Girl Scouts of Nassau County recently recognized Krista Longobardi and Meaghan Smith, both students at Floral Park Memorial High School, for individually earning their Gold Award, the highest and most prestigious award within the Girl Scouts Organization. In order to be eligible for a Gold Award, a Girl Scout must have completed two Girl Scout Senior or Ambassador Journeys or have already received the Silver Award and completed one additional Journey. The Gold Award also requires the completion of 80-hours or more of an individual leadership Take Action project that makes a sustainable and measurable impact on an important issue, or need in the community, and that serves to educate and inspire others in the community.
Longobardi’s Girl Scout Gold Award Take Action Project, Pick Your Pet, teaches children ages 5-12 the benefits of owning a pet. She was able to educate her community on the adoption process, the best pet for your household, and how adoption can save an animal’s life. Longobardi’s love of animals made it easy to spread knowledge on this topic. She improved her communication and public speaking skills as a result of her project since she spoke in front of her community leaders and peers.
“We are so proud of all the Gold Award recipients. Earning the Gold Award is a huge accomplishment and takes a great amount of dedication,” said Donna Ceravolo Executive Director and CEO of the Girl Scouts of Nassau County. “Fewer than five percent of all Girl Scouts throughout the nation obtain this award.”
Smith’s Girl Scout Gold Award Take Action Project, Scrapbooking for Seniors, helps senior citizens living in the Harvest House in Floral Park retain memories as they progress in age. To raise awareness for her project, Smith advertised her project in the newspaper resulting in generous donations of scrapbooking supplies. With all these supplies Smith assisted the elderly in creating their own personal scrapbooks. As a result of her project, Smith learned that her leadership skills make her capable of changing the world.
