There have been a total of 1,498 girls who have received the Girl Scout Gold Award from the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland. This year, there are 78 new recipients that will join that honored rank, and 27 of those Girl Scouts are from Howard County!

ASHI AGRAWAL

Centennial High School, Troop 369, Yrs. in GS: 10

“Elementary My Dear Euclid”

Ashi was concerned about the lack of women in STEM careers, so she decided to address the issue at the elementary school age level, in her Howard County community. Ashi led a team of both student and professional volunteers to hold a large math event and competition for local girls, which helped them develop critical thinking skills, as well as get them excited about STEM. She also created a website with additional STEM materials for participants of her event to utilize in the future.

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CARLY ALBRIGHT

Marriotts Ridge High School, Juliette, Yrs. in GS: 10

“Victory Garden”

Carly led a team of volunteers to construct a meditation garden at the Therapeutic Recreational & Riding Center (TRRC), designed specifically for TRRC’s veteran clients through the Wounded Warrior Foundation. Through the Wounded Warrior Foundation, Veterans visit TRRC for physical and occupational therapy, and now they can meditate there thanks to the meditation garden Carly implemented. Carly held a community-wide unveiling to reveal this new feature of TRRC and to commemorate local veterans. TRRC volunteers will maintain Carly’s meditation garden.

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MARIA AYOUB

Centennial High School, Troop 157, Yrs. in GS: 10

“The Gathering Place”

Maria wanted to address the environmental wellness and repair the grounds at Our Lady of Center church in Howard County. Over the years, Maria’s church community attempted to maintain the grounds, but lacked the knowledge to do so sufficiently. Maria led a team of volunteers to clean, repair, weed, and replant the area with deer-resistant shrubbery. She then educated her church community on environmental maintenance, and enlisted volunteers to keep the area up. Additionally, Maria’s project brought her church community closer together by allotting them a tranquil area for prayer.

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LAURA BREZINSKI

Centennial High School, Troop 157, Yrs. in GS: 9

“Individual Growth & Development of Self-Esteem in Girls by Learning Ice Hockey Skills”

Laura taught girls, between ages 8 and 12, ice hockey skills in order to improve both their athleticism and self-confidence. Laura joined forces with the Howard County Youth Hockey Club’s Lady Huskies team and held comprehensive, on ice sessions with a group of new female players. She then developed an informational brochure about ice-hockey skills and the benefits of playing, which she distributed to the players and other ice hockey clubs in the area. The Hockey Club will continue to use Laura’s brochure to enhance the skills of female players.

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CAITLIN CARR

Mount de Sales Academy, Troop 261, Yrs. in GS: 12

“Unify with Uniforms”

Caitlin created a partnership between her Howard County community and the Jemima Carter School in Liberia, Africa. Caitlin collected gently used soccer uniforms from her community, repurposed them, and then sent the uniforms to the school in Africa. By providing matching uniforms, Caitlin allowed soccer players from the Jemima Carter School the opportunity to unite and proudly represent their school. The Western Howard County Soccer Association was inspired by Caitlin and will continue to collect soccer uniforms and donate them overseas at the end of every soccer season.

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ANNA CONOVER

Oakland Mills High School, Troop 1241, Yrs. in GS:

“Life Lessons”

Anna established a connection between high school students and veterans in her Howard County community by creating a website which is designed so that teachers and veterans can communicate to set up guest speaking days in local high schools. Anna recruited veterans from the Military Order of the World Wars to speak to students about their military experience, as well as provide today’s generation with a bit of history. Both the students and veterans responded positively to the interaction and will continue to use Anna’s website to connect.

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JULIA CORRIGAN

Mt. Hebron High School, Troop 2157, Yrs. in GS:

“Grow Healthy! Grow Local!

Julia wanted to promote proper nutrition in her Howard County community, so she created presentations about healthy eating and growing your own produce for local children, parents, and classmates. Julia was able to present her information at a local pre-school, a community event, and at the Mount Hebron High School’s “Foundation of Curriculum & Design” class. Participants of Julia’s presentation learned a lot about healthy eating and created a binder with lesson plans, activities, and vegetable seeds for the pre-school teachers to use in the future.

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VICTORIA DAVIDSON

Marriotts Ridge High School, Troop 548, Yrs. in GS: 10

“Nature Oriented Children’s Play Area”

Victoria noticed the lack of an educational element for young children at the Howard County Conservancy’s new location in Elkridge. So, Victoria led a team of volunteers to create a play area at the Conservancy which includes toys, books, games, and posters that teach children under 5 about ecosystems, animals, and more. Victoria also held story times for children where she read books like The Giving Tree. Lastly, Victoria ensured the success of the Conservancy by teaching the staff how to easily maintain the play area.

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CAROLYN EICHHORN

Centennial High School, Troop 157, Yrs. in GS: 12

“Carolyn’s Summer review Program”

Carolyn wanted to prevent elementary school students from falling behind during summer breaks. She worked with the teachers at Northfield Elementary in Ellicott City to first determine the students most at risk for falling behind between school years. Carolyn then developed a customized curriculum and invited those students to participate in her program. She also recruited volunteers to tutor during her program and left behind extensive documentation so that her program could easily be picked up at more schools in Howard County.

