Girl Scout Gold Award Winners

Andrea Aviles

Andrea Aviles’ Gold Award Project was renovating an ordinary elementary school classroom into an up-to-date computer lab at St. Anthony’s School in San Gabriel, the elementary school Andrea previously attended. St. Anthony’s is a low-to-middle income school that desperately needed modern computers and technology to help its students learn the skills necessary to succeed and compete in the 21st century. Andrea raised funds to upgrade the electrical system at St. Anthony’s to support a technology lab for 30 computers.

Andrea is a senior at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy in La Cañada. She currently serves as the vice president of the Sacred Heart Dance Company and has been a member for three years. She has also been involved with the school’s Ambassadors Club throughout her four years in high school as well as with the FSHA swim team. Andrea has participated as a main dancer in Sacred Heart’s fall musicals. Her favorite campus event is the annual dance concert in which she has participated every year since she was a freshman.

Andrea would like to thank her parents for always believing in her and helping her with everything that she does. She would also like to thank her Girl Scout leaders for their strong encouragement to complete her Gold Award.

Ruth Deborah Barber

For her Gold Project, Ruth provided aid to child soldier refugees in Uganda, Africa. She hosted presentations to educate her community about the struggles of the Ugandan people. She also raised over $800 for better housing, sanitation, and healthcare. She collected blankets, mats, clothes, shoes and stuffed animals for these refugees who live in constant fear of abduction by the rebel army of Uganda.

Ruth is a sophomore at La Cañada High School. She is involved in many extracurricular activities such as band, Concert Percussion, Concert Choir, Film Club, mock trial, and the Invisible Children Club (created as a result of her project). She is also very involved in her church, participating in the leadership community called 24.7. She is a member of California Scholastic Federation and National Honor Society. Ruth enjoys writing, reading, talking on the phone, debating and meeting new people. She would like to become a detective or a lawyer after graduation.

She would like to thank her supportive family, Gold Award advisor, troop, and leaders for supporting her vision, and everyone who believes that one person can make a difference.

Katherine Marie Bliss

Katherine helped the Pasadena Ronald McDonald House for her Gold Award Project. Ronald McDonald House provides a “home away from home” for the families and parents of children hospitalized in local hospitals. Though Ronald McDonald House does receive some support from the McDonald’s Corporation, it also depends on outside fundraisers for additional support and warmly welcomes Gold Girl Scouts like Katherine. For her project, Katherine raised money and purchased much needed items from Ronald McDonald House’s “wish list”. To raise the money, she held two very successful bake sales at her parish church, St. Bede’s, from which she was then able to donate a DVD player, DVD’s in both English and Spanish for the children, food, and household items.

Katherine is currently a junior at La Cañada High School. She has earned both her Bronze and Silver Awards. Katherine is a member of the Palpitating Panthers Jump Rope Team. With the team, she has gone to five National AAU Junior Olympics and has won Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medals in both individual and team events. At school, Katherine is a member of the La Cañada High School Concert Choir. While on choir tour in New York City, she sang in the Honors Choir at the Festival of Gold. Katherine also has an interest in medicine. She was nominated by her teachers to attend the National Youth Leadership Forum on Medicine last summer held at UCLA School of Medicine.

Katherine would like to thank Holly Rundberg and Marchelle L. Sellers at the Pasadena Ronald McDonald House for helping with her project. She would also like to thank Dorothy Holm and John Olsen for their help with the bake sales, her Girl Scout leaders, Mrs. deBrauwere and Mrs. Gartside, her parents, and those who gave monetary donations toward the project during the bake sales.

Samara Laurice Cahill

For Samara’s Gold Award Project, she put on a dance class for the children of Sycamores, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of underprivileged children. Samara incorporated her dance class into the after school care and tutoring center. Once a week for a couple of hours, she held a class for about 20 students. They began with some stretches and dance moves and then ended with short games such as freeze dance. It was difficult because there were often different children, so a lot of time was spent each lesson reviewing what others had already learned. In the end, the children held a little performance at the fifth grade graduation ceremony. It was very successful, and many of the children have discovered a new love for dance.

Samara is a junior at Mayfield Senior School. She has been in Girl Scouts with Troop 95/134 since the sixth grade. She has also been a member of Mayfield’s dance conservatory for two and a half years, an after school program that is considered a class and has several shows throughout the year. She is a member of the California Scholarship Foundation and writes for the school newspaper. Samara enjoys playing the piano, art, graphic design, music, reading, shopping, photography, and traveling. In college, she hopes to study advertising, magazine journalism, architecture, or other types of design.

Samara wishes to thank her Girl Scout leaders, Cindy deBrauwere and Dru Gartside, for all their guidance and encouragement throughout the years. She would like to thank her mother Tania Cahill for being her project advisor and coming every week to help out. She would also like to thank Ramon Banuelos of Hathaway-Sycamores, Arianne, (the class teacher), and her students for all their enthusiasm and hard work.

