Huntington Beach Girl Scouts Earn Esteemed Gold Award

Irvine, California (December 17, 2019) -- Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the pinnacle of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, and it’s available exclusively to Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors (9-12 grade). Today, Girl Scouts of Orange County recognizes ten Huntington Beach Girl Scouts who earned the Gold Award in 2019.

Girl Scouts of Orange County CEO Vikki Shepp shared: "We are so proud of what these remarkable young women have accomplished. They are problem-solvers who have demonstrated extraordinary leadership to change their community and our world forever. They are poised to continue creating groundbreaking solutions long into the future.”

2019 Huntington Beach Gold Award Girl Scouts

Amber Zeng (17) – Huntington Beach, Troop 2190

Project Title: Teens for Change

Amber created a club at Huntington Beach High School in order to help people in need in her community. She contacted the head of Oak View Public Library, who allowed her and other volunteers to host story time and crafts at the library, with the goal to enrich the lives of the kids they serve. Through Teens for Change, Amber and her volunteers have been able to form relationships with many kids by talking to them and having fun together.

“Seeing the kids' faces light up when listening to stories, doing crafts, or just talking to me and the other volunteers made all of the work worth it. Through this experience, I learned that I had the ability to see an issue, create a plan to solve that issue, and put that plan into action.”

Amelia Garrard (18) – Huntington Beach, Troop 772

Project Title: Making Marina filled with LOVE

Throughout high school, Amelia noticed a lot of students felt isolated and excluded. She created the Good Vibes Club at Marina High School to help students feel more connected. She and other club members shared their goals, made kindness cards, and planned Positivity Week, where each day had a theme, such as “Be a Friend” or “Be Optimistic.” The Good Vibes will continue after Amelia graduates, and Positivity Week is now an annual event at Marina High School.

"Through the Good Vibes Club, I was able to connect and unite the students at Marina High School. I learned that turning an idea into a reality takes a lot of hard work and preparation, but the end result makes it all worthwhile. Completing my Gold Award showed me that small acts of kindness can make a positive difference in someone's life."

My project address teen stress. Stress can be related to school, social, family, and more. My goal is to introduce CDMHS teens the tools to cope with stress and anxiety.

Gisell Gochman (16) – Huntington Beach, Troop 2042

Project Title: Self Defense Class for Girls

Gisell saw a need for kids to learn how to protect themselves. She created a self-defense class for girls ages 11-14 at her former school, Mesa View Middle School. She taught 4 classes on subjects like how to be aware of signs of suspicious people, what to do if being choked or attacked, and where to go during a dangerous situations, such as school shootings or kidnappings. Gisell partnered with Krav Maga, a self-defense center, which will continue to use her project as an example for teaching kids in the future.

“Through my Girl Scout Gold Award, I learned that if you have a goal in mind, you can achieve it even if you encounter obstacles. I also learned that I need to be confident and trustworthy when running a big project. I need to be organized to make sure I am reliable and people can trust me with money or watching over their children.”

Jillian Reichert (16) – Huntington Beach, Troop 2126

Project Title: Helping Girls Help Themselves

Jillian started the program Helping Girls Help Themselves after she talked to a parent of a 5th-grader who wanted to know about the struggles that her daughter might go through in middle school. The program, led by Jillian and National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) middle school students, taught approximately 55 incoming 6th-graders about middle school and changes that occur. The middle school where she started the project was so impressed by her work that they said that they said they would continue the program in the future.

“My Gold Award project, Helping Girls Help Themselves, has made me realize that I can be a mentor to younger girls and that my leadership could be shown, not only in the target audience, but also in the people that are affected or involved.”

Katherine Waide (17) – Huntington Beach, Troop 458

Project Title: Ambassador for Dance

Katherine created a dance assembly program to educate elementary school students on dance and how movement can be integrated into their daily lives as a way to improve mental health., Katherine introduced third and fourth grade students to three main styles of dance: tap, ballet, and jazz. She worked with the Boys and Girls Club and Orange County Dance Center and held three assemblies at two different elementary schools. At each of her programs, she shared with students how dance serves as a creative outlet for self-expression and allowed them to develop a sense of appreciation for the often overlooked art form.

“My project gave me a strong sense of my self-identity as I formed the confidence necessary to speak in front of rooms full of elementary age children and their teachers. I learned how to form healthy and professional relationships with authority figures, but most importantly, I learned that when you work hard on something that you truly love, the joy in the outcome far outweighs the hardships of the process.”

Kimberly Do (18) – Huntington Beach, Troop 21004

Project Title: Fun Reading Day

Kimberly created a "Fun Reading Day" at the Boys and Girls Club of Garden Grove to address low academic reading performances manifested in young students. Ranging from Kindergarten to 6th graders, her target audience was able to experience the fun of reading and were introduced to a wide variety of books and activities that they never had seen before.

