Anna Nealon of Malverne earns Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Nassau County recently celebrated 55 local Girl Scouts who are members of the 2023 Girl Scout Gold Award class who made a sustainable impact, addressing causes they care about in their communities. Malverne resident Anna Nealon was among 55 Girl Scouts throughout Nassau County who reached this milestone.

“Each of the Girl Scouts who earned their Gold Award this year showed fortitude, diligence and enthusiasm in creating and executing a plan to act on a societal issue,” said Randell Bynum, the CEO of Girl Scouts of Nassau County. “We are very proud and impressed by each of them for reaching their goals and leaving a legacy with their communities. Their dedication is evident and their hard work has touched countless lives.”

Girls in grades 9-12 begin their Gold Award journeys by identifying a civic or social issue that holds importance to them. Next, a Girl Scout builds a team to support her project with a mission to create a positive impact in her community. Gold Award projects are coordinated so that they can continue long after girls earn their award by establishing nonprofit organizations, publishing books to be added to school library collections, implementing classroom lessons to be taught for years to come or other initiatives to create lasting change.

Through the process, Gold Award Girl Scouts become innovative problem-solvers, empathetic leaders, confident public speakers, and focused project managers, while educating and inspiring others. They learn resourcefulness, tenacity, and decision-making skills, giving them an edge personally and professionally. As they take action to transform their communities, Gold Award Girl Scouts gain tangible skills and prove they’re the leaders our world needs.

Nealon was inspired to pursue her Gold Award project, “Live Without Limits,” through her experience helping those with disabilities by working at Town of Hempstead’s Camp ANCHOR. She improved accessibility to town beaches by having beach access mats placed at the high-tide line at Town of Hempstead beaches.

Through her project, Nealon aimed to provide an opportunity for outdoor experiences and improved mental wellness to all members of the community. Nealon increased community awareness and support for her project by working collaboratively with local government officials, publishing a Change.org petition and presenting at community events. Her project is being sustained by the town to ensure that shoreline access for all citizens and an evidence-based opportunity for mental well being continues for generations to come.

“Growing up as a Girl Scout I learned I could make a difference in this world, though I never could have imagined that I would be able to make the sizable impact I have made on my community through my Gold Award project,” Nealon said. “Knowing that my actions had a positive impact on someone else’s life is one of the most rewarding experiences of my life.”