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EMILY INGALLS

Marriotts Ridge High School, Troop 369, Yrs. in GS: 12

“Help the Children Play”

Emily knew that many elementary and middle schools in Baltimore County did not have access to music education during the school year. She also knew that the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) had created an afterschool music program, with adult volunteers, in response to this issue. Emily felt that children participating in the BSO’s program would respond better to mentors who were closer to their age, so she established an “Ambassador” program within the organization to recruit and utilize high school age volunteers. Additionally, Emily was able to collect over twenty instruments for the program.

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ISABELLE JADIK

Seton Keough High School, Troop 31415, Yrs. in GS: 12

“Dear Soon-to-be-Survivor”

Isabelle used her own experience to create a brochure to teenagers undergoing treatment for a brain tumor and brain surgery. The brochure was written specifically from a teenager’s point of view in order to give teens and their caregivers a new perspective on the situation. Isabelle also created a teen friendly Medical Information Sheet, which provides a patient’s medical information to EMTs and doctors. Copies of Isabelle’s brochure and Medical Information Sheet were distributed to local hospitals so that teen patients can continue to use them for years to come.

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JESSICA JENKINS

Marriotts Ridge High School, Troop 548, Yrs. in GS: 12

“Oyster Gardening: How-to-Video”

Concerned about the status of the Chesapeake Bay, Jessica created five how-to-videos and a blog to teach the youth how to oyster garden. Jessica and a team of students from Anne Arundel County started their own oyster garden and filmed the process. The Chesapeake Bay Foundation will use Jessica’s videos to continue to recruit student oyster gardeners, and assist in teaching them to garden oysters successfully. In turn, the oysters will filter the Bay and improve the ecosystem.

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KARYN KITTRELL

Altholton High School, Troop 2527, Yrs. in GS: 9

“Comfort Kit Backpacks”

Karyn’s project focused on those in need at The House of Ruth. The House of Ruth is a shelter for women and children seeking refuge from abuse; who often arrive there with nothing but the clothes on their backs. To alleviate this, Karyn developed a Comfort Kit Backpack program to provide children at The House of Ruth with basic necessities, such as school supplies, toiletries, and socks. With the help of Girl Scout troops and other volunteers, Karyn’s program will be expanded to other shelters in Maryland.

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MEGAN LYNCH

St. Monica Catholic School, Troop 261, Yrs. in GS: 13

“Building Character Through Creativity”

Megan’s project was inspired by her mission trip to Uganda, through Hope 4 Kids International (H4KI), an organization focused on helping people in need. Megan decided a coloring book, with Bible passages to emphasize positive character traits and morals, would be a new way to impact the lives of children living in poverty in Uganda. Megan brought over 200 of her coloring books to Uganda and presented them to the children and H4KI volunteers. The H4KI volunteers will continue to reprint Megan’s books and incorporate them into their children’s program in Uganda.

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MAUREEN MACLEAN

Centennial High School, Troop 261, Yrs. in GS: 13

“Building Blocks for a Healthier Environment”

Maureen promoted environmental science by creating an awareness program about the use of eco-bricks. An eco-brick is a plastic bottle stuffed with sold garbage that is then used to build buildings and other structures. Maureen demonstrated how to make these eco-bricks to students in Howard County, as well as volunteers headed to El Salvador on a mission trip, where the eco-bricks could be especially useful. Lastly, Maureen created a YouTube video about eco-bricks in order to spread awareness to a broader audience.

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LEAH MATHEWS

Mt. Hebron High School, Troop 2114, Yrs. in GS: 10

“A Home for Wayward Owls”

Leah’s project addressed the lack of nesting boxes and perches in the new owl cages at the Howard County Conservancy at Belmont. This made it difficult for both the owls to rehabilitate and be viewed by visitors for educational purposes. Leah led a team of volunteers to construct nesting boxes and perches for the Conservancy’s owl cages. Leah made sure that everything was built with sustainable, pressure-treated wood to ensure that future generations of owls will be able to rest comfortably.

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MARIAM MAUNG

Marriotts Ridge High School, Troop 1259, Yrs. in GS: 13

“Helping Seniors with Technology”

Mariam coordinated tech-time sessions at the Brighton Gardens Assisted Living Facility in Howard County in order to teach the senior citizen residents how to better utilize modern technology to communicate with family members and follow the news. Mariam first interviewed the residents about what they wanted to learn and then designed lesson plans on how to use smart phones and computers. Mariam also trained the other volunteers and staff at the facility so that they can continue her Sunday afternoon tech-time sessions.

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LOGAN McDONOUGH

Glenelg High School, Troop 2117, Yrs. in GS: 12

“Summer School Peer Tutoring”

Logan wanted to alleviate the strain on summer school teachers in her Howard County community, so she connected students who were academically strong with students who were struggling. Logan first recruited student volunteers and then coordinated with her school to make sure there was appropriate time for the student mentors to meet with their mentees. The students who were struggling began putting more effort into their assignments because of Logan’s project. The program will be continued by the Teacher Career Academy at Logan’s high school and shared with other schools.

