GSSJC Honors 2023 Gold Award Girl Scouts
June 01, 2023
Congratulations to the Class of 2023 Gold Award Girl Scouts! This year, 109 girls from across Southeast Texas were recognized during the council's recent annual Gold Award ceremony. More than 400 parents, guardians, volunteers, and family members attended the event at Houston Christian University.
Each Gold Award Girl Scout was honored with a video in which they told their individual stories—striking stories that will inspire many Bronze and Silver award Girl Scouts to Go Gold. CW39 TV anchor Sharron Melton served as the emcee, and many young adult Gold Award Girl Scouts supported current Gold Award girls as members of the council's Highest Awards Specialist team. Mary Vitek, Girl Scout of San Jacinto Council's CEO, and Elizabeth Kamin, GSSJC's new president and board chair, presented each girl with her award.
The Gold Award is the highest award a Girl Scout can earn. Girls choose a community issue that they deeply care about then create and execute a sustainable plan to address it. In the process, they develop leadership, organization, and communication skills to help change the world for the better. Girl Scouts are required to spend six months to a year completing their Gold Award projects.
Highlights of the ceremony included guest speaker Rebecca Tirrell, a lifetime member and Gold Award Girl Scout, a fun photo booth, and highest award project displays. During her speech, Rebecca shared what activities she enjoyed the most as a Girl Scout, including a two-week troop trip to Europe, and described her Gold Award project - establishing an ongoing story time in Spanish at the public library. After graduating from college, she worked for our council planning programs and working with special interest groups for nine years and now serves as a camp volunteer.
"It’s so inspiring to be here with you and to learn about all the incredible positive changes you're making in our communities. While the Gold Award can be — and is — the pinnacle of the Girl Scout experience, it may also be one part of your experience. And it's one through which you've developed skills that will carry you throughout your life in ways as yet unknown," Rebecca said. "We need women with your skills and expertise to continue making the world a better place."
Once again, congratulations to all the Gold Award Girl Scouts and the 2023 Silver and Bronze award Girl Scouts!
