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2026 Gold Award Girl Scouts

T H E G OL D S TA N DA R D O F L A S T I N G I M PA C T

Congratulations Highest Award Girl Scouts! Dear Friends, Supporters, and Fellow Champions of Change, I am continually inspired by the courage, creativity, and commitment of our Girl Scouts, and this year’s High Award earners are no exception. More than 100 years ago, the Gold Award was established to recognize Girl Scouts who Take Action to improve their communities. Today Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta continue to honor that legacy through bold leadership and meaningful service. This year, we proudly celebrate nearly 500 Bronze Award Girl Scouts, including 8 Women of Distinction; 272 Silver Award Girl Scouts, including 5 Women of Distinction; nearly 20 scholarship recipients; and 80 Gold Award Girl Scouts, including 8 Women of Distinction. Each of these individuals has demonstrated extraordinary dedication, tackling some of the most complex and urgent issues facing our world through thoughtful, impactful projects. From addressing period poverty and domestic violence to advancing conversations around mental health, sustainability, and community wellness, our Gold Award Girl Scouts are not shying away from difficult topics. Instead, they are leading with empathy, determination, and a clear belief that positive change is possible when courage meets action. As CEO of Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta, Girl Scout alumna, and Lifetime Member, I understand the discipline, service, and resilience it takes to turn a vision into reality. These Gold Award projects reflect these values and reflect the heart of Girl Scouting: leading with courage, confidence, and character. This Gold Award Book is more than a celebration of achievement. It is a window into the future being shaped by future leaders. I invite you to explore these pages with the same curiosity and passion that guided their work. Celebrate their accomplishments, honor their leadership, and be inspired by their stories. I also extend my deepest gratitude to the families, volunteers, mentors, and community partners who supported these journeys every step of the way. These Girl Scouts are the changemakers of tomorrow, and I am incredibly proud that Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta is part of their path. Their impact reaches far beyond these pages, and the future is brighter because of them. Yours in Girl Scouting and Sisterhood,

Jai Ferrell Chief Executive Officer Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta

Gold Award Girl Scouts

Maya Aquino

County: Cobb Troop Advisor: Tawanna Kirkland Project Advisor: Heather Newell Gold Award Coach: Nina Goody

County: DeKalb Troop Advisors: Susan Aquino and Arlissa Williams Project Advisor: Angela Jiang Gold Award Coach: Arlissa Williams

G3 (Girls, Growth, and Grace)

International Day

G3 (Girl, Growth, and Grace) helps girls ages 10–18 manage anxiety and stress, especially in sports. Through workshops and discussions, Alexandra taught mindfulness, confidence, and coping skills to build resilience. Partnering with schools and community leaders, she created a lasting program that empowers girls to support each other and prioritize mental health.

Due to the lack of education about different cultures in her community, Maya decided she needed to do something to bring people together and give them a place to showcase their own cultures and learn about those of others. Planning and hosting International Day allowed students, parents, and staff from her school to enjoy cultural showcases with food samples, activities, and educational presentations.

“Your words have power, your compassion brings light, and your courage can help others rise from silence.” Sana Verma, page 25

1 Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

Alexandra Allen

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

Caroline Bailey

Isabel Biagi

County: DeKalb Troop Advisor: Kathryn Wilson Project Advisor: Jessica Houston Gold Award Coach: Betsy Branam

County: Gwinnett Troop Advisor: Kim Gallant Project Advisors: Chad Buice and Marquis Lyde Gold Award Coach: Kim Towne

Elementary School Character Development

Art Across Generation

Caroline’s Gold Award focused on character education and development in elementary school children. The overall goal of the project was to increase kindness and empathy in the world, starting at a young age. She painted character vocabulary words in the outdoor classroom at Vanderlyn Elementary School and worked with the school’s counselors to create corresponding worksheets for students to use to learn about the words.

For her Gold Award, Isabel collected and delivered nearly 300 pieces of original art to residents at Benton House of Sugar Hill. She created and taught a lesson plan at Riverside Elementary School to inspire students to make meaningful art, then set up an ongoing donation program that repurposes their artwork to brighten the lives of seniors and reduce feelings of loneliness

Alyssa Blacknall Reagan Berube County: Fulton Troop Advisor: Rachelle Willette Project Advisor: Andrea Volk Gold Award Coach: Barbara Foerst

Sun Safety for Community Health Reagan promoted sun safety in her community through educational tools, including a YouTube video and an infographic displayed in public spaces. She also created a Troop Leader Guide with fun activities for Girl Scouts of all ages. Girl Scouts who complete the curriculum and pledge to be sun safe earn a special patch.

County: Douglas Troop Advisor: Melanie Jackson Project Advisor: Tara Crabtree Gold Award Coach: Rebecca Mortenson

Speak Now! The lack of public speaking skills and low self-confidence among middle school students was addressed in her project through exposure and a safe space to practice. Before Alyssa’s project, no middle schools in Douglas County offered Speech & Debate Clubs. Creating a Speech & Debate Club gives students the tools to be courageous and one day make the world a better place, as they will have increased skills to articulate their thoughts and opinions.

2026 Gold Award Council Young Women of Distinction

Kyla DeCambre

Troop 40029 | Gwinnett County

Troop Advisors: Janine Bowling and Tanesha Callahan Project Advisor: Tanesha Callahan Gold Award Coach: Kimberly Murray Favorite Girl Scout Memory: Participating in Camp CEO. I met so many amazing people and had incredible networking opportunities with accomplished women from across Atlanta. The serene atmosphere of Camp Misty Mountain reignited my love for camping and the outdoors.

Cover Their Story: Black and Latino Youth Need Your Attention! Kyla’s Gold Award spread awareness about the disproportionate number of Black and Latino youth going missing in her community. She partnered with an Atlanta journalism organization to write and publish an article discussing the issue, and worked with a local school to develop a kidnapping education and prevention curriculum for middle and high school students.

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

“You have a beautiful brain and the power to change the world.”

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

Alexandra Booher

Addie Brown

County: DeKalb Troop Advisors: Stephanie Williams and Kim Hensarling Project Advisor: Jodie Gilfillan Gold Award Coach: Ann Council

County: Cherokee Troop Advisor: Angie Miller Project Advisor: Jen Popp Gold Award Coach: Barbra Forest

Lifeline Video for Shelters in Need

Selling Ads for the Drama Program

Alexandra’s Gold Award project promoted pet adoption and addressed pet homelessness through a video created with Lifeline Animal Project and the City of Chamblee. She educated the community about responsible pet ownership, led workshops where Girl Scouts made cat blankets for shelter animals, and inspired compassion, responsibility, and action toward animal welfare.

McKenzie Rei Brewton County: Fulton Troop Advisor: Betty Willingham Project Advisor: Christen Mcclain Gold Award Coach: Kamille See

Book Rescue McKenzie’s Gold Award project addressed the issue of book waste and limited access to books in underfunded communities. She was able to collect approximately 800 books that were at risk of being destroyed and then donate them to communities in need. She organized a children’s book reading event to foster a love for reading. While completing her project, she learned that she is more determined and driven when she stays focused on her goals.

Addie’s project was directed at the fine arts in high schools, specifically theater. She wanted to help raise awareness about the lack of funding in the theater program. But she also wanted to ensure that it lead to an increase in funds, so she showed the drama officers how to sell ads and how it helps support the program.

Zoe Cannon

County: DeKalb Troop Advisors: Jakita Watson and Tamareeshi Geffrard Project Advisor: Abigail Smith Gold Award Coach: Ms. Krystal

Project Flow Zoe’s project was called Project Flow, where she focused on period poverty, specifically the lack of knowledge about menstrual health. She addressed this issue by giving presentations to girls ages 8–18, where she discussed how to take care of oneself during a period. She introduced the girls to a pediatric gynecologist who is an expert in girls’ menstrual health. Her project was sustained through the Step Up Club at her school.

Tihun Chapman

Anna Cheever

County: DeKalb Troop Advisor: Rhonda Y. Barrow Project Advisor: Zach Broyles Gold Award Coach: Rhonda Y. Barrow

County: Cobb Troop Advisors: Kara Cheever and Stefanie Simons Project Advisor: Jamye Moran Gold Award Coach: Brooke Werner

Swinging Towards Success

Make a Ripple with Glass Recycling

Tihun’s project Swinging Towards Success addressed the lack of recreational access and skill-building opportunities for refugee students in grades 3–5 at International Community School. By using golf, an unfamiliar sport to the students, the project taught life skills that can be used both on and off the golf course. The project is sustained through ongoing partnerships with local schools, coaches, and First Tee Metro Atlanta.

Anna educated her community on how to recycle glass and the benefits of doing so. Glass should go to recycling companies to be recycled many times instead of landfills. This saves resources and reduces waste. She placed recycling bins in her neighborhood and held a recycling drive. She collected hundreds of pounds of glass. She taught her community how and where to recycle. She spoke at meetings, created fliers, and made social media posts.

Major Global Issues start getting solved with

One Great Project.” Gabrielle Ferguson, page 9

Jianni Cheng County: Fulton Troop Advisor: Keri Michaelis Project Advisor: Beatrice King Gold Award Coach: Hannah Zenas

Just Girls: Shaping Mental Health Awareness and Neuroscience Education in Young Girls For her Gold Award project, Jianni focused on empowering young Girl Scouts to take charge of their mental wellbeing by learning to manage their emotions. She did this by creating an interactive lesson plan to introduce girls to psychology, combining education with lots of fun! Jianni led six engaging workshops at local churches and Girl Scout meetings. Also, she partnered with One Johns Creek, a community coalition dedicated to youth wellness and substance misuse prevention, to host an awareness event with prevention resources for families and troop leaders.

