Gold Awards for three local girls

Three East Meadow girls were recently recognized by the Girl Scouts of Nassau County for achieving their Gold Awards, the highest ranking in Girl Scouting.

Nicole Newberger, Rose Zaman and Katherine Zammit each completed community service projects to earn the honor.

Newberger, who was the 2015 East Meadow High School class valedictorian, helped to better facilitate communication between parents and the staff of the Calvary Lutheran Church Nursery School by creating a new website. Newberger created a more modern, user-friendly site that allows parents to easily register their children for school, find information about the school, and provide an easy online way to contact the school with any inquiries or questions they may have.

Zaman, who will be a junior at East Meadow High in the fall, created interactive workshops addressing low self-esteem and poor health habits practiced by girls aged 12 to14. After doing extensive research and consulting with a school guidance counselor, school psychologist, nurse, and other professionals, the workshops offered ways to cope with mental and physical health issues. Zaman also created a website with healthy recipes, coping skills, advice and positive quotes from the workshops.

Zammit, who will also be a junior at East Meadow High, addressed the stereotype that disabled individuals are not as talented or capable as others. She organized mini-talent shows and classes for mainstream children to showcase the special talents of children with disabilities. Each week, both sets of children wrote in their “talent books” what they learned about themselves or from each other. Once Zammit graduates high school, St. Raphael’s religion program and Camp Anchor will continue her program, according to the Girl Scouts of Nassau County.

To be eligible for a Gold Award, a Girl Scout must have completed 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 a community.