Three Williston Park girls have taken gold for creating lasting change within their community.

Girl Scouts of Nassau County recently celebrated 51 local Girl Scouts who are members of the 2024 Girl Scout Gold Award class. Elisabeth Baranello, Brianna Janicek, and Madison Rizzo — all from Williston Park — were among those scouts who reached this milestone. The Scouts addressed causes they care about in their community.

Scouts in high school begin their Gold Award journeys by identifying a civic or social issue that holds importance for them. Next, they build a team to support their projects with a mission to create a positive impact in their community.

Baranello 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.

“I started lifeguarding when I was 16, and that was 2020, right around the time of the pandemic. I knew firsthand that lifeguards were very much needed, at least at my town pool,” Baranello said.

Baranello was a junior in high school when she finished step one of the award — establishing an issue in the community she wanted to tackle. She said she had to be with the students at every single swim practice and meet. However, she was faced with an obstacle, which was that she did not have her driver’s license yet, making travel difficult.

“I had to have someone drive me to every single meet,” Baranello said. “And it was very time-consuming and it was sometimes hard to get a ride.”

Through this challenge, Baranello said she learned commitment and perseverance. She also learned how to encourage others, as she said a big part of this project was to boost the swimmers’ confidence and make them want to get their lifeguard certification. She said this also taught her how to be patient.

The Gold Award projects are coordinated so that they can continue long after girls earn their award.

Baranello’s long-term plan with her project was through a pamphlet that she created  detailing the lifeguard certification process. It was distributed to the Nassau County Aquatic Center, Herricks Community Center and youth swim teams. Also, Baranello’s clinic plans were given to the St. Aidan’s swim team, ensuring they will have resources available for future generations of swimmers.

Janicek’s goal for her Gold Award was to establish a fenced-in dog run, which would provide a safe place where dog owners and their pets could socialize. According to a press release, she learned — from speaking with Bonnie Parente, mayor of East Williston — that a resident Boy Scout had begun planning for the creation of a dog run for his Eagle Scout project before he died.

Janicek decided to honor and dedicate her dog run in the boy’s name. She collaborated with his troop, which helped her plan a fund-raiser. The Anthony Leva Jr. Memorial Dog Garden was then 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.

Rizzo educated high school-aged girls on the benefits of learning and participating in golf, as she found that it is one of the most underutilized college scholarships, according to a press release. Rizzo created informational flyers, how-to videos and hosted four golf clinics, partnering with a Bethpage Golf Club coach. The materials that Rizzo created will continue to be shared through the Junior Golf Program at the club.

“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 in a press release.

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