Charlotte

Jane Cashell-Varga

For her Gold Award, Charlotte collected books and backpacks from the local community and donated them to kindergarteners and first graders attending CORAL after school programs in Pasadena and Altadena, a nonprofit working to promote child literacy and development. Overall, Charlotte raised over 1,100 books and 50 backpacks. Charlotte had originally planned to fill each pack with three to four books, but ended up with nine books in each backpack for the children to take home, as well as over 300 books more for the classrooms of the organization. Charlotte used the resources of a library book sale as well as a very generous church congregation to gain much of the donated material. She also received support from recycling money collected from the 2006 LCHS Band Carnival.

Charlotte is a senior at La Cañada High School. In addition to Girl Scouts, Charlotte is also president of her school’s S.M.I.L.E. Club, as well as a member of Green Club. Charlotte has participated on the varsity track team and school volleyball team for four years, earning one All-Tournament Player award, and three MVP’s for her dedication in volleyball. Charlotte has participated in club volleyball with San Gabriel Volleyball Club and Arroyo Volleyball Club for the past five years in addition to the school program. She is also a leading member of her church’s youth program and works with the adult leaders as a connection between the youth and staff.

Charlotte would like to thank Hollywood Independent United Church of Christ for their generous contribution to her project as well as Ms. Rosemary Hook from the La Cañada Flintridge Library for her cooperation and support for this project. She would also like to thank her parents, Judy and John, as well as Julie Shaull and Sue Clairday for their continued motivation and support.

Megan Rebecca Cho

For Megan’s Gold Award Project, she constructed and donated a wooden bookcase for a third grade classroom located in the Eagle Rock area. She collected over 350 elementary age reading books from family and friends and received donations of wood and building materials from local businesses. Her goal was that this project would provide the children with their own classroom library so that they will have a chance to read more. The children have written letters to express their thanks and gratitude on how the books have benefited their class. The children were excited that they had an opportunity to read books and to take them home. This project has taught her that the needs of others in local communities are not far outside of La Cañada.

Currently a senior at La Cañada High School, Megan has been involved with Girl Scouts since first grade and is a member of Troop No. 98. This year she was selected to participate in the 2007 Tournament of Roses. Since freshman year, she has been active with the Girls Varsity Cross Country Team, Girls Varsity Track and Field Team, and the Freshman/Sophomore Basketball Team. She is also a member of the California Scholarship Federation, National Honor Society, and a number of clubs, (publicity chair for PTSA, a member of Mu Alpha Theta as part of Math Club, Key Club, Art Club, and Spanish Club). Megan enjoys running and this year, she ran the Los Angeles Marathon for the first time. She also plays the piano and has attained her Certificate of Merit-Level 8. Megan plans on attending a four-year college and studying business.

Megan would like to thank everyone who contributed to the success of her Gold Award Project, especially her family and her troop leaders Donna Jaeger and Dianne Tso. She appreciates everyone’s support and encouragement.

Melody Chu

Melody organized a golfing excursion for 17 children with disabilities from Ability First for her Gold Award Project. Having volunteered at Ability First (formerly, the Crippled Children’s Society of Southern California) for over two years and inspired by the fun she had playing golf, Melody decided she wanted to offer the kids at Ability First a unique experience they would not otherwise be provided. Melody and several volunteers initially provided basic golf instruction to the children at Ability First. Then, on a sunny Friday afternoon, the group enjoyed a golf outing at the Arroyo Seco Golf Course in South Pasadena.

Melody is a junior at Flintridge Preparatory School in La Cañada. She currently serves as president of Flintridge Prep’s Key Club, which is a service club devoted to the betterment of the surrounding community. Melody’s involvement in Key Club includes organizing an extensive turkey drive in November that feeds needy families and senior citizens in the Los Angeles area at Thanksgiving, serving meals at Midnight Missions in Skid Row, and fundraising for the March of Dimes and the National Wildlife Conservation Society. Melody also plays varsity basketball at Flintridge Prep and regularly volunteers for the American Red Cross. Her hobbies include playing recreational golf and the piano.

Melody would like to thank her amazing Girl Scout advisors, Ms. Janet Braun and Mrs. Mary Davis, as well as her supportive parents, Chester and Linda Chu. She would also like to offer a special thanks to the very helpful staff from Ability First for their support and cooperation.

