Girl Scouts of Nassau County (GSNC) is happy to announce that Julie Kapuvari of Massapequa, was selected for one of Girl Scout’s highest honors, an
d was named by Girl Scouts of the USA as one of the “2015 National Young Women of Distinction,” for her Gold Award project, “Pollination Project: Don’t Bee Afraid, Bee-lieve,” which addressed the issue of Colony Collapse Disorder affecting the honeybee population.
This special honor and designation by Girl Scouts of the USA showcases Kapuvari’s extraordinary leadership over a project that had measurable and sustainable impact and addressed a global issue. Kapuvari is a 2015 graduate of Massapequa High School and was one of only 10 young women nationwide to receive the award.
Kapuvari discovered that since 2006, beekeepers have been experiencing major colony losses of 30 to 90 percent of their apiaries that were later attributed to Colony Collapse Disorder. This has been directly harming commercial beekeeping and pollination operations. Kapuvari helped address this problem by becoming a beekeeper, conducting presentations for a variety of groups, educating them about the need for bee colonies and pesticide free environments. Her colony is on an organic farm, which will contribute to its sustainability and productivity, while the organic farm creates a safe haven for the endangered species.
“Girl Scouts of Nassau County is so happy to have Julie Kapuvari recognized for her work to preserve bee colonies. Helping the public to understand that bees are a key indicator in environmental sustainability is so very important to plants and people.” said Donna Ceravolo, executive director and CEO of the Girl Scouts of Nassau County. “We know that Julie will continue her commitment to the environment while attending Cornell this fall.”
Kapuvari received a college scholarship from both the Kappa Delta Foundation and Girl Scouts of the USA. Each generously provided a $5,000 scholarship to all of the 10 National Young Women of Distinction.
This year, Kapuvari received her gold award at GSNC’s ceremony held in June. She will be honored at a national recognition ceremony hosted by Girl Scouts of the USA.
Earning the gold award is just one of the fun and amazing things girls can do as part of Girl Scouts. To join Girl Scouts or learn more about volunteering, please visit: www.girlscouts.org/join.