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ALISHA PELKEY

Glenelg High School, Troop 1372, Yrs. in GS: 11

“TRRC Activity Stations”

Alisha wanted to help the clients of the Therapeutic and Recreational Riding Center (TRRC) in Howard County, so she created mobile activity stations for their therapy sessions. Alisha led a team of volunteers to build mounted, interactive stations that were fun and challenging, in order to keep the clients of TRRC engaged. Alisha’s stations are also moveable so that they can be utilized in both TRRC’s indoor and outdoor areas. Lastly, Alisha created a user guide for her stations so new TRRC staff members can be properly trained.

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ROBYN PIDLISKEY

Reservoir High School, Troop 1227, Yrs. in GS: 12

“Animal Food for Food Pantries”

Robyn was concerned about the pets of people who fall on hard economic times in her Howard County community. She led a team of volunteers to establish and fully stock two pet food pantries at local food banks. Additionally, Robyn led a massive awareness campaign about the need for animal food donations and even managed to get pet food added as a standard item on the Harvest for the Hungry and Scouting for Food donation lists. The Student Government at Robyn’s school will also sponsor a yearly pet drive.

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SARAH POMERANTZ

Oakland Mills High School, Troop 2157, Yrs. in GS: 12

“Sexism in the Media: How it Affects Youth Today”

Sarah wanted to reduce the long-term effects images in the media can have on girl’s self esteem, so she decided to address the issue at the middle school level. Sarah did research on how women are portrayed in the media and gathered statistics about plastic surgery and eating disorders. She then presented this information to girls at Oakland Mills Middle School and provided them with an interactive booklet, which supports knocking down media stereotypes and promotes female empowerment. Sarah also created a website so that girls can continue to discuss these issues.

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REBECCA SCHWAB

Atholton High School, Troop 31415, Yrs. in GS: 12

“Music for All”

Rebecca established a musical instruction program at the Harriet Tubman Head Start, a federal program for at risk preschoolers in Howard County. After collaborating with a variety of musical therapy experts, Rebecca taught the children about music in order to enhance their focus, self-expression, social interaction, and more. At the end of her program, the children celebrated with a performance in front of their parents and teachers. Rebecca also developed musical lesson plans and materials for the Head Start teachers to continue to use year after year.

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JOSEPHINE STOMMEL

Glenelg High School, Troop 1899, Yrs. in GS: 12

“Learn, Smile, & Celebrate”

Josephine promoted community service in her church congregation by leading members through a service project which benefited a local food pantry and shelter in Howard County. Josephine first contacted local businesses for donations of school supplies, dental care products, and fun activity books. She then held a “Day of Service” at her church where members of the congregation assembled the donated items into bags and delivered them to those in need. The Glenelg United Methodist Church Youth Group will continue Josephine’s project in the future.

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BRIDGET THORPE

Marriotts Ridge High School, Troop 548, Yrs. in GS: 12

“Howard County Conservancy Critter Cam”

Bridget raised awareness about the wildlife in Howard County and the various programs available through the Howard County Conservancy. Bridget installed a wildlife camera at the conservancy so visitors could see the variety of animals living in their local community. She also created educational activities for children based on the local wildlife and posted all of this to the Conservancy’s website. Bridget then made presentations in her community to drive people to the Conservancy and website. The Conservancy will continue to maintain the website and camera.

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ALICIA TOWNSEND

Centennial High School, Troop 1018, Yrs. in GS: 12

“ Survivor Sunday School Goes Digital”

Alicia digitized St. John’s Episcopal Church’s handwritten Sunday School curriculum so that it could be accessed more easily by her fellow parishioners and other churches. Alicia enrolled in a website development course at Howard County Community College and then converted 30 Sunday School lessons into digital format and uploaded them into the website she created for the church. Alicia’s project gave her church, and others, an educational tool to use for many years to come. It also helped bridge a generational gap between congregation members.

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KATHRYN WEGMAN

Hammond High School, Troop 1214, Yrs. in GS: 12

“Crossing Boundaries through Lacrosse”

Kathryn has gained leadership skills by being exposed to the sport of lacrosse and she feels that everyone should have that same opportunity, regardless of their household income. Through the WINNERS program, Kathryn was able to reach out to multiple schools and organizations in her Howard County community and create a network of lacrosse equipment drives for players living in low-income areas. Kathryn also made an informational video about donating equipment and shared it with local lacrosse coaches so that they could continue to have their players donate.

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CASSY YOUSHAW

Glenelg High School, Troop 1899, Yrs. in GS: 12

“Daisy One Room Schoolhouse”

Cassy worked with the Howard County Living Farm Heritage Museum to recreate a one room schoolhouse, in order to educate members of her community about the history of their county. Cassy used her research on rural education in the 1890’s to develop a presentation for tour guides and a story about the daily life of a student during that time period. Cassy then created an informal brochure for visitors, installed a historical sign at the front of the schoolhouse, and trained volunteers to lead her tour guide presentations.