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

“Remember that even

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

Amelia Cimbalo

Kennedy Cray

County: Fulton Troop Advisor: Jeff Cimbalo Project Advisor: Jason Dyer Gold Award Coach: Jacqueline Baron-Lee

County: Paulding Troop Advisors: Bernadette King and Lesley Williams Project Advisor: Charcia Nichols Gold Award Coach: Lisa Willis

American Friends of Highland Culture

Period Pantry

Amelia’s American Friends of Highland Culture is a nonprofit organization that aims to educate and inspire a deeper appreciation for Highland heritage and to actively support local businesses and organizations in Scotland’s Highland region. Beyond education, the organization is committed to strengthening ties between the United States and Scotland through cultural events and partnerships.

To address period poverty at Ivy Prep Academy, Kennedy created a Period Closet stocked with free menstrual products and designed educational materials to reduce stigma and promote awareness. Her project supports students ages 10–18 and their families by ensuring access to supplies and menstrual health education. Ivy Prep will sustain the closet under Executive Director Charcia Nichols, restocking products and sharing information quarterly in partnership with Georgia STOMP.

Jasmine Conley County: Fayette Troop Advisor: Jennifer Vetter Project Advisor: Jennifer Parlier Gold Award Coach: Jennifer Vetter

Stand Up! Jasmine’s project was geared predominantly toward elementary students, but it can help teach all children helpful ways to prevent and respond to bullying. She wanted to create a program that could be used to teach children these skills. Bullying is common, and its effects can lead to long-term mental health issues. Teaching children these skills at a young age helps them become second nature. This makes it easier to respond if they encounter bullying.

Kenya Dean County: DeKalb Troop Advisors: Jacinda Smith and Lynette Smith Project Advisor: Gail Priest Gold Award Coach: Jacinda Smith

Project Nourish Kenya’s project, Project Nourish, helps fight food insecurity in the Lithonia community by providing access to food resources and healthy, low-cost recipes. She created a website listing local food banks, recipe ideas, and pantry dates, then shared it using flyers with QR codes around schools, parks, and churches. Her target audience was families and individuals in need. The project will continue through New Bethel AME Church, which will keep the website updated for the community.

2026 Gold Award Council Young Women of Distinction

Gabriella Fays

Troop 14494 | DeKalb County Troop Advisor: Keri Michaelis Project Advisor: Katy Malo Gold Award Coach: Pam Malinzak Favorite Girl Scout Memory: My favorite Girl Scout memory was a trip to the White House with my troop. It was such a fun weekend getting to bond with the girls as we were getting older. We talked till late at night, reminiscing on all our memories from when we were younger. Being surrounded by girls who you did the journey with, is one of the best parts of being a Girl Scout.

Strong Mind Kind Heart The Strong Mind Kind Heart addressed the lack of kindness and inclusivity in elementary school play. Gabriella partnered with Vickery Mill Elementary School to install an ADA-accessible Gaga Ball pit, create a kindness board, and lead workshops teaching empathy, teamwork, and inclusion. Students in grades 1–5, summer campers, and Girl Scouts practiced positive interactions, shared acts of kindness, and built confidence. The program is sustainable through teacher handbooks, ongoing activities, and school integration, benefiting students long term.

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

“Don’t be scared to use the resources around you. In the end, it is all worth it to see what you created and the people’s reactions of what you accomplish.”

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

Taylor Deshazer

Kieran DiCarlo

County: Cobb Troop Advisor: Bernadette King Project Advisor: Brianna Berry Gold Award Coach: Bernadette King

County: Fulton Troop Advisors: Amanda DiCarlo and Tamara Bradley Project Advisors: Rosa McHugh and Brian Barnes Gold Award Coach: Barb Foerst

Voices Heard: Real stories. Real change

Community Pond Clean Up

For Taylor’s Gold Award project, she addressed the issue of bullying by collecting and sharing real student stories about their experiences. The goal was to create empathy and kindness in others by giving students a platform to express how bullying had impacted them. She chose this project because many students feel isolated in their experiences, and hearing honest, personal stories proved to be far more powerful than rules or lectures. Through a documentary, pamphlets, and survey, Taylor created a space where students could share their own stories of bullying.

Kieran’s Gold Award aimed to address the issue of pollution within her community and the beautification of the neighborhood pond and it’s surrounding plant life and habitat. She pulled up invasive weeds, planted new native plants, picked up trash and tested the water for harmful chemicals, and created a QR code and a webpage to show people the different types of animals that inhabits the pond and it’s surroundings such as ducks, fish, frogs, turtles, birds and foxes.

Amira Dhople County: Carroll Troop Advisor: Pamela Fox Dhople Project Advisor: Cassie Payne Gold Award Coach: Shelly Midkiff

Starting a Teen Youth Court For her Gold Award, Amira established a Teen Youth Court in Carrollton, Georgia. Teen Youth Courts use a jury of teens to determine consequences for peer offenders, and the program has a 91% success rate for reducing repeat offenses. Amira spent 3 years meeting with community leaders, selecting and training jury members, and leading hearings. She’s proud to have established the 4th Teen Youth Court in Georgia, and the only Georgian one that is student-led.

Lucinda Dignam County: DeKalb Troop Advisor: Heidi Hill Project Advisors: Kristen Embry and Elizabeth Burbridge Gold Award Coach: Tosha Ellis

The Environmental Impacts of Artificial Intelligence For Lucinda’s Gold Award, she examined the rapid expansion of AI in education and everyday life, with an emphasis on environmental impact. Specifically, she focused on the significant energy consumption of data centers and strategies for responsible use of emerging technology. To address the issue, she created an informational website highlighting the ethical and environmental implications of AI and offering practical strategies for reducing reliance on AI. To raise awareness, she designed and distributed posters with a QR code linking to the website throughout her school and local community.

Madison Drew

Gabrielle Ferguson

County: Cobb Troop Advisors: Bernadette King and Leslie Williams Project Advisor: Cassandra Henderson Gold Award Coach: Bernadette King

County: Fayette Troop Advisor: Jennifer Wooden Project Advisor: Dr. Triaka Larry Gold Award Coach: Kimberly Murray

Motherhood Beyond Bars

Patriots Cove: Mental Health Connections for Teens With 44% of U.S. teens reporting depression, Gabrielle’s project addressed mental health by creating Patriots Cove, a Zen room at her school. This space empowers students and teachers to self-regulate during a crisis. For sustainability, she built a coping website, created over 100 mental health kits, and led workshops, including a Barbados youth ministry partnership. In six months, over 200 students and teachers gained tools to manage stress effectively.

Lauren Faulkner

Hailey Fields

County: Cherokee Troop Advisor: Courtney Faulkner Project Advisor: Tessa Mock Gold Award Coach: Dr. Elizabeth Lewis

County: Cobb Troop Advisor: Kathy Barnett Project Advisor: Kelly Mishkoff Gold Award Coach: Kathy Barnett

Locavore: The Benefits of Sourcing Food Locally

From Streets to Homes

Although it seems convenient to buy any food at any time of the year from different countries, it is actually harming us. Locally sourced, in-season food is healthier, and our local economies also benefit. Lauren educated her community about the benefits of consuming nutritious, locally grown food over globally sourced, bred-for-appearance foods. Not only are people eating food with drastically reduced nutritional value, but they are also hurting local economies and being environmentally irresponsible.

Hailey’s project addressed the growing issue of abandoned puppies by partnering with Bosley’s Place, a volunteer-run organization that rescues neonatal puppies and helps them find homes. To addresses shelter’s limited resources, she increased awareness around the need for foster families and collected donations. By sharing Bosley’s Place’s mission through flyers and social media and securing items from their Amazon wish list, the project strengthened the organization’s ability to care for vulnerable puppies. Through community outreach and collaboration, this effort created a lasting impact for both the organization and the animals it serves.

9 2022 HIGHEST AWARDS | GOLD Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

After watching a documentary about mothers behind bars, Madison noticed the disparity in supplies and care for incarcerated mothers of babies and infants. This prompted her to create care baskets for mothers and their babies, one basket for the babies, and one for the mothers, so that she could donate to a local women’s prison facility. Madison created packages including breast pumps, baby clothes, wipes, bottles, diapers, and personalized handmade notes for the mothers.

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

Julienne Diane Geffrard

Abigail Hankinson

County: Cobb Troop Advisors: Tamareeshi Geffrard and Jakita Watson Project Advisor: Khristy Norman Gold Award Coach: Fran Houston

County: Fulton Troop Advisor: Keri Michaelis Project Advisor: Michaela Davis Gold Award Coach: Mary Williams

First Aid For First Grade and Up

Exercise is Fun

After learning that only 54% of Americans can perform CPR, Julienne taught over 300 elementary school children how to identify first aid items, respond to allergic reactions, treat minor cuts and scrapes, know when to call 911, and perform CPR. Each student created their own first aid kit, and she assembled more than ten “First Aid Fun Kits” for classrooms across the United States, providing children with practical, hands-on experience in life-saving skills.

After noticing a growing issue of technology use among children, Abigail wanted to find a solution that would encourage kids to get outside and have fun while exercising. She decided to hold workshops across Johns Creek teaching kids about stretching, hydration, fueling, heart rate, and muscle groups. She also created a similar course online for those outside of her local reach and hung posters with this information in the gym at her local preschool.

