, and then help each child to design and create their own fairy tale-themed board game. This was a project that showed the children how important creativity is, and how much fun reading should be.
Katie called her workshop “Inspiring Child Literacy through Fairy Tales,” and got some kids thinking about reading in a new way. Katie is a senior graduating from Schreiber High School, Port Washington, where she is a member of National Honor Society, English Honor Society, Key Club, and Stand as One (Darfur). She plans to attend Tulane University in the fall.
Ryann McAndrews
GARDEN CITY ASSOCIATION
TROOP 1693
Ryann chose to focus her Gold Award project “Bins for the INN,” on raising awareness of poverty on Long Island while directly providing help to those
in need. She organized a donation drive and publicized it in her local community to collect necessary items for the Mary Brennan INN, and created a group to go to the INN on Thursdays to make sandwiches. Ryann also spoke to health
classes at her school to inform them about what they could do to make a difference in the lives of others. Her efforts and the efforts of the people she motivated to help her, provided approximately four hundred people with meals, clothing and toiletries. Ryann is a senior graduating from Garden City High School, where she is active in Key Club and French Club. She plans to attend the University of Notre Dame in the fall.
Kaitlin McDonald
FLORAL PARK/
BELLEROSE/STEWART
MANOR ASSOCIATION
NTA
In years past, a quilting bee was a popular way for women to get together and share information while working together to create something they needed. In the tradition of these quilting bees, Kaitlin created a website called “The Virtual Quilt,” which is her attempt to provide a similar service for the women of today. She calls her project “The Young Women on the Issues Virtual Quilt,” and it is a collection of videos that Kaitlin selected to provide a wide array
of female voices on a variety of important issues and topics. It is a way to preserve the importance of the oral tradition in today’s technology-infused age. Kaitlin is a junior at Sacred Heart Academy, Hempstead, and she plans to keep her Virtual Quilt active and updated into the future.
Kristine Meyer
HARDSCRABBLE
ASSOCIATION
TROOP 3154
Kristine wanted to create a place where families could go to have fun at no cost. She organized a series of “Family Fun Nights” where families could strengthen their bonds by playing games, dancing, or just by spending time together. The goal was that families would keep coming back to the Family Fun Nights, and they would bring their friends, and then
they would connect with other families in the area and start to become more community-oriented.
During high school, Kristine enjoyed playing in the
symphonic band and marching band, and was also a board member of the National Spanish Honor Society. She is currently a freshman at C.W. Post, Long Island University.
Patricia Muench
THE PLAINS ASSOCIATION
TROOP 3232
Patricia developed “Project Put a Smile On,” which was her effort to bring cheer to hospitalized children. She rounded up and trained a team of volunteers to go to St.Mary’s Hospital and engage
the chronically ill children with the goal of affecting their lives in a positive way. Patricia and her
volunteers visited the hospital during the summer of 2008 and encouraged the children to participate in numerous fun arts and crafts activities that Patricia organized. Not only did the patients have fun, but her crew of volunteers learned that giving of oneself can yield great personal rewards. A 2008 graduate of Division Avenue High School in Levittown, Patricia has just completed her freshman year at George Mason University, VA where she is active in the Catholic Campus Ministry, College Republicans, Program
Board and Pep Band and is a member of the Urbanknowlogy 101 Hip-Hop Dance Team.
Bridget Murray
ROCKVILLE CENTRE
ASSOCIATION
TROOP 810
Bridget wants young girls to realize that though the field of science was dominated by men for years, more and more women are pursuing and excelling in the sciences. To this end, she created a project called “Science Discovery” where she worked
to educate fourth- and fifth-grade girls about the opportunities in scientific fields and encourage them to consider scientific study. She developed six different types of experiments for the girls to participate in and experience firsthand the thrill
of learning about the world in which we live. Bridget is a graduating senior at South Side High School in Rockville Centre, where she is on the varsity lacrosse and cross country teams. She plans to attend Penn State University in the coming fall.
Laurie Murray
FLORAL PARK/
BELLEROSE/STEWART
MANOR ASSOCIATION
TROOP 1557
Laurie wanted to help Regina House in Merrick in whatever way she could. For her project, “Revitalizing Regina,” Laurie redesigned and painted a room of the Regina House to make it a more inviting environment. She tried to create an uplifting atmosphere for the resident of the room she redecorated, because a person’s surroundings
can greatly influence their attitude and outlook.