“While earning my Gold Award, I was able to become a strong and organized individual. My passion for reading allowed me to gain access to my community resources and relationships with adults, while becoming a resourceful problem solver. I can see myself using my leadership skills to advocate for myself and others, and feel empowered to make a difference in the world.”

Kira Bui (16) – Huntington Beach, Troop 963

Project Title: Reading Camp

Kira saw a literacy issue with young children ranging from kindergarten to 2nd grade levels. Working with the Westminster Teacher’s Association and a team of volunteers, she held a reading camp where she and her team provided proper reading techniques to help strengthen the children’s reading skills. Kira assessed students beforehand to see what their needs were. Over the course of a week, she worked with each student individually and made personal goals for them to reach. Then a volunteer from her team worked with an individual student and observed their progress during the reading camp. By the end of the camp, each student reached their goal.

“This project has shaped me into a strong leader. I believe that I have learned the true fundamentals of how to educate and teach others; I have directed many people, taught volunteers, and helped struggling students. I will be able to use these leadership skills in the future.”

Nicole Nguyen (15) – Huntington Beach, Troop 963

Project Title: The Test About Stress

Being a high school student who understood the pressure of balancing multiple activities, Nicole wanted to prepare middle school students for the stress they may experience in the future. With the help of National Honor Society, she hosted mini stress camps at Johnson Middle School and Helen Stacey Middle School to teach students about stress and ways to manage with it. Nicole researched facts on stress and gathered information by surveying high school students in order to create a website and pamphlets, containing information about stress, and tutorials of different ways to cope with stress. She had approximately 50 attendees at her camps and distributed over one hundred pamphlets.

“From contacting organizations and volunteers, I learned communication, decision making, and social skills. Through interacting with middle school students and listening to their feedback, I understood the importance of making a measurable, sustainable impact and making an impression on those around me. My Gold Award inspired me to reach out to those who experience a lot of stress and to analyze more dilemmas in my community.”

Noelle Duffey (16) – Huntington Beach, Troop 378

Project Title: You Too Can Help Save the Monarch Butterflies

After a family trip to Pismo Beach, Noelle learned about the drastic decline of monarch butterflies. With the help of her leader, teachers, and butterfly experts, Noelle created a lesson plan which she used to educate 2nd-4th grade students at St. Simon and St. Jude Schools. The lesson plan included information about monarch butterflies and what each student could do to help improve the declining population. Students learned the importance of planting milkweed and were provided with seeds and growing instructions. Noelle also designed and built an elevated butterfly garden for a local pediatric therapy group.

“Through educating other students and planting milkweeds seeds, I was able to help make an impact on the declining monarch butterfly population. The students were also eager to help and be a part of the sustainability of the monarchs. Through this project, I matured and understood how to be an active part of my community and the world and I am grateful to my family, friends and mentors who assisted me.”

Serena Nguyen (16) – Huntington Beach, Troop 963

Project Title: Dance Camp

Serena created an after-school dance program at Willmore Elementary to give disadvantaged students the opportunity to learn a form of performing arts and harness their creativity. She contacted members of her school’s National Honor Society and a professionally-trained dancer to help her carry out the program. She also created a video to distribute to other schools in the district.

"As I worked weekly with volunteers to address the lack of performing arts in my community, I learned to take charge and make a difference. The journey helped me develop into an open-minded initiator who will go on to advocate for change in society. Completing my Gold Award has inspired me to further research problems in our society, as well as come up with impactful solutions."

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the mark of the truly remarkable—proof that not only can she make a difference, but that she already has.

To earn the Gold Award, Girl Scouts typically spend one to two years exploring the root cause of a local or global issue (such as poverty, education, or the environment) and partner with the community to create lasting solutions.

Girl Scouts who earn the Gold Award distinguish themselves in the college admission process and receive scholarships from colleges and universities across the country. In addition, Gold Award Girl Scouts who join the military are eligible to enlist at a higher pay grade.

Over the years, nearly 3,000 Orange County Girl Scouts have earned this highest award. In 2019, 105 Orange County girls have joined this sisterhood of Gold Award Girl Scouts. To learn more about Orange County’s Gold Award Girl Scouts visit girlscoutsoc.org/goldaward.

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About the Girl Scout Gold Award

Gold Award Girl Scouts don’t just change the world for the better, they change it for good. 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. Since 1916, Girl Scouts have answered the call to drive lasting, impactful change. The Gold Award is the mark of the truly remarkable.

About Girl Scouts of Orange County

We are Girl Scouts of Orange County. We are 33,000 strong—nearly 20,000 girls and 13,000 adults who believe in the power of every G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™ to change the world. With programs in every zip code in Orange County, Girl Scouts offers every girl opportunities to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit girlscoutsoc.org.