Sara Goolsby

Catherine Hasell

County: Cobb Troop Advisor: Julie Gonnene Project Advisor: David Roth Gold Award Coach: Shelly Midkiff

County: DeKalb Troop Advisor: Susan Williams Project Advisor: Dr. Natalia Benza and Dr. Arash Grakoui Gold Award Coach: Shelly Midkiff

Band Camp Survival Handbook

Community Immunity

As a freshman, Sara struggled through band camp due to limited guidance on health, hydration, and routines, which sometimes kept her off the field. These challenges inspired her to create the Band Camp Survival Guide, promoting hydration, nutrition, and strong character as keys to success. Through her Gold Award project, she aims to help future band members—regardless of athletic background— transition smoothly and thrive both physically and mentally in the marching band experience.

Catherine’s project aimed to address the public health issue of vaccine hesitancy by focusing on its root causes of misinformation and mistrust of medical professionals. She managed an Instagram account sharing reliable sources of vaccine information and summaries from these sources, created a podcast interviewing experts on different aspects of vaccination, and organized a community education event that provided the public with the opportunity to hear from medical experts and ask their questions directly.

2026 Gold Award Council Young Women of Distinction

Lei'Lani Jackson Juliette | DeKalb County

Troop Advisor: Damita Jackson Project Advisor: Dr. Zuri Hemphill-Bryant Gold Award Coach: Teresha Freckleton-Petite Favorite Girl Scout Memory: My favorite Girl Scout memory is hearing that my Gold Award proposal was approved.

D.I.S.P.E.L. the Myth: Dispelling Inaccuracies About Symptoms of Period Endocrine Linked Disorders Lei'Lani’s project addressed the misdiagnosis of menstrual disorders among teens and women through webinars, workshops, and published articles that encouraged open dialogue and early diagnosis. Partnering with Top Ladies of Distinction, Inc.–North Atlanta (TLOD–NA), she expanded outreach through period poverty initiatives. Her nonprofit, Fusion Flō Haus Foundation, along with TLOD–NA, ensures sustainability by continuing education, advocacy, and community partnerships that promote menstrual health awareness and equity for future generations of girls and women.

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

“The Gold Award allowed me to bridge the gap between different ages and groups.”

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2065 Highest Awards | Gold

Sadie Hernandez

Kayla Johnson

County: Cobb Troop Advisors: Kristin Benninger and Allison Guillame Project Advisor: Jacqueline McRae Gold Award Coach: Barbara Foerst

County: Fulton Troop Advisor: Tawanna Tucker Project Advisor: Katilia Harden Gold Award Coach: Deborah Burke Johnson

Leave the Leaves

Reflections Through Color

Sadie’s issue was people moving leaf litter. People do not realize that it is actually good for the environment, so she focused her project on educating people. She targeted kids at camps run by environmental organizations and, through them, their parents and visitors to the Chattahoochee Nature Center. The Chattahoochee Nature Center and Trees Atlanta will continue to teach people about the importance of leaf litter.

Kayla’s project was committed to empowering youth by providing creative tools to manage anxiety and stress through the practice of art therapy. Reflections Through Color educated youth and participants on the differences between mental illness and mental health. The workshops were divided into two sections: first, informing and education; then participants talked with one another about their different experiences and expressed their negative or joyful feelings through artwork.

Reagan Hudson County: DeKalb Troop Advisor: Susan Aquino Project Advisors: Candyce Patterson Gold Award Coach: Jennifer Lester

Study Tips + Tricks: Smarter Habits, Stronger Skills Reagan’s Gold Award project addressed educational disparities by creating a study skills program that teaches goal-setting, organization, time management, and other executive functioning strategies. Through workshops and resources, she empowered students to identify their learning styles, strengthen study habits, and build confidence, helping them achieve greater academic success and lifelong learning skills.

Kayla Kehayes County: Fayette Troop Advisors: Corinne Kehayes and Lisa Lewandowski Project Advisor: Hannah Wilson Gold Award Coach: Monique Comiskey

Opening the Door to Girls in Aviation Women are underrepresented in aviation, and the biggest cause of this disparity is that many girls don’t even know that it’s an option. Kayla’s Gold Award project aimed to introduce girls to the opportunities awaiting them if they choose to pursue a passion for aviation. She created an event that featured interactive learning activities and informative posters explained by women who work in aviation. In total, they reached 160 people, including 50 girls.

2026 Gold Award Council Young Women of Distinction

Jordyn Jennings Troop 07421 | DeKalb County

Troop Advisor: Susan Aquino Project Advisor: Renard Beaty Gold Award Coach: Erica Scott Favorite Girl Scout Memory: My favorite Girl Scout activity has always been going camping with fellow Girl Scouts. I’ll never forget cooking s’mores and silver turtles around the fire and staying up late in our cabins talking about life. Camping trips always brought us closer together and created some of my best memories.

Mind Over Muscle: The Real Self-Defense Jordyn’s Gold Award project, Mind Over Muscle: The Real SelfDefense, addressed the lack of self-defense education for young women, particularly Black women, by focusing on developing physical skills and mental fortitude. Through community workshops, instructional videos, and a partnership with her martial arts studio, she empowered over 100 participants with confidence, awareness, and resilience, creating a sustainable program that continues to educate and inspire her community today.

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

“Even though there will be times when you feel like a chicken with its head cut off, you’ll eventually find your way back to the coop.”

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

Ada Kennedy-Alicea

Emma Lisborg

County: Gwinnett Troop Advisors: Kary Alicea and Gina King Project Advisors: Elizabeth McWilliams Gold Award Coach: Alyce James

County: Fayette Troop Advisor: Michelle Freeman Project Advisor: Katherine Brown Gold Award Coach: Teresa Harrison

Outdoor Fun

Sticks for Chicks

For Ada’s project, she transformed an unused area at Mountain Park UMC Preschool into an inclusive outdoor classroom. She addressed the lack of accessible, hands-on learning spaces for young children by designing sensory gardens and a STEM-based curriculum. This project helps preschoolers, especially those with learning differences like she has, learn through exploration and play. The preschool will sustain it through continued use and maintenance, creating a lasting impact for students and teachers in her community.

Gender stereotypes pervade the world of music and band, especially in the percussion section. Few women elect to be percussionists, and even fewer advance to the highest levels of musical achievement. Emma’s project published 60 videos, ranging in topics from how to play scales on marimba to how to practice over a holiday. Overall, Emma’s channel reached over 10,000 views, inspiring fellow musicians to break gender norms and express themselves through music.

Risha Kohli County: Fulton Troop Advisor: Jennifer Wieland Project Advisor: Sweta Patel Gold Award Coach: Jennifer Wieland

Camp Adventure To address children’s rising screen dependency, Risha created Camp Adventure, a three-day summer camp for ages 5–11 that taught life and social skills through engaging STEM activities, art and cooking projects, and leadership games. The camp hosted over 35 kids, fostering teamwork, confidence, and creativity while reducing screen time. To sustain the project, she created a counselor-in-training role, a detailed handbook for future leaders, and shared the curriculum with over 10 child-care organizations, including the YMCA.

Maggie McClung County: DeKalb Troop Advisor: Heidi Hill Project Advisor: Christine Kraemer Gold Award Coach: Suzan Lazaro

Band Buddies Maggie worked with her local middle school’s band director to set up a free, one-on-one tutoring program between high schoolers and middle schoolers learning their instruments. This allows young students to practice musical skills with personalized help in a format that mimics private lessons, without the monetary commitment. High school musicians get the chance to lead and give back to the program where they first started, connecting the community across schools.

2026 Gold Award Council Young Women of Distinction

Nazeefa Loladia Troop 14494 | Forsyth County

Troop Advisor: Keri Michaelis Project Advisor: Durgesh Das Gold Award Coach: Pamela Malinzak Favorite Girl Scout Memory: My favorite Girl Scout memory is when my troop and I were able to go on a fully funded mother-daughter trip to Washington DC! Another one of my favorite memories is selling cookies at cookie booths!

Bridging the Digital Divide Nazeefa’s project helped close the digital divide by expanding technology access and digital skills for underserved families locally and globally. She collected and donated laptops through Inspiredu in Atlanta. In India, she partnered with Leap to Shine, creating video tutorials to help students use their new tablets for learning. Nazeefa also led cybersecurity workshops for over 120 students. Her efforts truly helped close the digital gap, empowering students to thrive in an increasingly digital world.

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

“When you lead with passion and purpose, you’ll create more change than you thought possible.”

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

Angelina Miller

Katriana Mills

County: Cherokee Troop Advisors: Angie Miller and Heather Sipes Project Advisor: Cynthia Humphlett Gold Award Coach: Barbara Foerst

County: Cobb Troop Advisors: Stephanie Ives and Christie Mize Project Advisors: Emily Beatty and Terrace Ellis Gold Award Coach: Lena Carstens

Take a Seat

Music For the Soul

The root cause of her project was that the arts are underfunded. Angelina raised money through theatre seat plaque sales to create lasting change. After completing three rounds of sales, the booster treasurer, director, and she met to identify needs and order a significant amount of programbolstering items. This changed perceptions, and everyone was excited to have contributed. The project will continue past her time at Sequoyah High School as future officers continue the project.

Music should be shared with everyone. Katriana belongs to a high school club called SQUAD, where she works with other students with disabilities. SQUAD was supposed to start a music class in 2020, but because of the pandemic, the school had to postpone the course. She has always felt that many of the students would succeed in music, so she established the adaptive music club named Music for the Soul.

