59 Suffolk Girl Scouts Earn Gold Award, Organization’s Highest Honor

SMITHTOWN, NY — Fifty-nine Suffolk County Girl Scouts were honored for earning the Gold Award, the highest honor in Girl Scouting.

Girl Scouts of Suffolk County held its annual Gold Award Dinner & Ceremony on May 28 at Stonebridge Country Club in Smithtown, recognizing young women who led service projects aimed at creating lasting change in their communities and beyond.

The Girl Scout Gold Award recognizes Girl Scouts in grades 9 through 12 who demonstrate leadership by developing and carrying out sustainable projects that address real-world challenges, according to Girl Scouts of Suffolk County.

To earn the award, recipients must complete extensive preparation, meet national Girl Scout requirements and dedicate at least 80 hours toward a project with measurable and lasting impact.

“Our Gold Award Girl Scouts are not waiting for the future to become leaders. They are leading now,” Tammy Severino, president and CEO of Girl Scouts of Suffolk County, said. “These young women identified needs in their communities, created solutions and made a measurable difference while still in high school.”

Severino said the Gold Award process gives Girl Scouts real-world experience in leadership, problem solving, project management, advocacy and civic responsibility.

According to Girl Scouts of the USA, 96 percent of Gold Award Girl Scouts say their Gold Award experience inspired an ongoing commitment to service or volunteering.

Gold Award Girl Scouts also distinguish themselves in the college admissions process, become eligible for scholarships and enter the next chapter of their lives with proven leadership experience, Girl Scouts of Suffolk County said.

“We are incredibly proud to celebrate their achievements and the lasting impact they are making across Suffolk County and beyond,” Severino said.

Girl Scouts of Suffolk County has served girls since 1968 and has more than 15,000 members, making it one of the largest youth-serving agencies in Suffolk County, the organization said.