Claire Bishop Cummins

For her Gold Award Project, Claire collected craft supplies for the Hathaway-Sycamores Foundation in Altadena and organized a Chinese New Year celebration as part of a cultural awareness program. The Hathaway-Sycamores Foundation provides a haven for troubled children as well as a program that helps families and children recognize and build on their strengths so that they can become independent of long-term professional care. Claire collected an entire carload of craft supplies for the Sycamores. With the help of several volunteers, Claire taught the boys residing at the Sycamores facility about the food and customs related to Chinese New Year. The boys also had fun making lanterns and dragon masks and eating lots of traditional Chinese New Year goodies. Each boy left with a party bag filled with Chinese New Year party favors.

Claire is a senior at Flintridge Preparatory School and has been a Girl Scout for 11 years. She has been a member of the varsity water polo, varsity swimming, and junior varsity cross country teams at Prep for all four years of high school, as well as vice president of the Spanish Club for the last three years. She enjoys participating in school dance concerts, and is both excited and nervous about her graduation from high school. Post-graduation, Claire is undecided about what she wants to do in college, but she has preliminary interests in the medical field and art history. Outside of school and Scouts, Claire enjoys traveling and learning, and especially hopes to someday visit Africa and Southeast Asia. She also hopes to learn many languages, including Swahili, Chinese and Italian.

Claire would like to thank everyone that helped her get this far, but especially her troop leader Janet Braun for pushing her to get this award.

Kristy Darling

For her Gold Award, Kristy gave a makeover to a classroom at the Roger Barkley Community Center (RBCC) in La Cañada. She has been volunteering at the RBCC for five years. Her project involved cleaning, patching, and repainting the walls; sewing and hanging new curtains; and putting new hardware on the cabinets. While completing these initial tasks, she discovered water damage and other problems that needed to be dealt with also. She raised funds through extensive recycling and researched the most cost-effective way to execute her project. Enlisting the help of family and friends, she found herself not only making an important improvement to the classroom, but having a great time while she was doing it.

In addition to volunteering with the Girl Scouts, Kristy helps the community through the RBCC, where she enjoys working with children, whether as a T-ball coach, an assistant in an art class, a camp counselor, or a babysitter. As a senior at La Canada High School, she was honored with the distinction of National Merit Scholarship finalist and has received many merit scholarship offers from various colleges and universities. In her spare time, she has taken on a part-time job. Next year, she plans to further her education and hopes to pursue a career in writing.

First and foremost, Kristy would like to thank Megan Browne at the RBCC for her encouragement and enduring patience. More help and assistance at the RBCC came from Joe Streckermeier, the art teacher and primary user of the classroom. She’d also like to give special gratitude to Susan Ratliff, her dedicated troop leader of many years, for her support and helpful insights. Kristy also thanks her family and friends for instruction and donation, and especially thanks her mother Marion Darling and her friend Marie Collins for giving their time and talent to help out.

Erica Davis

For her Gold Award Project, Erica Davis raised funds and collected items to donate to low-income families during the Christmas season through Friends In Deed in Pasadena. Erica solicited companies and grocery stores for donations, and she received food, gift certificates and presents valued at over $1,000. Erica went to the toy district in Los Angeles on two separate occasions and obtained approximately 450 toys. With the help of staff at Friends In Deed and other volunteers, Erica distributed food, toys and other donations to 200 families on December 21, 2006. Friends In Deed donated excess food and presents to Union Station and the Pasadena Civil Services, which they then distributed to others in need. Through this project, Erica learned that things do not always go as planned. She learned to appreciate what she has, to be happy with her life, and to take advantage of all the opportunities she has been given.

Erica is currently a senior at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy. She is involved in her school’s senior dance company, Saltatrix, and is a member of various clubs at school such as Students Against Drunk Driving, California Scholarship Federation, and National Honor Society. She has volunteered over 100 hours at Camp Max Straus, a La Crescenta camp for inner city kids. She enjoys working at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center teaching kids how to swim. Throughout high school, she has been on the varsity water polo and swim teams.

Erica would like to thank her mom and co-leader Mary Davis, and her other co-leader Janet Braun, for motivating her to complete her project. She would also like to thank Calando, Arrowhead, Insert, and all other supporters for their generous contributions. She would especially like to thank Charlene Albee for overseeing her project and helping her achieve her Gold Award.

Robyn K. Erickson

Robyn decided to complete her Gold Award Project at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles where she has been volunteering for the past two years. For her project, and in conjunction with the museum’s monthly “Family Fun Days” which focuses on unique themes, Robyn developed a curriculum to teach children about insects. Robyn created a dichotomous key to teach children how to differentiate between insects and how to classify them. With magnifying glasses and insect specimens, Robyn spent a weekend teaching museum guests the different parts of the insects, insect behaviors and adaptations of local insects.

Robyn is a senior at Flintridge Preparatory School where she has been an active participant in many school plays and musicals. When she is not participating in Girl Scouts, she enjoys volunteering at the Natural History Museum, painting, sketching, playing the piano and dancing.