Laurie is a senior graduating from Kellenberg Memorial High School in Uniondale where she is active in Catholic League, Parish Religious Education Program, S. M. A. R. T., and Blue and Gold. Laurie will be attending Siena College in Loudonville, NY in the fall.
Aurora Parlagreco
BELLMORE ASSOCIATION
TROOP 925
Aurora has always loved reading, and wanted to share her passion with others. She created a project aimed at increasing literacy and encouraging underprivileged children to love reading. In her project “Storytime at the INN,” Aurora gathered donations of books from throughout her community as well as numerous publishing companies, which she brought to a local shelter. To get the kids as excited about reading as she was at their age, she introduced some of her favorite books, and planned
other fun activities to show them how reading can be fun. Aurora is a graduating senior at W. C.Mepham High School in Bellmore where she is a multi-sport athlete on the tennis and badminton teams and is active in S.A.D.D. and Habitat for Humanity. She will be attending Carnegie Mellon University in the fall where she plans to major in Design.
Mary Pepper
HERRICKS ASSOCIATION
NTA
Mary created and taught a free dance class for the children of racetrack employees at the Belmont Racetrack. While she was teaching the class, she
learned that the children were not excelling in their schoolwork. In order to help them, she turned the dance class into a long-term tutoring program, helping the kids with their homework and with reading. Her project, “Helping Kids at the Racetrack,” was a success. Her students all advanced their reading skills and comprehension, and immediately started improving in their studies. Mary is a graduating senior from Herricks High School in New Hyde Park where she is active in cheerleading, horseback riding, and dance. She plans to attend SUNY Cobleskill in the coming fall.
Chelsea Powers
MASSAPEQUA ASSOCIATION
TROOP 2028
Chelsea enlisted the aid of the Massapequa High School American Sign Language (ASL) Club to teach young girls about deafness and issues related to deafness. Chelsea engaged the girls in different activities designed to teach them about
sign language and relevant technology, including the controversial cochlear implant. Chelsea made sure that every girl in attendance learned at least one sign, and gave them homemade chocolate lollipops in the shape of the ASL sign for “I love you.” Chelsea is a senior graduating from Massapequa High School where she is a member of the ASL Club, S.A.D.D., and Chiefs Challenge Club. She plans to go to college in the coming fall.
Janica Proscia
FLORAL PARK/BELLEROSE/
STEWART MANOR
ASSOCIATION
TROOP 1622
Janica and her friend, Samantha Knoerzer, knew that the group they most wanted to help with their Gold Award project was struggling families. They set out to make a difference in the lives of the children at the Westbury Family Court House day care. They collected donations of toys and books that they put into goodie bag for the kids, and they
planned a fun set of activities for them. They made crafts, played games, and put on a puppet show. Samantha, Janica and the children also worked together to decorate the day care room with crafts they had made. When future children attend the court day care center, it is hoped that these decorations will help them understand that other children have experienced the same things they are going through now, and will feel less afraid. Janica is a junior at St. Francis Prep High School in Fresh Meadows.
Rachel Randazzo
MASSAPEQUA ASSOCIATION
TROOP 2081
Rachel designed, built and painted a puppet theatre on wheels for her “Healing Through the Arts” project. She took her puppet theatre to the children
at Winthrop University Hospital and put on a show for the kids and then helped them to construct their own puppets. Rachel then encouraged the children to use their puppets to express themselves artistically by putting on their own puppet shows where they could say anything they felt. Rachel is a graduating senior atMassapequa High School and is active in drama and musical clubs and Chamber Choir. She plans to attend Hofstra University next fall.
Elora Rosch
HARDSCRABBLE
ASSOCIATION
TROOP 3671
Elora sought to bring a musical therapy program into different institutions and facilities that specialize in medical, physical, educational and rehabilitative treatments. To this end, Elora developed a music therapy program which consisted of using both vocal and instrumental music to help patients handle emotionally and physically stressful situations. She
called her project “Music TherapyMakes a Difference,” and designed the program according to each patient’s mental and physical capabilities, and through her work, discovered that certain programs had pronounced psychological and neurological benefits to patients with cognitive limitations. Elora is a senior graduating from Farmingdale High School and Long Island High School for the Arts. She is active in Farmingdale High School’s Playcrafters Drama Club, Tri-M Music Honor Society, Vocal Jazz Ensemble, NYSSMA All-State and All-County Ensemble for Vocal Jazz andMixed Chorus, and Long Island High School for the Arts Senior Citizen Day.