Hannah Minter Morgan Miller County: Fulton Troop Advisor: Jessica Greir Project Advisor: Jessica Greir Gold Award Coach: Rhonda Y. Barrow

Good to Grow The aim of Morgan’s Gold Award was to teach children in the community about food insecurity and food deserts while also promoting healthy eating habits that encourage food stability, all of which are issues directly linked to poverty. She provided educational workshops for children ages 8–13, and the program will be sustained by the nonprofit organization Kids-R-Chefs. It will consist of self-paced lessons regarding food insecurity.

County: Fulton Troop Advisor: Cortney Stafford Project Advisor: Erin Carey Gold Award Coach: Jennifer Hennequant

Sensory Garden Hannah’s Gold Award project addressed childhood education insufficiency by creating a sensory garden at Trinity Presbyterian Preschool to provide students with more engaging, hands-on learning resources. By building garden beds, selecting plants, and designing activities that encouraged sensory exploration, she helped preschoolers develop their motor skills and sensory awareness while giving educators a valuable tool for interactive learning.

Saanvi Movva

County: Fulton Troop Advisors: Gloria Mixon and Hilda Calhoun Project Advisor: Andrea Prewitt Gold Award Coach: Andrea Ferguson

County: Fulton Troop Advisor: Tara Spolan Project Advisor: Leela Dugiralla Gold Award Coach: Barbara Foerst

Waste Free Hands

Building Bright Futures

Teachers at Zora’s school were generating a significant amount of paper waste. She wanted to find a way to reduce this problem, which led her to create Waste Free Hands. The goal of the project was to address paper waste by introducing worm composting as a sustainable solution. Through worm composting, she helped teachers cut back on the amount of trash they produced.

Saanvi’s project is Building Bright Futures. She created it to give underserved youth and orphans access to hands-on STEM experiences. She hosted workshops where students built circuits, coded mini-games, and launched rockets, while also donating reusable STEM kits and a full curriculum to a girls’ orphanage. Her goal was to make kids curious about the STEM field and confident in whatever they pursue, while also building a project that can be continued after her.

Going To Be

Nayla Mosby County: Henry Troop Advisor: Grazonte Sanders Project Advisor: Stephanie Pham Gold Award Coach: Sharon Hubbard-Belcher

The Wonder Circle For her Gold Award, Nayla worked with CSDF Camp Wonder to create a pediatric support group for children with chronic and life-threatening skin diseases. As somebody who has suffered from eczema for most of her life, she found personally and through her research that there is a lack of peer support for children with chronic illnesses. She worked with Camp Wonder to create a safe and uplifting space for kids to feel less alone.

GOLD Alyssa Blacknall, page 2

17 Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

C O U F S Y E A T You’re

Zora Mixon

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

Gianna Mulcare

Amber Nelms

County: Cobb Troop Advisor: Natalie Caldwel Project Advisor: Jennifer Barnes Gold Award Coach: Kelly Angelo

County: DeKalb Troop Advisors: Jennifer Williams and Clara Williams Project Advisor: Kisha Johnson Gold Award Coach: Tonya Ricks

Going Gold with Solidarity

Pages of Possibility

For Gianna’s Gold Award project addressing food insecurity in Sandy Springs, she partnered with Solidarity Sandy Springs. She built seven herb planters to create a safe barrier for the pantry’s drive-up area, each with QR codes linking to recipes. She also organized an Easter food drive, collecting over 6,200 items—exceeding her 5,000-item goal. Finally, she built two picnic tables so customers could comfortably wait for rides instead of sitting on the curb.

Amber’s Gold Award project helped address the ongoing issue of low literacy rates in elementary schools. To address this, she hosted multiple STEAM- and soccer-themed literacy nights and invited guest speakers from Atlanta United to help engage students and increase their love for reading. After her literacy events ended, Amber met with the Drew Board of Education to develop a five-year sustainable plan for literacy education.

Sophia Van Name

Isabella Oakes

County: Fulton Troop Advisors: Carmen Kavali and Teresa Campbell Project Advisor: Kirsten Fogarty PT Gold Award Coach: Kelly Angelo

County: Gwinnett Troop Advisor: Lisa Grogin Project Advisor: Marilyn Whitmer Gold Award Coach: Mary Williams

The Impact of Physical Fitness on Teen Mental Health

Native Plant Garden

Sophia’s Gold Award aimed to address how exercise can improve mental health in teens. Regular exercise has been shown to benefit mental health, especially in teenagers, significantly. She created a website with exercise routines that can be followed to improve mobility, strength, and mental health. She included blogs to educate readers about the mind-body connection.

The Native Plant Garden project created a habitat for Georgia native plant species and a curriculum to educate others about them at Peachtree Elementary School. Native plants are crucial to local pollinators and are threatened by urban development, the spread of invasive species, and a lack of public awareness. Building the garden and teaching about these species encourages environmental stewardship in the next generation. Isabella’s project will be sustained by Peachtree’s Master Gardener, Marilyn Whitmer.

2026 Gold Award Council Young Women of Distinction

Stuti Mohan

Troop 14464 | Fulton County

Troop Advisor: Smita Kumari Project Advisors: Chlorey Campbell and Meera Rani Gold Award Coach: Pamela Malinzak Favorite Girl Scout Memory: My favorite Girl Scout memory is going to Camp Misty Mountain with my troop! We got to make s’mores, trade SWAPS and ride a horse! It was so much fun.

Literary Lullabies Stuti’s team addressed widespread inaccessibility to books and a lack of education surrounding literacy starting in utero, targeting families with children under five. Through booths, workshops, and coordinated distributions, they distributed 828 books, educating approximately 3,000 people about the importance of childhood literacy at hospitals, orphanages, villages, court systems, and libraries in Georgia, India, and Germany. Today, The Baby Pantry, My Journey Matters, Hamara Sahyog, and Sushrut Hospital continue to donate hundreds of books every year.

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

“Sometimes we have to take a leap!”

Kaviya Rajesh

Hailey Roberts

County: Forsyth Troop Advisors: Thenmozhi Lakshmi and Suriya Ramasamy Project Advisors: Pankaj Rajankar and Ramya Shivakumar Gold Award Coach: Kavitha Veeramani

County: Fulton Troop Advisor: Keri Michaelis Project Advisor: Britta Granrudr Gold Award Coach: Lisa Willis

Reduce Reuse and Recycle: A Step Towards a Cleaner Environment

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

Kaviya led a county-wide recycling campaign aimed at addressing the lack of awareness about the proper disposal of hard-to-recycle plastics. By educating more than 50 families, distributing Hefty bags, and organizing collection drives, her team successfully reduced plastic waste in local communities. She permanently added a presentation about Hefty bags to the GreenCell website for people to easily access. The project targeted households and schools, and over half of the participants continued sustainable practices.

Recognizing Female Veterans After visiting the Women’s Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., Hailey realized many female veterans went unrecognized and unappreciated. She decided to focus her Gold Award on giving well-deserved recognition to female veterans. She created her own curriculum designed to educate the public on what a female veteran is, what they do, and why they need to be recognized. Using this material, she hosted numerous workshops in her community.

Ellie Ryan Ava Reames County: Fulton Troop Advisor: Heather Swearingen Project Advisor: Susan A Shaw (Farmer Sue) Gold Award Coach: Elizabeth Kelly

Forever Home Ava has always loved animals, art, and writing. She is the author and illustrator of her book titled Forever Home at The Art Barn and worked with her project advisor, Farmer Sue, to create a fun, informative story. Her project focuses on the lack of education regarding animal abuse, the specialized care different animals require, and the positive impact rescue organizations such as The Art Barn have on those animals.

County: Fulton Troop Advisor: Heather Bean Project Advisor: Veronica McDaniel Gold Award Coach: Lisa Willis

Combating Human Trafficking Ellie’s Gold Award project addressed the lack of knowledge surrounding the dangers of human trafficking in her community. She spread awareness at a variety of projects around Atlanta including the Anti-Human Trafficking Youth Summit, lobby day at the Georgia Capitol, and #MyFreedom Day CNN project at Atlanta International School. Ellie also started an anti-human trafficking club at her high school to bring awareness to classmates about its realities, empowering them to speak out and advocate for change.

Amy Sahar

Camille Scott

County: DeKalb Troop Advisors: Liora Sahar and Amy Gaynor Project Advisor: Andrea Brantley Gold Award Coach: Laura Brown

County: Douglas Troop Advisor: Heather Scott Project Advisors: Jazzlynn Gomez and Whitney Dubrulle Gold Award Coach: Barbara Foerst

SHIELD: Support for Homeless Initiative – Education, Leadership, and Development

Recycling Revolution

“Time used to

Grace Sanders County: Fayette Troop Advisor: Jennifer Vetter Project Advisors: Christopher Riecke and Mike Dillard Gold Award Coach: Jennifer Vetter

Dragons With Differences Dragons With Differences is for youth struggling with anxiety, depression, isolation, and bullying. Over the course of five months, with help from peers and friends, Grace created a 2D animated short film discussing these struggles. She presented her project and taught coping skills to 20 first graders at Oak Grove Elementary School. Her animation recently reached 500 views on YouTube, and presentation resources were shared with Oak Grove counselors, keeping the project sustainable for many future years.

CONNECT WITH and

BETTER YOUR COMMUNITY is never time wasted.” Isabella Oakes, page 18

21 Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

Amy’s Gold Award project aims to address the specific needs of homeless populations within the Atlanta area. This is accomplished through a long-term and sustained partnership with Family Promise, an organization dedicated to helping homeless communities nationwide. As a school club, she organized drives and fundraisers to meet current needs, offering students accessible volunteer opportunities including food donations, event participation, and storage maintenance. Overall, this project empowers students to make a direct impact on their community.

