At just 16 years old, Maddie Canty is making a life-saving impact in her community—and earning the highest honor a Girl Scout can achieve.

The Englewood teen, a member of Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award for her extraordinary leadership project, A Hope for Kittens. Her project focused on reducing kitten euthanasia in Sarasota County by combining public education, direct care, and local policy change.

“I realized too many kittens never get a chance,” said Maddie, a Girl Scout from Troop 138. “They’re euthanized simply for being too young, too sick, or not socialized. I wanted to help change that.”

Over 16 months, Maddie dedicated 219 leadership hours to designing and executing a comprehensive, life-saving initiative to protect vulnerable kittens and prevent unwanted litters. With support from Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida, she partnered with the Englewood Animal Rescue Sanctuary (EARS), trained in Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) methods, and organized hands-on opportunities for the public to get involved.

Her results speak volumes:

• She fostered and socialized abandoned kittens, helping prepare them for adoption.
• She led 21 educational presentations at churches, civic clubs, summer camps, and Girl Scout troop meetings.
• Successfully advocated for a City of Venice proclamation recognizing February 2025 as Spay/Neuter Awareness Month and designating a local World Spay Day. Her advocacy led to a collaboration with The Cat Depot, who sponsored a free Spay/Neuter Day on Tuesday, February 25, 2025 for personally-owned pets residing in Sarasota and Manatee Counties.
• She produced and published 12 educational videos tied to national pet awareness days across YouTube and community platforms.
• She mobilized 346 volunteers to visit EARS and help socialize adoptable kittens.
• She earned her Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) certification so she can trap, neuter, and release feral cats in her own community.

Maddie also addressed financial and logistical barriers to adoption. She organized bake sales to fund adoption starter kits, which included food, litter, toys, a tote bag, and a $10 EARS gift card. She distributed over 40 kits to new pet parents who adopted cats from EARS during the duration of her project. Feedback Maddie collected from recipients showed that the kits made it easier for families to welcome new pets into their homes.

To ensure the project’s sustainability, Maddie recruited volunteers and identified a local supporter who now collects recyclables to fund future adoption kits.

“There are so many reasons kittens are euthanized—illness, being too young, or not being socialized enough to adopt,” said Maddie. “I wanted to give these animals a better chance by educating people and getting them involved.”

The Girl Scout Gold Award, earned by fewer than 6% of eligible Girl Scouts, challenges girls to identify a community issue, take the lead on a sustainable solution, and create measurable, lasting impact. The award challenges Girl Scouts to identify a meaningful issue, design a sustainable solution, and lead a team through an 80-hour project with measurable impact. Girl Scouts of Gulfcoast Florida is currently supporting over 65 girls across the region as they pursue this prestigious achievement.

Maddie’s project embodies the values of Girl Scouts: courage, confidence, and character in service of a better world.

“This project taught me that I can reach big goals,” Maddie reflected. “And that people are willing to help once they understand how they can make a difference.”