Sarah Rosenheck
CENTRAL PARK
ASSOCIATION
TROOP 3653
Many children are homeless, cold, ill, and need help. In order to provide some relief to these children, Sarah created a project she calls “A Child in Need, A Blanket Indeed,” with the goal of providing blankets to children who need them. Sarah organized a team of Girl Scouts and other friends, to help her by knitting a multitude of blankets at a “Blanketeers Party.” She also solicited help from knitting clubs and assisted living centers
and her school’s Tolerance Club. She had to teach some of her Blanketeers to knit in order to create the blankets, but she knew it was worth it in order to provide some help to the children who needed them. She had set out with the goal of donating fifteen blankets to Project Linus, but with her hard work and the help of her friends, she was able to provide them with thirty blankets and a hat.
Sarah is a junior at Bethpage High School, where she is on the varsity soccer, and track teams, Captain of the bowling team, and a member of Tolerance Club, marching band, and concert band.
Alexandra Rossetti
ELLM ASSOCIATION
TROOP 2179
Alexandra wanted a way to make information about the ELLM Association (East Rockaway, Lakeview, Lynbrook, Malverne) and their trips, crafts, events and service opportunities more accessible to girls and Leaders. To this end, Alexandra created an informational website for the ELLM Association. She calls her project “ELLM Branches Out to the Web,” and focuses on providing an information-sharing platform that will be available for years
into the future, for the benefit of both current and future Girl Scouts and Leaders. Alexandra has already started to see the
success of her project, as a number of girls and Leaders have already begun to contribute to the site, and, as administration of the site needs to change hands every so often, the website will provide an ongoing opportunity for Leadership for older girls. Alexandra is a senior graduating from Lynbrook High School.
Gracemarie Rozea
MASSAPEQUA ASSOCIATION
TROOP 2028
Gracemarie developed a project called “Victims of Violence: It Can Happen to You,” which she
created to educate members of local Girl Scout Troops about the dangers of dating violence, its warning signs, and the differences between healthy and unhealthy relationships. She also focused on giving the girls information about how
to avoid falling into the trap of negative relationships and how to escape a violent or obsessive relationship. She also sought and received permission from several magazines and websites to reprint recipes to create “Healthy and Cost-Effective Cookbooks” to give to the Coalition Against Domestic Violence so that their clients can stretch their limited budgets. Gracemarie is active in the Spanish Club at Massapequa High School where she is a graduating senior, and she plans to attend Mount SaintMary College this fall as a nursing major.
Andrea Scavelli
WARM ASSOCIATION
TROOP 1810
Andrea worked together with JulieMarissael to create a project they called “Interactive Pet Newsletter for the Children’s Learning Center (CLC)”. In order to help the children read the newsletter, they printed each issue at two different reading levels, one designed for easy comprehension by new readers, and an intermediate level for those students who were more comfortable with the fundamentals of
reading. Topics for the newsletter were chosen through a series of questionnaires to find what the kids wanted to read about.
After sharing the workload of the first issue, subsequent issues were each developed individually. This allowed them to print more issues than were originally planned. The newsletter was a great success, and the teachers at the CLC were glad to have access to a free publication aimed specifically at what their students were interested in. Andrea is a graduating senior from The Wheatley School, Old Westbury, where she is the President of her student government, the Editor of her school newspaper and yearbook, and Vice President of Tri-MMusic Honor Society and also of Video Club/TV Production. She has not yet selected a college.
Caitlin Schumacher
ROCKVILLE CENTRE
ASSOCIATION
TROOP 810
Caitlin’s favorite subject at school is mathematics, and she wanted to spread her love of math to others. For her project she developed a “Math Carnival” for fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade girls to come and learn math skills in a fun environment.
Caitlin’s carnival focused on showing these younger girls that the stereotype that women cannot excel in mathematics is a fallacy. Careers in mathematics and related fields are open to girls
and they should not be afraid to pursue these professions. She designed six stations where the girls played math games and
learned how math knowledge can be applied in everyday situations. Caitlin worked with some of the girls individually to help strengthen their math skills.
