Local Girl Scouts earn gold awards
AVERILL PARK, N.Y. » Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York (GSNENY) congratulates Madison Mackey and Emily Walsh for becoming Gold Award Girl Scouts. Mackey earned her designation by raising awareness and supporting international menstrual equity, and Walsh for promoting fitness in her community and addressing physical education and accessibility.
To address one of the main barriers to education that many women face around the world, Mackey took action to support global menstrual equity. Partnering with The Mooncatcher Project, she started an annual program at her school to raise awareness about these issues and involve students in making reusable menstrual pads for girls living in countries that are disproportionately affected by poverty.
Mackey is working with her school to expand this opportunity to a network of sister schools across the country by sharing a video on how she started the program and information about this global issue.
Walsh took action to promote lifelong personal fitness within her community by addressing two main inhibitors. She challenged common misconceptions about who should be involved in physical fitness activities by creating a series of videos sharing recommendations for healthy and safe ways that people in the youth, adult, and senior age groups can stay active. In addition, Walsh improved accessibility of local hiking trails by mulching the paths and putting up informational and directional signs so that people and families of all ages and abilities can enjoy them.
The Gold Award is the mark of the truly remarkable— earned by a Girl Scout who works to address an issue she’s passionate about in a way that produces meaningful and lasting change. Whether it’s on a local, national, or global level, Gold Award Girl Scouts provide innovative solutions to significant challenges.
The Gold Award is earned by girls in grades 9–12 who demonstrate extraordinary leadership in developing sustainable solutions to local, national, and global challenges. It is the highest honor a Girl Scout can earn. Since 1916, Girl Scouts have answered the call to drive lasting, impactful change.
“Gold Award Girl Scouts don’t just change the world for the better, they change it for good—and Madison and Emily embody everything this achievement stands for,” said Brenda Episcopo, GSNENY CEO. “Madison and Emily addressed issues important to them for their Gold Awards, and we congratulate them on this momentous accomplishment.”