Local East Williston Teens Earn Prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Nassau County recently celebrated East Williston residents Madeline C., Willow G., who were among the 67 young women from across Nassau County to earn the Girl Scout Gold Award this year. The Gold Award is the highest achievement in Girl Scouts and recognizes young women who identify a real problem in their community, build a team, and create a lasting, sustainable solution. They were honored at the 2026 Gold Award Ceremony at The Inn at New Hyde Park.

"The 2026 Gold Award Girl Scouts are an extraordinary group of young women, and what they have accomplished goes far beyond the projects they completed," said Rande Bynum, CEO of Girl Scouts of Nassau County. "Through this experience, every one of them built real, transferable skills in leadership, problem-solving, public speaking, and project management that will give them an edge in college, in their careers, and in every community they are a part of for the rest of their lives. We are so proud of each of them, and of the lasting impact they have already made right here in Nassau County."

Girls in grades 9-12 begin their Gold Award journeys by identifying a civic or social issue that holds personal significance to them. From there, each girl builds a team, develops a plan, and leads that team to implement a sustainable solution designed to continue creating impact long after her direct involvement ends. Through programs established at local schools, books donated to library collections, community installations, and digital resources with global reach, these young women leave behind something lasting. Along the way, Gold Award recipients develop into innovative problem-solvers, empathetic leaders, confident public speakers, and focused project managers, building resourcefulness, tenacity, and decision-making skills that give them a meaningful edge personally and professionally.

Madeline's Gold Award, Reading Roots: Cultivating Literacy in Guyana, focused on increasing awareness of illiteracy and educational inequities affecting children in Guyana. Inspired by her family’s deep connection to education there, she organized community Book Bingo events at her local library that combined literacy-themed activities with presentations and informational brochures about poverty and access to education in Guyana. Madeline also coordinated a book collection drive, gathering dozens of children’s books that will be distributed to schools through the nonprofit organization Blossoms of Guyana.

Willow's Gold Award, "LITtle Kid Lit!" A Creative Writing Workshop for Children in the Era of AI, encouraged young children to develop confidence in their own creativity and storytelling at a time when AI increasingly replaces authentic writing. She designed and taught a six-class workshop series for children ages 7–9 at the East Williston Public Library, creating reusable kits, a 27-page handbook, and a website so libraries nationwide can continue offering her program.

According to recent research, Gold Award Girl Scouts are more likely to fill leadership roles at work and in their personal lives, and are more civically engaged than their non-Girl Scout peers. Eighty-seven percent (87%) of Gold Award Girl Scouts agree that earning their Gold Award gave them skills that help them succeed professionally. Seventy-two percent (72%) said earning their Gold Award helped them get a scholarship. And the impact does not stop there. Ninety-nine percent (99%) of Gold Award alums go on to take on leadership roles in their everyday lives.

For more information about Girl Scouts of Nassau County or to learn how to join, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, visit www.gsnc.org.