Camille’s project addressed improper techniques, inadequate resources, and insufficient education surrounding recycling initiatives and practices. She collaborated with her school community by partnering with the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program to create educational materials in English, Spanish, and French to teach students about proper recycling techniques. Also, she implemented recycling containers in IB classrooms and offices to encourage people to recycle, and collaborated with the newly opened recycling facility in Douglas County to create educational materials and programs.

Lekha Selvakumar

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

Nisa Shringarpure

County: Fulton Troop Advisor: Keri Michaelis Project Advisors: Christina Smith and Ansley Wetherington Gold Award Coach: Kimberly Murray

County: Fulton Troop Advisor: Keri Michaelis Project Advisor: Peter Otim Gold Award Coach: Amy Jones

Pages of Positivity

FOCUS on STEAM

Lekha’s Gold Award project, Pages of Positivity, addresses limited access to literary resources for families at the Atlanta Ronald McDonald House. She built a cozy book nook area with a custom bookshelf filled with donated books, created activity packets, and hosted bookmark-making workshops to engage children. To ensure sustainability, she created a website with reading resources and family feedback. Her project provided comfort, encouraged bonding, and inspired younger Girl Scouts to support literacy in their communities.

Olivia Shaw

Nisa’s project established a STEAM mentorship program for children with disabilities in partnership with the nonprofit FOCUS, an organization dedicated to supporting families of children with developmental disabilities. Through this program, she held several events where mentors guide the children through hands-on experiments, projects, and activities that foster creativity and engagement in STEAM subjects.

Saanvi Sinha

County: Cherokee Troop Advisors: Angie Miller and Heather Sipes Project Advisor: Robin Beach Gold Award Coach: Barbara Foerst

County: Fulton Troop Advisors: Rae Ann Frank and June Swift Project Advisors: Erin Fitzgerald and Anandhi Jambunathan Gold Award Coach: Dr. Neelu Karla

Clothing for Care

STEMEmpowerED

There are roughly 400,000 kids in the United States alone who are part of the foster care system. Olivia partnered with a foster care organization through her church called We Foster to provide clothing necessities to kids in the foster care system in her community. By setting up a donation drive through Beta Club and National Honor Society at her high school, she was able to collect items and sustain her project for years to come.

Saanvi’s project made STEM education accessible and engaging for students with learning differences, who often feel overlooked in traditional classrooms. She designed interactive workshops with simple experiments that encouraged exploration and discovery, and provided takehome materials for families to continue learning. By training volunteers and sharing lesson plans, Saanvi ensured the workshops could continue. Students left inspired to explore science, ask questions, and build confidence that extended beyond the classroom.

2026 Gold Award Council Young Women of Distinction

Audrey Hepburn

Akshita Parasuram Troop 17504 | Cobb County

Troop Advisors: Deanna Clark and Amy Babcock Project Advisors: Mary Fina and Teresa Babish Gold Award Coach: Lena Carstens Favorite Girl Scout Memory: My favorite Girl Scout memory is being a part of the Girl Scouts of the USA photo shoot in Atlanta back in elementary school. I participated in this alongside my fellow troop members, and it was so cool seeing our faces on social media through Digital Cookie and the Girl Scout website!

SheShares Letters SheShares Letters combats social isolation and builds meaningful connections by pairing women and girls of all ages as pen pals. Akshita led letter-writing workshops with local clubs, Girl Scout troops, nursing homes, and school groups to nurture meaningful conversation. To ensure the project’s sustainability, she partnered with the local Sending Sunshine chapter, which continues to expand its reach. Together, they are working toward the goal of bringing joy to mailboxes (and hearts!) across the community.

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says ‘I’m possible’!”

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

Ashley Sipes

Cheyenne Smith

County: Cherokee Troop Advisors: Angie Miller and Heather Sipes Project Advisors: Vanessa Miller and Jen Curtis Gold Award Coach: Barbara Foerst

County: Paulding Troop Advisor: Sirena Smith Project Advisor: Peggy Scott Gold Award Coach: Jennifer Cushinberry

The Arts of The Jungle

Silent No More: A Path to Freedom and Empowerment

In Ashley’s project, she was presented with the opportunity to teach children about different ways to manage their stress through artwork at Camp Camellia Rose. Through sketches and scribbles these children learned how to manage their emotions in a peaceful, and fun way. Ashley will continue these practices herself past high school and carry these skills into college.

For Cheyenne’s Gold Award project, she created a novella serving women and girls affected by abuse. It educates readers on the realities of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, while offering practical guidance for healing and access to local resources. Distributed globally in digital and physical formats to shelters, therapists, and community organizations, the book was developed through research and collaboration to meet survivor needs and raise community awareness.

Nithura Sivakumar County: Forsyth Troop Advisor: Suriyakala Ilango Project Advisor: Virginia Patterson Gold Award Coach: Hannah Zenas

Bee Sustainability Nithura’s project addressed the decline in the bee population due to habitat loss, pesticides, and climate change. She created a website, workshop, and coloring book focused on teaching children and families about pollinators and sustainable habits. Partnering with a farm, she built bee hotels and promoted pesticide-free gardening practices. Using both physical and digital resources, she ensured ongoing education and habitat support, enabling communities to protect bees and maintain biodiversity beyond her involvement.

Samantha Sterling County: Fulton Troop Advisor: Keri Michaelis Project Advisor: Heather Connors Gold Award Coach: Amy Jones

Heartbeat Heroes For Samantha’s project, she chose something she is very passionate about, heart disease. She was born with a heart condition and struggled for many years. But she was fortunate enough to beat her illness. However, not all can be so lucky. She created lesson plans for middle school students and taught about heart awareness. She also created a website for parents and kids to educate and inspire healthy choices and preventive measures.

Sana Verma

County: Fulton Troop Advisor: Julia Arce Project Advisor: Liberti Gates Gold Award Coach: Jessica Weis

County: Cobb Troop Advisors: Arlene Ghee and Shalini Verma Project Advisor: Anjali Guntur Gold Award Coach: Neelu Kalra

Environmental Clean Up

Voices Unseen

Aubrey’s Gold Award project addressed the issue of lack of awareness and education about the environmental impact of pollution in local parks. She also worked with Ryex, the Roswell Presbyterian Church youth group to educate them about the impact of littering and enlisted their help with a clean-up event at a park. She sustained her project by establishing a teen position on the Keeping Roswell Beautiful board to keep teens involved in environmental conservation.

Sana’s project addresses the silence surrounding trauma and abuse by publishing a book featuring survivor stories, poems, and reflections, along with a list of hotlines and ways to support individuals. Voices Unseen is dedicated to both survivors and the general public, fostering empathy, the courage to speak up, and the inspiration to act. With physical and digital copies distributed to individuals and non-profits, the project continues as a lasting resource for awareness and healing.

“Be

Brave

enough to start and

Proud

enough to finish.” Kennedy Cray, page 6

Elisabeth Vogt County: Cobb Troop Advisor: Linda Vogt Project Advisor: Amy Corrigan and Mike Fitch Gold Award Coach: Barbara Foerst

Toddler Mobility Playground Elisabeth collaborated with construction and educational specialists for her project. The construction expert helped her create an artificial grass playground for children with motor challenges. She worked with educational professionals to develop age-appropriate motor programs, train staff, provide visuals, and connect programs to developmental norms. Staff embraced and expanded the programs, ensuring longterm sustainability. Teamwork enabled Emmy’s Academy to offer outdoor learning experiences that support physical development and create a lasting impact for children with special needs.

25 Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

Aubrey Tribick

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

Nia Marie Wells

Evelyn Williams

County: Fulton Troop Advisor: Betty Willingham Project Advisors: Kara Flowers and Zenobia Claxton Gold Award Coach: Barbara Foerst

County: Fulton Troop Advisor: Laura Brown Project Advisor: Swaantje Sass Gold Award Coach: Laura Brown

Chair Champions: Aerobics for Elderly

Crocheting for Cancer

Nia’s Gold Award project promotes accessible fitness for seniors through a sustainable chair-based aerobics program. It builds strength, balance, and flexibility through safe, low-impact exercises, supported by take-home pamphlets, all within the comfort of your own home. Partnering with a senior living facility ensures the program continues independently beyond my leadership.

Evelyn, inspired by her family’s cancer history, used her love of crocheting to connect and advocate. Hair loss during cancer treatment can be devastating, and she wanted her handmade hats to bring comfort to patients. She also raised awareness about genetic testing, which can reduce cancer risks. Evelyn donated over 100 hats to cancer patients. She created a crochet pattern and started a school crochet club to empower students to use crocheting for good.

Caroline Werner County: Cobb Troop Advisor: Kathy Barnett Project Advisor: Nicole Payne Gold Award Coach: Galit Allemeier

Wheeler High School Rifle Range Improvements Caroline’s Gold Award project focused on supporting her high school air rifle team through the repair of their range and the rebuilding of four standing targets. Learning to rebuild the targets was challenging but very educational. She is incredibly thankful for her project advisor, Coach Payne, and her project coach, who helped her throughout the project.

