HERRICKS RESIDENT ACHIEVES HIGHEST HONOR IN GIRL SCOUTING
Garden City, NY July 7, 2008 – With the busy schedules of High School students, it’s tough to find any spare time for extra activities. However, this year 51 Girl Scouts in Nassau County have fit in a minimum of 65 hours to improve their communities. These young women developed Gold Award community action projects, promoting acts of kindness and goodwill, which ultimately make the world a better place. Their efforts earn these Girl Scouts the Gold Award, the highest honor that a young woman can achieve in Girl Scouting.
Katie Mavrovitis of Herricks, earned her Gold Award with a project entitled “Work Gear for Men,” which was designed to pair up widows with families in need. When a family friend became a widow, Ms. Mavrovitis saw how hard it was for her to dispose of her husband’s clothing. In order to give her a real reason to pass the clothing along, she connected with a local agency called Career Gear. She advertised and collected men’s clothing from widows and others in the community, and then donated the clothes to the clients of these agency men who were looking for jobs. She also worked with Career Gear to help the men with interview techniques and set up job interviews. With the skills and wardrobe that Ms. Mavrovitis provided, the men were empowered to make a change in their lives. In addition to babysitting, Ms. Macrovitis is a Sunday School Teacher, a member of her church’s youth group and plays basketball. In the fall she will attend Fordham University, where she plans to major in education.
"We are extremely pleased with all of our Girl Scout Gold Award recipients,” said Donna Ceravolo, Executive Director of the Girl Scouts of Nassau County.” Only five percent of eligible Girl Scouts choose to take this rigorous path towards earning the Gold Award. In doing so, they have changed the lives of others in amazing and significant ways!”
On June 8, 2008, the Girl Scouts of Nassau County honored Senior Girl Scouts between the ages of 15 and 18 at a special ceremony held at Adelphi University. In addition to the Girl Scout ceremony, on June 16, 2008, Nassau County Executive Thomas Suozzi presented the girls, along with their Eagle Scout Award counterparts from Boy Scouts, with certificates for their achievements at the Cradle of Aviation. Town of Hempstead Supervisor Kate Murray also recognized Girl Scout Gold Award recipients, along with this year Eagle Scouts on June 14, 2008 at the Norman J. Levy Park and Preserve.
“Girl Scouts who achieve the Gold Award demonstrate personality and determination as well as immaculate time management and organizational skills. They have joined an elite group of American women who are part of the Girl Scouts of the USA's Gold Award Alliance,” said Ms. Ceravolo.
The Gold Award project helps Senior Girl Scouts develop leadership skills and explore career paths. Overall, the Gold Awards require a commitment of three years on the part of each young woman. It affords the teen the opportunity to learn about arts and humanities, cultural and global relations, personal well-being, technology and science, and any one of the innumerable issues facing young women today.
Girl Scouts of Nassau County builds girls of courage, confidence and character. Girl Scouting in Nassau County creates an accepting and nurturing environment, which gives girls a chance to build character and receive skills for success in the real world. In partnership with committed adult volunteers, girls develop qualities that will serve them throughout their lives, like leadership, strong values, social conscience, and conviction about their own potential and self-worth. With more than 22,000 girl and 7,000 adult members, Girl Scouts of Nassau County has become the preeminent organization and leading authority for girls. The organization, now in its 96th year, continues to make the world a better place one girl at a time.
For more information about the Girl Scouts of Nassau County, please contact Donna Rivera Downey at 516-741-2550, ext. 260 or visit www.gsnc.org.