Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council Awards $30,000 in Scholarships to 24 Gold Award Recipients
July 29, 2026
HOUSTON, TX — Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council awarded 24 scholarships totaling $30,000 to outstanding Girl Scout Gold Award recipients in Southeast Texas this year, recognizing the girls' leadership, service and commitment to making a lasting impact in their communities. Scholarship recipients were recognized through the Emerald Circle Scholarship program, named scholarships, and the Goodykoontz Scholar Award.
The Emerald Circle Scholarship program honors local Girl Scouts who have earned the Gold Award, the highest achievement in Girl Scouting. Generous contributions from individuals and corporations established the Emerald Circle Gold Award Scholarship Endowment in 1992, and the earnings generated each year fund these scholarships.
The recipients of 2026 Emerald Circle Scholarships are:
- Ainsley Abbey – League City
- Danica Burrell – Winnie
- Izza Effendi - Houston
- Lilith Escobar – Cypress
- Isabella Fetta – Houston
- Sragvi Gireesh – Sugar Land
- Nicole Hickey – Cypress
- Lila Humphrey – Houston
- Isha Kura – Katy
- Trinity Leslie - Missouri City
- Leanna Lewis – Alvin
- Jenna Sultan – Fulshear
- Aditi Vadassery – Sugar Land
- Elsie Wire – Houston
The named scholarships are awarded each year in honor of volunteers, community leaders, and philanthropists whose legacies continue to support future generations of Girl Scouts. These scholarships create lasting opportunities for young women pursuing higher education.
Named scholarship recipients include:
- Rimsha Ali, recipient of the $1,000 Ervan Chew Memorial Scholarship – Tomball
- Anna Gratz, recipient of the $2,000 Mary E. Robinson Memorial Scholarship – Sugar Land
- Lillian Gilbert, recipient of the $2,000 Robert H. & Joanne M. Williams Family Scholarship – Pearland
- Devyani Dayal, recipient of the $2,500 Albert and Margaret Alkek Foundation Scholarship – Sugar Land
- Victoria Lust, recipient of the $3,000 Judy Kunkel Memorial Scholarship – Sugar Land
The Goodykoontz Scholar Award honors Dorothy Goodykoontz, a lifetime Girl Scout, historian, philanthropist, and founding president of The Emerald Circle. Recipients of Emerald Circle Scholarships and the Goodykoontz Scholar Award are:
- Carissa Beil – Houston
- Liliana Evans – Houston
- Olivia Porter – Katy
- Michaela Preiss – Beasley
- Asiya Sunesara – Sugar Land
The Girl Scout Gold Award recognizes Girl Scouts who identify a community issue, develop a sustainable solution, and lead a project that creates measurable, lasting change. Gold Award Girl Scouts join a distinguished network of changemakers whose projects address issues ranging from education and public health to environmental conservation and community development.
Through these scholarships, GSSSJC continues to invest in the next generation of leaders, innovators, and community changemakers.
About The Emerald Circle
The Emerald Circle comprises Gold Award Girl Scouts and supporters dedicated to recognizing the achievements of Gold Award recipients and providing scholarship opportunities that help young women achieve their educational goals.
Media Contacts:
Shivani Parmar
Public Relations Manager
713-292-0372
sparmar@sjgs.org
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Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council
Girl Scouts discover who they are, tap into the power inside them, and build the confidence to shine. Through programs offered across 26 counties in Southeast Texas, girls of all backgrounds and abilities come as they are and create their own paths. Each step becomes part of the journey, and along the way they explore their passions, develop hands-on skills, and discover the tools they need to lead with joy on their own terms. Girl Scouts discover their strengths in science labs and on hiking trails, at cookie booths and in front of city councils. Backed by volunteers, mentors, and millions of alumnae, they are part of a lifelong sisterhood of powerful change-makers who are always on their side. The world deserves to see Girl Scouts’ full potential – and girls deserve to experience it. Join as a volunteer, reconnect, or donate at www.gssjc.org.
