Rockville Centre Girl Scouts awarded highest honor

The Girl Scouts of Nassau County recently recognized seven Rockville Centre girls for earning their Gold Award, the most prestigious award in the Girl Scouts Organization.

“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 5 percent of all Girl Scouts throughout the nation obtain this award.”

Elizabeth Davoli, Bridget McFadden, Grace Ohanian, Alannah O’Rourke, Clarissa Palmer, Kaylee Polinsky and Lily Pollard of all earned the prestigious award. To qualify 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 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 to educate and inspire others. It must be completed before or during the Scout’s senior year in high school.

Elizabeth Davoli

Elizabeth Davoli is a senior at South Side High School. Her Take Action Project, “Restoring the Oyster Population to Help Clean the Bays,” helped reduce water pollution by gardening oysters and creating a self-sustaining oyster reef. She encouraged the community to join her in gardening oysters and discussed how to raise them. She educated people on the critical role oysters play in our ecosystem by their cleaning of bays. She also learned the importance of cooperation and team building.

Bridget McFadden

Bridget McFadden is a junior at South Side High School. Her Take Action Project, “World of Words,” addressed the issue of low literacy rates by motivating children to become more interested in reading and to view writing as a reflective process. She offered students from 3rd to 5th grade the chance to attend her summer writing course at the Rockville Centre Public Library. She built a team and created lesson plans and assignments so the children in the community could improve their writing skills.

Grace Ohanian