Girl Scout Sophia Madrigal Earns National Gold Award Scholarship

Irvine, California (November 30, 2021) – Girl Scouts of Orange County is delighted to announce that local Girl Scout Sophia Madrigal (age 17) was awarded an inaugural Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) Gold Award Scholarship. The scholarship rewards an outstanding Gold Award Girl Scout from each Girl Scout council with a $2,000 scholarship. The Gold Award is the highest award a Girl Scout can earn and recognizes Girl Scout Seniors or Ambassadors who develop and carry out meaningful, sustainable solutions to challenges in their communities and the world.

Sophia was selected for demonstrating extraordinary leadership while driving lasting change in her community and beyond. Her Gold Award “take action” project focused on the healing art of Indigenous storytelling after she experienced the sudden loss of her father last year. She founded the Luke Madrigal Indigenous Storytelling non-profit organization, led workshops, and wrote, directed, and performed in the play Wildflower: Indigenous Spirit. Sophia was also selected to speak in a TED Talk and was featured at this year's United Nations International Day of the Girl: Girls Speak Out event.

Sophia, a student at Orange County School of the Arts, is a member of the Cahuilla Band of Indians and is of Turtle Mountain Chippewa descent. She shares, “I led workshops where Indigenous people’s artistic expressions came together in strength against adversity. I was able to see the wisdom of culture and applicability for the larger world. Founding my non-profit has enabled me to keep my father and Indigenous storytelling alive.”

CEO of Girl Scouts of Orange County Vikki Shepp said, “We couldn’t be prouder of Sophia for her Gold Award project and are so gratified to see her nationally recognized for her outstanding leadership. Sophia is an exemplary Gold Award Girl Scout whose impact on our community is truly remarkable.”

Over the years, nearly 3,000 Orange County Girl Scouts have earned the Girl Scout Gold Award. In 2021, 85 Orange County girls joined the sisterhood of Gold Award Girl Scouts. To learn more about Orange County’s Gold Award Girl Scouts, visit https://www.girlscoutsoc.org/goldaward.

MEDIA CONTACT: Caron Berkley, Communications Director cberkley@girlscoutsoc.org

About Girl Scouts of Orange County

We are 25,000 strong – nearly 15,000 girls and 10,000 volunteers and adult members who bring girls’ dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs reaching girls in every zip code in Orange County, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and thousands of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. To join us, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, visit girlscoutsoc.org.

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