Caitlin is graduating from South Side High School in Rockville Centre where she is active in S.A.D.D. Club, Athletes Helping Athletes, cross country, and National Honor Society. She will attend James Madison University in the coming fall.
Brittany Scognamiglio
BAY ASSOCIATION
TROOP 304
Brittany developed a project called “Fashion Cents,” the goal of which was to help girls without means to purchase a Sweet Sixteen dress. Brittany sought
donations of nice dresses from various retail stores as well as from members of her community. These dresses were then featured in a fashion show that Brittany organized and ran. Anybody attending the fashion show would have the opportunity to receive one of the dresses afterwards. Brittany is a senior graduating from Locust Valley High School where she is active in International Club, Forensics
Club, varsity golf, and the school newspaper. She has not yet chosen which college she will attend.
Cara Ann Soviero
BAY ASSOCIATION
TROOP 304
Cara Ann aimed to help the residents of United Cerebral Palsy (UCP) utilize nature as a source of recreation in her Gold Award Project titled “The
Growth of a Smile.” Cara Ann was given a designated area on the grounds of the United
Cerebral Palsy property in Bayville and created a sensory garden encouraging UCP clients
to become more aware of their surroundings. Cara Ann was touched to find such a positive response from clients who were inspired by her compassion and patience. Cara Ann is a senior at Locust Valley High School where she is the secretary of the student government, editor of advice and photography for her school newspaper “Spectrum,” co-president of Model U.N., and a stage manager for the school musical. She also participates in sports and has been a part of her local youth group for the past three years.
Megan Stark
BELLMORE ASSOCIATION
TROOP 911
Megan learned about how difficult life can be for a child who is living in foster care, and wanted to do something to help them. She designed a project called “Something to Call My Own,” which was her effort to collect suitcases and create homemade
journals to give to the children. During the course of her donation drive, she spoke to many different people and educated her community about the
difficulties foster children face. When someone does not have any of their own possessions, especially a child, it can lead to feelings of being unimportant, or useless. Megan wanted to give these kids something that belonged just to them, so they know that people do care about them. Megan is a junior at East MeadowHigh School and is active in Women’s Chorus, Battle of the Classes, NYSSMA, Theatre Guild and Key Club. Megan sings in the Girl Scout Chorus.
Kimberly Stein
PARK ASSOCIATION
TROOP 1520
Kimberly developed her Gold Award project to make others more aware of the stigma and feelings of loneliness attached to the seizure disorder, epilepsy. In her appropriately-titled “Epilepsy
Awareness” project, Kimberly partnered with The Epilepsy Foundation to disseminate information at a community-wide seminar. She arranged for speakers on a variety of topics related to the disorder. Through her efforts, Kimberly brought together people suffering from epilepsy with the community-at-large to dispel some of the myths and promote an atmosphere of help and understanding. Kimberly, a 2008 graduate of New Hyde Park Memorial
High School, has completed her freshman year at Johns Hopkins University where she is majoring in Biology and is active in PhiMu sorority, field hockey, and JHU Global Medical Brigade to Honduras.
Samantha Sweeney
GARDEN CITY ASSOCIATION
TROOP 1246
When she heard there was a blood shortage on Long Island, Samantha took action. She organized, promoted, and ran a blood drive aimed at reducing
the blood shortage and helping those in need of a transfusion. In order to inspire people to give blood, she met with various community groups to educate them about the need for blood, and to recruit them to donate at her event. She also publicized the blood drive throughout her community, and
personally called potential donors to sign them up. The end result was the collection of thirty pints of blood, enough to save one hundred fifty lives, and to put a dent in the Long Island blood shortage. Samantha is a senior at Garden City High School where she plays varsity badminton and volleyball, and tutors seventh and eighth graders in Spanish, Science, and Mathematics. She plans to attend Stonehill College in Massachusetts.
Kelly Tranfaglia
GARDEN CITY ASSOCIATION
TROOP 1246
Kelly called her project “Home Sweet Home.” She spearheaded a donation drive aimed at helping at-risk residents turn their houses into “homes.” Kelly
worked with Mercy Haven Inc., an organization that provides housing for the elderly, limited income families as well as persons with special needs. She collected the special touches such as picture frames, curtains, comforters, and paintings that help to personalize a living environment and make it
truly one’s own. In her meetings with the clients of Mercy Haven, Kelly was able to consult with them, visit their living spaces, and assist them to make those décor choices that would create a “home.” Kelly is graduating from Garden City High School, where she is on the yearbook staff. She will attend Marist College in Poughkeepsie in the coming fall.