Karrington Willis County: Gwinnett Troop Advisors: Beth Etheridge and Keisha Willis Project Advisor: Jeff Beach Gold Award Coach: Kim Towne

Prayer Garden of Rest Karrington created the Prayer Garden of Rest to address growing emotional and spiritual stress in her community and the lack of accessible spaces for quiet reflection. She led volunteers in designing and building a peaceful garden along the Greenway Connector behind Gwinnett Church, featuring flowers, seating, scripture signage, a cross, and other spiritual elements. Open to everyone, the garden provides a restorative place to pause, pray, and reflect, supporting ongoing emotional and spiritual renewal.

2026 Gold Award Council Young Women of Distinction

Michelle Obama

Sauyer Stewart Troop 17015 | DeKalb County

Troop Advisor: Rhonda Stewart Project Advisors: Deborah Thornton and Ahna Zachery Gold Award Coach: Libby Peck Cullen Favorite Girl Scout Memory: Crossing the iconic Golden Gate Bridge with my troop and thousands of other Girl Scouts from all over the country as we transitioned from younger to older Girl Scouting, replacing green sashes for tan ones! This experience will always be a cherished memory of pride and unity.

Seeking Snow: Smashing Barriers Sustained by Southern Snow Seekers and SMASH=Spelman, her project broke barriers in snowsports, increasing diversity and confidence among underrepresented teen girls. She hosted a fully funded first-of-its-kind “Never Ever 1-Day Beginner Ski Trip” impacting 17 teens and 7 adults of color, led Ski 101 workshops, and launched a social media campaign celebrating Black snowsports pioneers. She earned CYWOD for both her Silver and Bronze Awards.

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

“Find people who make you better.”

Annmarie Worley

Leigh Anne Wright

County: Gwinnett Troop Advisors: Carrie Anderson and Sal Patel Project Advisor: Amy Corrigan Gold Award Coach: Tammi Adams

County: Coweta Troop Advisor: Jennifer Vetter Project Advisors: Melissa Campbell-Parente and Regina James Gold Award Coach: Jennifer Vetter

Bee the Change

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Gold

Pollinators have declined because of a loss of habitat, but they are vital to ecosystems. This is caused by a lack of education and care for the environment from those committing the acts. To combat this issue, Annmarie built two pollinator beds at an elementary school and installed native plants that will be sustained by the garden club. She had a table at STEM Night where she handed out brochures and helped students create pollinator crafts.

Bundles of Hope Leigh’s Gold Award focused on creating a crochet club to provide students with a creative, non-athletic extracurricular option. Many peers wanted to learn new skills, especially crochet. The club promotes creativity, stress relief, mindfulness, fine-motor development, community building, patience, and perseverance. It also encourages sustainability through eco-friendly projects and generosity by making items for charitable causes. This project addressed a clear need for meaningful, skill-building activities within her school.

Don’t be afraid to advocate for YOURSELF and WHAT YOU NEED.

Remember, the work you’re doing today helps create a better tomorrow for everyone. Amber Nelms, page 18

Silver Award Girl Scouts

2026 Silver Award Young Women of Distinction

Sensory Play Troop 17623: Gwinnett County Troop Leaders: Kim Gallant and Maria-Elena Bove Girl Scout: McKinley Carson The issue in my community is the need for law enforcement to better understand how to interact with people who have Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). can sometimes lead to negative outcomes. These kits are being introduced to address that need. They provide detailed descriptions of best practices for interaction and include specific tools for officers when responding to nonverbal individuals, with the goal of improving safety and understanding during encounters.

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Silver

Misunderstood communication styles and behaviors

Sophie Azar Rhea Bacchus Brielle Baker Isabella Banchs Belladay Barry Isabella Barton Maggie Beck Bella Becker Vega Bell Charlotte Bell Katherine “Kat” Beyer Ishani Bhat Julia Birukova Maisie Black

Ava Abad Amari Abdul Olivia Abdullah Emma Addison Inchara Aithal Milana Aithal Avalyn Allison Emily Anand Kaylin Anderson Emily Andresen Avery Anthony Charlotte Antle Ava Avart Tomilola Awoyale

Ellie Blake Joie Blate Camille Blevens Erin Blitzer Marie Bottini Violet Bove Gabriella Bozzelli Olivia Brady Emma Brantley Camille Brinckerhoff Jordyn Bullock Journee Brooks Bella Brown Alexis Bruce

Brynn Buchanan Michelle Buchholz Carrigan Burrow Belle Butler Arianna Camon Zoe Campbell Ella Carroll McKinley Carson Eva Castleberry Julia Castro Baani Chahal Sloane Chanani McKinley Chauhan Hailey Chism

2026 Silver Award Young Women of Distinction

The Glow Up: Melanin Needs SPF Too! ENCOURAGING MINORITY CHILDREN TO LEARN SUN HEALTH HABITS Troop 25025: DeKalb County

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Silver

Troop Leader: Amber Melendrez Girl Scouts: Olivia Melendrez-Lloyd and Taylor Murray Minorities sometimes think that we don’t need sunscreen because our skin has melanin. Minority children were our target audience so they could learn lifelong sun-healthy habits. We conducted research, interviewed a dermatologist, and prepared pamphlets, posters, and a video. We also demonstrated how to apply sunscreen and gave out sunscreen samples and UV bracelets. Our project is sustainable because we provided minority children with the tools they need and asked them to pledge to wear sunscreen every day.

Every rejection is simply

REDIRECTION. Hailey Roberts, page 20

Liberty Christensen Daphne Christensen Bernice Christy Katelyn Chun Nila Claiborne Neala Clark Caroline Colley Maddie Colley Isla Cooler Marlow Cornwell Sophia Costigan Willemina Creech Jordan Cross Lark Crossley

Mia D’Alessio Scarlett Davis Marissa Dayton Valeria De La Pena Goya Chloe Dever Ali Diaz Zoe Diaz Dottie Disney Ava Donovan McKenna Dooley Leah Dowsett Amelie Dunham Camille Dunphy Genevieve “Evie” Engel

Keerthana Errabelli Elise Evans Lorelei Evans Reagan Even Willa Faulkner Paris Favors Bethany Ferguson Laila Foster Kate Frere Emmie Jules Galbiati Lillian Galli Anika Garg Savi Garg Skylar Gasaway

Avery Gibboney Isabella Gibson Olivia Grant Elyse Graves Gabrielle Gray Carly Greear Caroline Greer Keely Hake Riley Hall Caelyn Halron Violet Han Eleanor Hanlon Madeline Hardy Erica Hartman

2026 Silver Award Young Women of Distinction

Unmasking Autism Spectrum Disorder in Girls Troop 22090: Fulton County Troop Leaders: Sana Imad and Radia Yussouff Girl Scouts: Imaan Khan and Inaya Imad

who hid their struggles behind practiced smiles, memorized social scripts, and quiet compliance. They learned that the world often misses autism in girls—not because the signs aren’t there, but because girls are so good at masking them. Determined to make a change, Inaya and Imaan set out to shine a light where awareness was missing. They created colorful brochures, therapy guides, and engaging presentations that explained autism through girls’ perspectives. Their mission was clear: to educate, empower, and help adults and teachers recognize what too often goes unseen. What started as a Silver Award project quickly grew into a community movement. The girls presented at six different locations—community centers, an elementary school, middle schools—and spread their message even further by leaving their brochures in pediatric offices, ABA centers, Chastain Horse Park, and activity programs across the area. Everywhere they went, people leaned in, listened, and learned. Their work didn’t end when the presentations stopped; their materials continue to educate families every day. Through compassion, curiosity, and courage, Inaya and Imaan built a project that will outlive their Silver Award—and today, as they are honored as Girl Scout Women of Distinction, they stand as shining examples of what young leaders can accomplish when they decide to make the invisible visible.”

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Silver

“As they researched, they discovered stories of girls

Grace Heaton Valeria Hernandez Gabby Herndon Clara Hibbard Kaitlyn Hill Averie Hinds Julia Holladay Ellen Holladay Adyn Honore Sadie Honore Hannah Horwitz Peyton Howard Megan Hubbard Inaya Imad Anastasia Iwaskow Ashrita Jalluri Chloe Jansen Madelyn Jennings Madison Jobst Madison Johnson

Lila Johnson Piper Jolley Harper Jones Leela Kanuru Amrutha Kavuru Kendall Key Imaan Khan Lucy Kleszczewski Eleanor Knapp Ananya Krishnan Saloni Kulkarni Anya Kumar Lily Lambert Avery Landrum Ansley Lappin Kayle Larsen Annabelle Lassiter Mia LaVerghetta Kaitlyn Lawrence Shayla Layne

Kaylin Lee Veronica Leitz Isabel Lemoine Makayla Leslie Sophie Lin Chloe Longtin Alana MacNeil Anisa Mahdavi India Mahens Paige Maiberger Arya Mao Olivia Marek Lorelai Marsh Priya Martin Isabel Massey Elizabeth May Emma Mazloum Aliyahna McCoy Amelia McDonald Lorelei McGahee

Logan McIntosh Rita McIntosh Bella McKinney Kyndal McNeal Cassidy McNeese Ruby McWilliams Olivia Melendrez-Lloyd Sienna Miller Za’Kariah Mitchell Jhanvi Momaya Erin Mong Enidayana Montalvo Santillan Leila Morris Ella Moyer Alisa Muharemovic Peyton Munn Taylor Murray Thalia Nader Simran Narwani Maci Nelson

2026 Silver Award Young Women of Distinction

Safe Social Navigation (SSN)

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Silver

Troop Juliette: Forsyth County Parent Name: Mini Garg Girl Scout: Anika Garg For my Girl Scout Silver Award, I identified excessive and unsafe social media usage as a growing issue causing anxiety, low confidence, and academic challenges in my community. To address this, I created awareness using posters, websites, and presentations through Project SSN that teach safe, mindful online behavior. By educating the community and peers, I helped reduce risks and encouraged healthier, more responsible social media habits.

