Sarasota resident and Pine View School student Mikaelyn Pavlisin has earned Girl Scouting’s highest honor – the Gold Award – with her project entitled, Totally Turtle Protection Program.

Pavlisin turned her passion for sea turtles into a hands-on, interactive curriculum for students in grades 2 – 5. Totally Turtle Protection Program teaches children about the various species of sea turtles in the Gulf of Mexico, why they are endangered, and what can be done to help protect them.  She partnered with Mote Marine, Longboat Key Turtle Watch, and Anna Maria Island Turtle Watch to develop the program and materials.

The curriculum has been shared with local schools and libraries, and turtle watch volunteers are available to help present the program as needed. Pavlisin hopes that, over time, the program will result in cleaner coastlines, increased involvement in beach cleanups, and more participation in turtle watch programs and conservation efforts.

“I have always enjoyed giving back to my community,” said Pavlisin.  “Growing up, I was frequently told I could make a difference. This project helped me see that I really can.”

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.

Englewood resident and Lemon Bay High School student Kaylee Ferrell has earned Girl Scouting’s highest honor – the Gold Award – with her project entitled, Serenity for SOLVE.

SOLVE Maternity Home in Englewood provides housing and support services to pregnant women in need. After reading studies that show flowers have an immediate impact on happiness and a long-term positive effect on mood, Kaylee was inspired to establish a serenity garden for the residents.

The residents of SOLVE will maintain the garden as part of their regular responsibilities at the shelter. Kaylee’s hope is that the garden will also help raise community awareness of the emotional, physical, and spiritual needs of the women at SOLVE.

“Having a beautiful flower garden will help the women have a better sense of well-being,” said Kaylee.

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.

Sarasota resident and Nova Southeastern University student Emily Sisk has earned Girl Scouting’s highest honor – the Gold Award – with her project entitled, It’s Not the End.

Sisk’s goal was to provide hope and support to residents of Our Mother’s House in Venice, a transitional housing program for homeless moms with young children. She organized a “baby shower” to collect diapers, clothing, and gift cards for families at Our Mother’s House.

She also gave a presentation and created an educational brochure to help the moms recognize the signs of an unhealthy, abusive relationship; resources where they can seek help; and ways to help their children through times of trouble.

“The moms seemed to be truly happy to have new knowledge that can help them in the future,” said Sisk.

Each resident of Our Mother’s House received a photo frame with an inspirational message, assuring them that no matter how difficult their situation, there is hope, and “it’s not the end” of their journey.

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.

Lee County resident and Florida Southwestern Collegiate High School student Megan Emeric has earned Girl Scouting’s highest honor – the Gold Award – with her project entitled, Mentoring Young Minds.

Recognizing a need to support young students struggling academically, Megan established a mentoring program at Cape Coral Christian School. She matched high school students with K-1^st-grade students in need, to help build their self-esteem and motivate them to do better in school.

The high-school mentors meet weekly with the younger students to help them with schoolwork and projects while serving as positive role models. The program benefits not only the younger students but also the mentors themselves, especially those considering a career in teaching.

“Older students don’t realize they can positively impact their younger schoolmates by helping them become more successful in school,” said Megan. She hopes to expand the program into other schools.

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.

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.

Sarasota Girl Scout Ambassador and Booker High School student Raven Peters has earned Girl Scouting’s highest honor – the Gold Award – with her project entitled, Break the Bonds.

Raven was shocked to learn that Florida is the third most at-risk state in the U.S. for human trafficking.  She developed her Gold Award project to make the community more aware of this issue, while providing support and resources to survivors and current victims.

Raven organized and hosted a public symposium, created a service project to assemble toiletry kits for local shelters, published a brochure of local resources for victims, and worked with New College of Florida to implement a human trafficking clause into the school’s Title IX (sex discrimination) policy.

“I wish to become an international human rights lawyer,” Raven said. “This project has given me the ability to identify an issue and take action to do my best to address it.”

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.

Sarasota resident and Riverview High School student Samantha Hamel has earned Girl Scouting’s highest honor – the Gold Award – with her project entitled, It’s Elementary: An Introduction to Sherlock Holmes.

Through her volunteer work at Gulf Gate Library, Samantha saw an opportunity to help foster an appreciation for classical literature among young readers. She created a program entitled It’s Elementary: An Introduction to Sherlock Holmes, which she presented to 3rd-5^th-grade students at the library.

The event used the classic stories of Arthur Conan Doyle as a basis for a series of fun games and detective-based crafts, giving kids an interesting and enjoyable way to connect with classic literature. Samantha plans to continue the program and adapt it for other classic works of literature.

“We used The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes because of its increased presence in modern media,” said Samantha. “It also has real-life applications like detective work and deductive reasoning, which lend themselves well to games and crafts.”

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.

Sarasota resident and Rhode Island College student Angela Carreau has earned Girl Scouting’s highest honor – the Gold Award – with her project entitled, Culverhouse Nature Park Turpentine Trail.

The inspiration for Angela’s Gold Award project came during a tour of Sarasota County’s Culverhouse Nature Park with her Girl Scout troop. When she learned there was a need for walking trails near the new garden area, she took action.

Angela assembled a team to remove brush, roots, and debris from the planned footpath, as well as build, paint, and install trail markers. She proposed the trail be named “Culverhouse Turpentine Trail” to recognize the area’s rich history in the turpentine industry, and the County agreed.

Despite being significantly injured in a car accident after the project had started, Angela persevered and inspired her team to keep going, as well.

“I can overcome any obstacle,” said Angela. “I am a fighter because I do not let things hold me back from accomplishing my goals.”

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.