Sarasota resident and Out-of-Door Academy student Kiarra Womack has earned Girl Scouting’s highest honor – the Gold Award – with her project titled, SPECTRUM: Diversity Leadership Club.

Kiarra has a passion for promoting the understanding and celebration of diverse cultures and lifestyles. After she attended the National Student Leadership Diversity Conference, she was inspired to organize the SPECTRUM: Diversity Leadership Club at her school.

Club members meet weekly for discussion-based meetings and they sponsor events to introduce students to a variety of cultures and diversity-related topics. One event the club put on was Heritage Day where club members set up booths representing different cultures. Students attending enjoyed a variety of cultural food and music while learning about different cultures of students at the school.

The goal of Womack’s club is to create a more inclusionary environment within the school, decreasing cultural disparities and encouraging empathy and acceptance.

“My unique experience and newfound passion for philanthropy, combined with my dedication to learning about diversity, are what have fueled my drive and focus in accomplishing my project goal,” Womack said.

The Girl Scout Gold Award, open to high school Girl Scouts, recognizes girls who demonstrate extraordinary leadership through take-action projects with sustainable impact in their communities. The Gold Award is so prestigious that some universities and colleges offer scholarships unique to Gold Award recipients, and girls who enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces may receive advanced rank in recognition of their achievements.

Congratulations Kiarra!