Madeleine Nerquaye-Tetteh Eliza Newman Mazzy Opsteen Ava Ordu Kristina Oubre Majesti Pace Alana Patel Lily Penn Juliana Petric Leyla Petric Kolette Phipps Kayden Phyall Amelia Pieper Elizabeth Pieper Emma Pike Caroleena Planer Eva Polstra Fiona Pond Karys Quarles Olivia Quarless

Shannon Reding Ksenia Reshetnik Abigail “Abby” Roberts Julie Robles Avery Jane Rudolph Gelina Rush Bridget Ryan Alyssia Sarkissian Lia Schantz Lily Schellenberg Madeline Senior Meena Servies Alyssa Shabazz Anjali Shams Scarlett Shemper Ana Shepherdson Maya Siegel-Wassilak Simona Simokaitis Davai Simpson Shiloh Skelton

Zy’ir Small Sienna Snyder Lauren Starns Brooke Stewart Zoe Stewart Cassandra Stovall Abby Stratton Zoey Struminger Addie Szczepanski Sasmitasri Thinesh Jolene Thomas Kamryn Thornton Kinsley Trombly Maya Tronolone Kate Trout June Tsistinas Allison-Marie Turner Bridgette Vail Elizabeth Van Curen Alice Van Duyne

Tejasvi Virgil Raj Isabel Vogelson Madison Walker Kimberly Wang Regan Waters Rosalind Waters Poppy Watson Naomi Wells Leila White Skylar Whitfield Kailani Williams Jurnee Williams Hailey Williams Tiffany Wilson Brooke Winokur Madeline Withers Ashley Wong Cameron Wright Claire Yin Addison Zortman

2026 Silver Award Young Women of Distinction

Dignity in Every Bag Troop 19780: Fulton County Troop Leaders: Allegra Hardy and Kira Quarles Girl Scouts: Hannah Horwitz, Maddie Hardy, Karys Quarles and Belladay Barry Unhoused teens – especially Black, Brown, and LGBTQ+ youth – face unique challenges accessing hygiene products that meet their cultural and identity-specific needs. Many shelters lack ethnic hair care products and pride-affirming items, which can impact self-esteem, health, and safety. Our troop hosted a Day of Action, where over 400 volunteers gathered – including students, parents, siblings, faculty/staff, and neighbors – to help assemble over 3000 hygiene and pride kits for use by Chris180 on their drop-in shelters.

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Silver

DAY OF ACTION FOR UNHOUSED YOUTH

Bronze Award Girl Scouts

2026 Bronze Young Award Women of Distinction

The Be Kind Campaign: AN OVERVIEW ON DEALING WITH BULLYING

Troop 21701: Cobb County Troop Leaders: Kadesha Adelakun and Kaleya Harris Girl Scouts: Adetola Adelakun, Lauren Hammond, Morgan Stewart and Tahlya Matthias

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Bronze

34 The Be Kind Campaign is an anti-bullying brochure that discusses the types of bullying, why people bully others, and the effects of bullying. Most importantly, our brochure provides tips on how to handle a bully and where you can find additional resources for support. Our anti-bullying brochure is targeted to an adolescent audience. However, the goal is for the message to resonate with kids and

v In this photo we are discussing the information together.

adults alike.

This photo shows us sharing our pamphlet with a Girl Scout sister from another Girl Scout Troop.

PATIENCE is a form of ACTION. Saanvi Movva, page 17

2026 Bronze Young Award Women of Distinction

The Be Kind Campaign: WHAT TO DO IF YOU OR SOMEONE IS BEING BULLIED Troop 21701: Cobb County Troop Leaders: Kadesha Adelakun and Kaleya Harris Girl Scouts: Arianna Hawthorne, Briella Lowe, Chloe Burise, Juliana Burise, Juliana-Joi Harding, Priya Keyes, Ryan Rucker, Suri Edwards and A’Zhuri Mitchell The girls performed two skits to teach other kids about bullying and how to respond in a positive way, and posted them on their YouTube channel. Their YouTube channel link was also printed on an Anti-Bullying brochure, that the other half of our Junior Troop 21701 created. The brochures were given to Girl Scouts in troops around the country, and placed at a local middle school and at a local counseling practice.

35 Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Bronze

If you aren’t having FUN,

YOU AREN’T DOING IT RIGHT! Kayla Kehayes, page 12

Madelyn Adams Hope Addison Faith Addison Adetola Adelakun Sole Adih Lana Adler Olivia Ajayi Aditi Ajeesh Zoe Akemon Melody Almanzar Kelseay Anderson Anika Arnold Ella Atkinson Layla Attia Valentina Avila Elizabeth Bailey Valerie Bailey

Flavia Balarezo Samantha Baldwin Aria Bane Greta Bankhead Abbie Banta Brooke Barnes Georgia Barnes Annalyn Batchelor Samantha Bazzanini Elisabeth Beasley Diana Beasley Ava Bell Noelle Bell Morgan Berke Diya Bharucha Kiran Bhat Sarah Bien

Noa Bitner-Salinas Jill Blackburn Miracle Blakley Skylar Bland Kaliah Blanding Jordyn Bobonis Alexandria Bodner Ava Bogoevska Dayna Boone Patricia Borden Anna Bowers Ryan Boykin Clara Bradier Josephine Bradlow Ebony Brown Amiyah Buchanan Madison “Maddie” Buchanan

Amelia Buffa Juilana Burise Chloe Burise Zoey Burke Chloe Burkhalter Charlotte Burkhalter Lenora Burns Caterine Butler Rebeca Caballero-Orozco Gloria Campbell Emory Campbell Norah Cardillo Emery Carter Milan Carter Kendall Caulified S. Eloise Causey Natalie Chapman

2026 Bronze Young Award Women of Distinction

Clean, Confident & Cared For: ADDRESSING HYGIENE POVERTY FOR GIRLS JUST LIKE US

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Bronze

36 Troop 23033: Fulton County Troop Leaders: Merrie Beth Salazar and Elaine Krehmeyer Girl Scouts: Adalyn Salazar, Avery Emerick, Kellyn Fann, Evera Tandon, Emme Halsup and Lauren Wuyek Troop 23033 was surprised to learn that girls our age face hygiene poverty, which affects their confidence and mental health. We invited our neighbors into the solution by hosting a Block Party focused on learning and action. At the Block Party, we hosted games, provided education, raised over $540, and collected items to build 165 hygiene kits to help girls just like us. Our community now knows how to help, creating a lasting impact.

Being a Girl Scout

has been the most amazing part of my childhood. Angelina Miller, page 16

Lexie Chastain Abigail Chen Olivia Childress Kaylyn Churchill Symone Clark Evelyn-Ruth Clark Emerson Clarke Loree Clawson Felicity Clouse Jayla Coats Ellie Coia Reagan Comazzi Pepper Conner Aminah Connor Lillian Cook Aubrey Corbett Hailey Correa

Elise Cortes Maya Costello Brylee Couey Shannon Counts LeAnn Craddock Annabelle Craddock Emma Crosby Aria Crowley Lyric Cumming Amiria Curry Breanne Davidson Gladys Davis Brianna DeJesus Charlette Deloney Zoey Detweiler Lilian Dierkes Georgia Dillard

Lauren Dooyema

Maya Doshan Karsen Dozier Stella Drewry Archangelina Dunlap Suri Edwards Kiran Elliott Juliana Elston Avery Emerick Louisa Engel Emeline Engle Kenya Etheridge Anna Bella Evans Raina Fallen Addison Fallucco Kellyn Fan Nyari Faulks Fiona Feldoni

2026 Bronze Young Award Women of Distinction

Reducing Loneliness Among Older Adults: CONNECTING ACROSS GENERATIONS

Troop 20080: Cobb County

Girl Scouts: Ellie Hurtado, Noelle Bell, Bella-Grace Pearse, Giulianna Spano, Evelyn Nour, Tara Manickaraj, Lillian Rund, Aditi Ajeesh and Karsen Dozier Our girls wanted to address loneliness in our community as it relates to social, emotional, and mental health. They discovered that loneliness increased between different generations since the COVID-19 Pandemic, which led to poorer mental health and quality of life outcomes. They chose to “adopt” a nursing home and connect with the residents through different girl-led activities each month. Many were shy at first, but their confidence grew as they made new friends!