Elizabeth Trinder
BAY ASSOCIATION
TROOP 304
Elizabeth wanted to design a project that would benefit her community and her school. She developed a “Green and Clean” initiative to implement an increased and improved recycling
program at Locust Valley High School where she is a senior. She also led a series of fun and informative workshops to promote recycling and other measures to help the environment at the local Boys&Girls Club. Unfortunately, the recycling measures she tried to put in place at her school ultimately proved economically unfeasible, but
the important thing is that she tried to make that change and by doing so she got out her message and inspired others to try to achieve personal goals. Since Elizabeth’s efforts made the school district aware of what they would need to do to apply
a more effective recycling strategy and aware of the desire to carry through in the community and among the students, the district is more likely to take steps to put such a program into practice. Elizabeth is currently active inMathletes, theModel U. N., Interact Club, and sports teams at Locust Valley High School,
and will be attending college in the fall.
Catherine Wang
MANHASSET ASSOCIATION
TROOP 517
Catherine created a project she calls “ECOsize,” designed to teach her community the importance of environmentally friendly behavior. She specifically
reached out to children in grades K – 8 with a series of workshops, a recycling project for kids K – 12, and a series of lectures for high school juniors and seniors. For the younger kids, she designed some craft projects as well, showing them how to make useful things out of “garbage.” For the older groups, Catherine researched and put together a poster explaining what steps they can take in their everyday lives to reduce their “ecological footprint.” Catherine plays varsity field hockey, and is a member of Key Club,World of Difference, Green Club, and Italian Honor Society at Manhasset High School where she is a senior. Next fall, she plans to attend the College of the Holy Cross to study engineering.
Jennifer Wong
ROCKVILLE CENTRE
ASSOCIATION
TROOP 810
Jennifer wanted to work on a project that would spread awareness through her community about the importance of diversity. To achieve this goal, Jennifer designed a “Mural of Diversity” for her local
Recreation Center and worked with the children of Project Great to bring it to life. She gave the kids tips and pointers on their painting techniques, and
working together, they made her mural a reality. Currently on display at the Rockville Centre Recreation Centre, the mural will provide inspiration to her community and reinforce the importance of diversity in all communities. Jennifer is a senior at South Side High School in Rockville Centre where she participates in Leo Club, art club, orchestra, cross country, Spirit Teams, and works as a tutor to help younger students. She plans to attend college in the fall.
Regina Zaremba
ROCKVILLE CENTRE
ASSOCIATION
TROOP 810
Regina worked with her Troopmate Katherine Egan to create “Healthy Me, a Healthy World,” a workshop focused on healthy eating and recycling for elementary school students. Regina and Katherine created fun, educational activities to
teach in untraditional ways the importance of making healthy choices for their bodies and their planet, including an interactive lesson on the types of things that can be recycled, and a section about healthy after-school snacks. Regina is a senior at South Side High School in Rockville Centre where she is active in theatre, chamber singers, and student government. Regina will be attending college in
the fall.
Alyssa Zinga
GARDEN CITY ASSOCIATION
TROOP 1175
Alyssa was very interested in increasing the amount of support for our returning war veterans. Thus, she teamed up with Victoria Chimento to create a project called “Operation: Support War
Veterans.” The project was an effort to raise awareness of veterans’ issues and collect supplies through numerous donation drives to donate to the veterans’ hospital in Maryland. Alyssa is a junior at Garden City High School where she is active in Key Club, Miracle Club, track, and Stock Market Club.
Colleen Zwiebel
WARM ASSOCIATION
TROOP 1005
When Colleen heard that children in foster care do not have many belongings of their own, she decided that the best way she could make a difference in their lives would be to knit blankets for some of the kids. To help with her project, which
she calls “Fostering Warmth,” she enlisted the help of her community to donate knitted squares for her to assemble into the blankets for donation. She also taught youngsters to knit, and utilized the knitting talents of her mother and grandmother to help
with assembling the blankets. Colleen is graduating from Holy Trinity High School in Hicksville where she is a member of the Volunteer Club and student council, as well as a member of the swim team. She will attend the University of Delaware in September.
