Williston Park’s Elisabeth Baranello, Brianna Janicek and Madison Rizzo were among 51 Nassau County Girl Scouts honored in the 2024 Girl Scout GOld Award class, recognized for their positive impact and addressing causes they care about in their communities.

“Every Girl Scout who earned their Gold Award this year demonstrated remarkable resilience, dedication, and passion in developing and implementing a plan to tackle a societal challenge. We are immensely proud and impressed by each one of them for achieving their goals and making a lasting impact on their communities,” Rande Bynum, CEO of Girl Scouts of Nassau County, said. “Their commitment is undeniable, and their efforts have positively affected countless lives. This year, our Girl Scouts addressed critical issues such as environmental justice and sustainability, mental and emotional health, gender equality in sports, and more. We applaud each of them for their significant contributions.”

Girls in grades 9-12 begin their Gold Award journeys by identifying a civic or social issue that holds importance to them.

Next, a Girl Scout builds a team to support her project with a mission to create a positive impact in her community.

Gold Award projects are coordinated so that they can continue long after girls earn their award by establishing nonprofit organizations, publishing books to be added to school library collections, implementing classroom lessons to be taught for years to come or other initiatives to create lasting change.

Through the process, Gold Award Girl Scouts become innovative problem-solvers, empathetic leaders, confident public speakers, and focused project managers, while educating and inspiring others.

They learn resourcefulness, tenacity, and decision-making skills, giving them an edge personally and professionally. As they take action to transform their communities, Gold Award Girl Scouts gain tangible skills and prove they are the leaders our world needs.

Elisabeth addressed the issue of lifeguard shortages in Nassau County by encouraging young swimmers to become certified lifeguards.

She partnered with the St. Aidan Catholic School’s swim team and developed a clinic to strengthen the swimmers’ strokes and techniques.

Additionally, Elisabeth created a pamphlet detailing the certification process that was distributed to the Nassau County Aquatic Center, Herricks Community Center, and youth swim teams. Elisabeth’s clinic plans were given to the St. Aidan’s swim team ensuring they will have resources available for future generations of swimmers.

Brianna’s goal for her Gold Award was to establish a fenced-in dog run that would provide a safe place where dog owners and their pets could socialize.

She learned from speaking with Bonnie Parente, the mayor of East Williston, that a resident Boy Scout had begun planning for the creation of a dog run as his Eagle Scout project before he suddenly passed away.

Brianna decided to honor and dedicate her dog run in the boy’s name. She collaborated with his troop, who helped her plan a fundraiser.

The Anthony Leva Jr. Memorial Dog Garden was created on the village green in East Williston. Families can place a stone there in remembrance of their beloved deceased pets. A plaque has been displayed to commemorate the shared dream of two devoted scouts who created the dog run.

For her Gold Award, Madison educated high school-aged girls on the benefits of learning and participating in the sport of golf, as it is one of the most underutilized college scholarships.

Madison created informational flyers, how-to videos, and hosted four golf clinics, partnering with a Bethpage Golf Club coach. The materials that Madison created will continue to be shared through the Junior Golf Program at the club.

According to recent research, Gold Award Girl Scouts are more likely to fill leadership roles at work and in their personal lives and are more civically engaged than their non-Girl Scout peers.

About 87% of Gold Award Girl Scouts agree that earning their Gold Award gave them skills that help them succeed professionally. Another 72% said earning their Gold Award helped them get a scholarship.

Changing the world doesn’t end when a Girl Scout earns her Gold Award, as 99% of Gold Award Girl Scout alums take on leadership roles in their everyday lives.

Girls in grades K-12 can begin their Girl Scout journey at any age. As girls grow with Girl Scouts, they learn hands-on leadership skills they’ll use to make their mark through the Gold Award and beyond. To join or volunteer, visit www.gsnc.org/join.