37 Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Bronze

Troop Leaders: Julia Hurtado, Beka Rund and Lauren Nour

Brinley Fisher Olivia Fisher Kaylonnie Fontenot Emory Force Olivia Fortunado Aubrey Fraser Rachael Garrett Harper Gehman Madelyn Geller Grace Gilbert Ariana Glen Ashlyn Graham Avery Graham Amelia Graves Leah Green Harper Griffie Evey Griffin Emery Halstead Hailey Hamilton Meyer Hammond Norah Hammond Alyssa Hammond Lauren Hammond Addison Hampton Avery Hampton

Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Bronze

Anne Marie Hanekom Olivia Harden Juliana-Joi Harding Julianna Harper Emilie “Emme” Haslup Morgan Hathcock Arianna Hawthrone Ellie Hayes Antonia Henao Isis Henley Sadie Henningson Charlotte Hicks Zoey Hill Skylar Hines Alexandra Hise-Floyd Millie Holm Zoey Holmes Jenna Honeycutt Sabrina Honore Kennedy Howard Paige Hoyt Lyndon Hudson Fiona Hulgan Ellie Hurtado Caroline Huston

Kate Hyatt Chalotte Hyde Sophia Hyland Opelani Ige Hensley Ingram Dyliyah Irby Adithi Iyer Joi Jackson Molly Jackson Josephine Jackson Kathleen Jacobsen Nora Janke Sumindee Jayasinghe Elliana (Ella) Jeong Anna Jing Bella Jing Kaitlyn Johnson Sarae Johnson Madelyn Johnson Bay Johnson Kora Kaster Mariam Keita Cecilia Kelley Priya Keyes Leah Kingston

Terra Kinney Lina Kipreos Ryan Kisgen Finnley Klausmann Mia Knapp Victoria Knight Aubrey Kokan Caroline Kroening Miray Kule Norah Kyzer Nyah Lacey Arraina Lakhani Syra Lally Ellie Grace Lambert Presley Landis Valentina Landron Layla Latchaw Meriana (Meri) Lattibeaudiere Lila Lawder-Freeman Abigail Lawson Lorelei LeCroy Cecilia Lee Lorelei Lee Laila Lewis Evelyn Lewis

2026 Bronze Young Award Women of Distinction

Anyone Can Play INSPIRATIONAL BASKETBALL MURAL Troop 17534: Cobb County Troop Leaders: Stephanie Davis Neill and Elizabeth Nuñez Girl Scouts: Alice Neill, Morgan Berke and Parker Wagner We wanted to inspire more girls to play sports. It was cool to learn all about how to plan for and build an outdoor mural with the right materials. We also had community support to guide and advise us from our families, Marietta Parks and Recreation, and the local Maker Station that let us use their space and tools. Our mural is located at Laurel Park in Marietta, Georgia.

Addison Ottilo Evelyn Paden Ziva Pafford Ammy Palada Maria Papadimitriou Lia Parker Ashlyn Parker Juliet Parker Isla Parkhill Sarina Patel Aryana Patel Riya Patel Rahi Patel Meera Patel Reha Patell Leigh Patterson Zoey Paul Bella-Grace Pearse Katherine Pefferly Jolie Perkins Elizabeth (Betsy) Peters Sydney Peterson Isabella Petric Diana Pfeffer Faith Pham Charlotte Phillips Lina Pieras Aurora Pierce Keegan Pike Diya Pillai Elizabeth Pinson Madison Pittman Cassidy Pope Kaelyn Pope Olivia Porter Anishka Potharaju Everley Powell Dhiya Pranesh Claire Preston Annika Rambler Giselle Ramirez Juliana Ramirez Olivia Ramsey Mayleena Rashada Audrey Reed Phoebe Reeder Bree Ann Reid Mariah Richey Justice Riddick Caitlin Riley Noemi Rios Grace Roach Temperance Roberts Lynnelle Rodriguez Claire Rogers Olivia Rollins Gianna Roppo Rosie Rowe Ryan Rucker Isabel Rudge Leah Ruehlmann Lillian Rund Penelope Russell Nyah Rysdon-Moulitsas

Raya Saad Orian Sadan Adalyn Salazar Shalom Antonella Sanchez Sophia Sanchez Garnett Sanders Gabriella Sankfield Dhanvi Sankuratri Catalina Santiago Hadley Sauter Vivian Scarborough Emma Schill Olivia Schutt Brylan Scott Nora Seigel-Wassilak Junie Sellers-Madeley Rose Sellers-Madeley Maya Serrano Amy Grace Shajary Marina Shepherdson Chloe Sherman Chloe Sherwood Anya Shetye Olivia Shingler Emma Sides Elisa Silverio Chelsea Simms Brooke Simms Amira Simpson Zuri Simpson Lindsay Singleton Devon Skinner Julia Skurski Lauren Slaterbeck Hannah Smith Jooniper Smith Natalie Smith Isabella Smith Clara Snelgrove Giulianna Spano Anna Spivey Harmani Spriggs Alexa Stallings Caroline Stanley Kacie Stevens Naomi Stewart Morgan Stewart Madeline Strachan Sienna Stradtman Meagan Straessle Quinn Stravelakis Claire Strong Jordan Strong Lyric Suggs Kirthana Sundner Zoey Sweeny Ryleigh Symonette Lily Szoke Selena Tafolla Evera Tandon Casey Tanner London Taylor Christian Taylor Maeve Terry

Karleigh Tetreault Harpers Therens Myari Thomas Sariyah Thomas Ollie Thommock Anna Thommock Evelyn Thompson Vivienne Thomsen Emalyn Thornton Samantha Townsend Ellie Tucker Becca Tuggle Kate Tullar Katelyn Turks Kayleigh Turner Maggie Turner Lexi Turner Annika Urbanovitch Aanika Valvani Elina Vasquez Karsen Vennable Ahriana Vernon Lillian Vickery Sophie Vieira Alina Villasenor Liyana Virani Parker Wagner Vivian Walker Kennedy Walker Betthany Wallace Malani Washington Erin Wasileski Nori Weaver Kathryn Weitz Kylie Wendel Ellen Westphal Jasmine Williams Carolina Williams Kathryn Williams Naomi Williams Nora Williams Deborah Williams Isabella Williams Lily Willis Lucy Wilson Tanna Wilson Aspen Wilson Abbey Winkle Aria Wood Olivia Woods Juliet Woron Lauren Wuyek Catherine Wynn Riley Yam Ally Yang Angel Yang Presley Yarbrough Eve Yarid Wynter Young Cody Zajkowski Joye Zhao Emilia Zielinski

39 Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta | 2026 Highest Awards | Bronze

Olivia Light Madison Lindo Ava Livingston Elizabeth Lizaire Jordan Locke Lucy Long Emma Longtin Anslee Lorimer Aaliyah Lott Annelise (Annie) Loughman Briella Lowe Olivia Lowrie Ashlyn Loyd Erin Luczynski Lydia Lundberg Alexandria Aiko Mabry Stella MacDonald Ella MacNeil Nadia Mahdavi Tessa Mahoney Lucy Makar Brooke Malizioso Susanna Mandel Tara Manickaraj Jacqueline Marquez Morgan Martin Catalaya Martinez Sara Martinez Rachel Mason Peyton Matthews Tahlya Matthias Eden Maurice Tatiana Mazeika Ava McCullough Avery McIntosh Liana McLean Dylan McLendon Amelia Meldrum Ariele Miles Luella Millen Charlotte Mitchell A’Zhuri Mitchell Janet Monono Isla Moody Zara Moore Kayla Morgan Isla Morgan Ciara Morrissey Madison Moss Sallie Moss Cecilia Mraz Nya Murphy Emery Murray Tennyson Nance Alice Neill Kaylen Neilly Rose Nelson Talia Nicholson Sofia Nickolov Naomi Njesada Evelyn Nour Maya Nybo Reese O’Connell Millie Olsen

2026 Scholarship Recipients

Congratulations to all our 2026 Scholarship Recipients! Girl Scouts of Greater Atlanta, Inc. is pleased to be able to continue the scholarship tradition established in 1993. The scholarships, which are for graduating high school seniors, recognize outstanding Gold Award Girl Scouts by helping them further their educational opportunities. Recipients may choose their place of higher learning; it may be a college, university, or technical school, in or out of state.

This year

$52K

in scholarship money is being awarded to Gold Award Girl Scouts

Recipients are chosen by the Girl Scout Gold Award Scholarship Selections Committee, which reviews each application using a point system. Points are given based on leadership activities, involvement in the community, academic achievement, and, most importantly, the Girl Scout Gold Award project. Fifty percent of the total score is based on the quality and community impact of the project.

Scholarship Recipient

Gold Award Project Title

Kennedy Cray

Period Poverty

Gabriella Fays

Strong Mind Kind Heart

Gabrielle Ferguson

Patriots Cove: Mental Health Connections for Teens

Julienne Geffrard

First Aid for First Grade and Up

Jordyn Jennings

Mind Over Muscle: The Real Self Defense

Nazeefa Loladia

Bridging Digital Divide

Nora Michaelis

bEquals: Teen Mentor Program

Stuti Mohan

Literary Lullabies

Akshita Parasuram

She shares: letters for strength

Hailey Roberts

Recognizing Female Veterans

Nia Scott

Calm Kid Kit

Camille Scott

Recycling Revolution: Establishing Trilingual IB Recycling Initiatives

Lekha Selvakumar

Pages of Positivity

Saanvi Sinha

STEMpowerED

Nala Washington

Green for Good

Nylah Watson

The HERO Retreat

In honor of Helen Eidson, mother of Ann Hooper, high school seniors who have earned their Girl Scout Gold Award are eligible for this scholarship, designated for books and supplies.

S P E C I A L T H A N K S TO

Gold Award Program Sponsor

2026 Board of Directors OFFICERS

DIRECTORS AT LARGE

Susan Lazaro, Chair

Jay Bailey

Robbie Kamerschen

Eric Mai, Vice Chair

David Bouchard

Shannon Longino

Ellie May, Secretary

Terri-Nichelle Bradley

Melissa Proctor

Fran Gary, Treasurer

Greg Cohen

Kim Seals

Melanie Duncan, SPHHR, PMP

Andrea N. Smith

Carley Ferguson

Carolyn Stefanco, PhD

Marcus Gore

Helen Tarleton

Andre Greenwood

Kathy Waller

Nikki Harland

Kama Winters

LaTonya Johnson

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