Local Farmingdale Teens Earn Prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award

FARMINGDALE, NEW YORK (JUNE 2022) — Girl Scouts of Nassau County recently honored Farmingdale residents Sara Hughes, Michaela Johnson, and Emma Schneider for earning their Gold Awards. The Gold Award is the highest and most prestigious award a Girl Scout can achieve as it recognizes the remarkable dedication she has for improving their community and the world around them. Sara, Michaela and Emma were presented with their Gold Awards at the Girl Scouts of Nassau County's 2022 Gold Awards Ceremony, joining an elite group of 53 young women from throughout Nassau County who earned the highest honor a Girl Scout can achieve.

“The recipients of this year’s Gold Awards have displayed diligence, compassion and altruism in approaching issues facing their communities,” said Randell Bynum, the chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of Nassau County. “Their efforts have not gone unnoticed in their communities and their impacts will leave an imprint for years to come. I applaud them for addressing topics like social justice, mental health, the environment and more, while putting forth solutions to create a better world.”

The Gold Award program is designated for girls in grades 9-12 and is intended to help girls explore civic and social issues they are passionate about pursuing. The process of earning a Gold Award begins with a Girl Scout identifying a civic or social issue, drafting a plan to approach the issue and, lastly, partnering with volunteers or community leaders to implement it. The plan implemented needs to be sustainable and reach beyond the Girl Scout’s personal community.

Through “Creating a Zumba Fit Club at School to Promote Movement After Lockdown,” Sara Hughes created a Zumba Fit Club at her high school to address the lack of fitness clubs offered in her school and the social isolation experienced by many students during lockdown. Her Zumba club promoted exercise in a fun and engaging way, while educating students about the physical, mental, and social benefits of Zumba. She also led instructional workshops for students, teachers, and Girl Scout troops to learn different routines. Her Zumba tutorials can be viewed on her YouTube channel. Sara’s club was approved by her school’s administration and will be carried on by elected underclassmen. Sara is a recent graduate of Farmingdale High School and will attend Kutztown University in the fall to become a teacher for the blind and visually impaired.

Through her Gold Award project, “D.A.R.E.,” Michaela Johnson addressed the issue of the expense and access of diabetic supplies. She spoke at many seminars and national organization events as well as with local community members. Through her discussions and website, she shared available resources to help people to acquire diabetic supplies they might not be able afford.
She worked closely with Tami Balavage, the founder of Help a Diabetic Child Foundation. Her project will continue to make an impact as her website will be available to all those who need it. Johnson is a recent graduate of Farmingdale High School and will attend Monmouth University in the fall.

Emma Schneider’s Gold Award Project, “The STEM Future is Female,” tackled the issue of gender inequities in the STEM field. Her goal was to address a lack of exposure and gender biases, and work to create a growing interest in girls to major in STEM; she wanted to be a voice and role model for girls. Emma produced a documentary series titled “The STEM Station,” that educates girls on what STEM is and types of careers that are available. Her channel includes a guide of what courses girls should take and clubs to join in high school to be prepared for a college STEM major.
The STEM Station is the centerpiece of Emma’s Girl Scout Gold Award and her resources will be sustained on YouTube to help more students pursue a career in STEM. Emma is a recent graduate of Sacred Heart Academy and will study engineering at the University of Dayton in the fall.

According to the Girl Scout Research Institute, girls who have achieved their Gold Award, experience greater life success due to a greater sense of self, satisfaction, leadership, life achievements, community service and civic engagement. Gold Award Girl Scouts who enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces may receive a higher pay grade and can receive scholarships or other recognition from most colleges or universities.

For more information about the Girl Scouts of Nassau County and the Gold Award program, visit www.gsnc.org.

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We Are Girl Scouts: Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs in Nassau County, across Long Island and from coast to coast, 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 millions of alumni, Girl Scouts leads 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 girlscouts.org.