Sarasota resident and Hillsborough Community College freshman Meredith Worthley has earned Girl Scouting’s highest honor – the Gold Award – with her project entitled, Sarasota Bay: Marine Organism Ecosystem.

Growing up in Sarasota, Meredith spent a lot of time in and around the water. She was inspired to keep Sarasota Bay thriving by educating the next generation of conservationists about the importance of our marine ecosystems.

Meredith developed a hands-on, interactive curriculum for young students, which is adaptable to any bay in the world. The program also encourages students to develop their own conservation projects with friends or family. Meredith shares her curriculum with all who are interested on her blog, SRQbay.blogspot.com.

“Because of this project, I am much more comfortable dealing with issues straight on,” said Meredith. “My leadership skills have improved so much… I believe in myself.”

The Girl Scout Gold Award represents the highest achievement in Girl Scouting. Open only to girls in high school, this prestigious award recognizes girls who demonstrate extraordinary leadership through remarkable Take-Action projects with sustainable impact in their communities. 2016 marks the 100^th anniversary of the Girl Scout Gold Award.

Be inspired and learn more about Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida’s other 2016 Gold Award recipients.

~Lori Tomlinson is the Manager of Communications and Marketing for Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, Inc.