Robyn would like to thank everyone who helped her achieve her Gold Award, including Robin Savoian, Julie McAdam, Brent Karner, Joe Maggio, the Gallery Interpreters, and especially James Clark.

Brittany Elizabeth Fors

For her project, “A Cheerful Wait,” Brittany renovated the offices of the Pasadena Department of Children and Family Services. The DCFS supports foster children and their families, and holds visits there in hopes of reuniting them. Understanding the stress children and adults are often under while waiting there, she wanted to turn the white, drab waiting room into a child-friendly, cheerful area. She started by collecting books and toys for the children. Using funds from several fundraisers, she purchased redecorating supplies. Brittany and volunteers painted each back wall of the interview offices in a different bright color. She then designed and painted a three-wall mural depicting children playing at a park with a rainbow overhead and greetings in different languages. They washed the existing toys, and replaced damaged ones with new ones. They stocked the freshly painted bookcase with the donated books and purchased storage cases to keep toys better organized. Children can now take home their favorite book or toy. This past September, DCFS held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the new waiting area.

In addition to Girl Scouts, Brittany is active in many organizations and hobbies. She is currently an Associated Student Body activities co-director, and was previously a junior representative and sophomore class vice-president in student government. At LCHS, she is a member of Advanced Drama, Film Club and Spanish Club. Brittany is active in her church, and she has served in several youth leadership positions there and attends early-morning seminary. Her hobbies include photography, traveling, art, piano and design.

Brittany would like to thank her mom and dad; her troop leader, Anne Tryba; her project advisor, Lynn Gillins; Virginia Culbertson and the rest of the staff at DCFS; and all the friends and family that supported her.

Haley Friedmann

For her project, Haley created a donor recognition mural for the Glendale YWCA. The YWCA, which provides emergency shelters and programs for victims of domestic violence, requested a beautiful garden mural to acknowledge and thank the individuals and community groups who support their efforts. In addition to designing the mural, Haley researched and utilized a new product, a magnetic primer, which enables the YWCA to use magnetic nameplates to recognize and easily update donor names as needed. When the expense of this new product made it prohibitive with her budget, Haley contacted the company and persuaded them to donate a gallon of primer. Last summer, Haley and several friends completed the mural, which not only will be used to recognize YWCA donors, but also beautifies an otherwise drab wall, making the staff and visitors smile every day. Haley was honored to work with the YWCA, and is impressed with their efforts on behalf of victims of domestic violence.

Haley, a senior at La Cañada High School, plans to attend college in the fall, majoring in Illustration. The recipient of several art awards, she participates in the Pasadena Chalk Festival every year and has enjoyed decorating LCTRA Parade floats. A Girl Scout since kindergarten, she also belongs to the Art and Culture Clubs. Haley is an AP Scholar, member of the National Honor Society and California Scholarship Federation, and is recognized in Who’s Who Among American High School Students. Haley is looking forward to traveling through Europe this summer.

Haley would like to thank her Girl Scout leaders, present and past: Donna Jaeger, Dianne Tso, Alice Ryan, and Wendy Jensen; Dr. Kathy Mathis and Richard Burrell of the Glendale YWCA; art teacher Mike Kauffman; Magnamagic and the Caswell Family for paint donation; friends who helped with the mural’s execution; and her supportive family.

Jacquelyn Dianne Gorsch

For her Gold Project, she helped the students at Santa Teresita School, which is comprised of children from lower income families. The school was in dire need of emergency supply kits for each of the classrooms. It was an expense it could not afford, but a necessity for the students’ safety. First, she organized a collection drive for emergency supplies, with three collection boxes where people could drop off donations. She gained public awareness through press releases in newspapers, announcements in church bulletins and at masses, and letters to local Girl Scout troops. In addition, she organized a presentation from the Red Cross to educate the students on emergency preparedness. Here, she also distributed educational materials for the students to take home to their families.

She raised hundreds of emergency and first aid supplies, which she put into well-organized kits, including informational materials. As a result of her project, over 230 students and faculty will now have the necessary emergency supplies for their physical needs, and also the knowledge to appropriately respond in an emergency situation. Through her project, she learned the importance of organization and planning. In addition, she discovered that she is a confident public speaker and a competent writer.

Jacquelyn is a senior at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, where she is a member of the Senior Dance Company, a school ambassador and a senior class officer. In addition, she is a member of the National Honor Society, CSF, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honors, National Society of High School Scholars, and National Charity League.

Her project would not have been possible without the caring and generous support of her troop leader, Mrs. Karen Parks. In addition, she would like to thank Cathy Sproule from the Red Cross for all her generous time and assistance in making her project such a success.

Kristin Elise Heintz

Kristin Heintz provided the 66 children at Hillsides Home in Pasadena, a residential home for abused children, a merrier Christmas as her Gold Award Project. Kristin set up a Christmas giving tree at her school and collected Christmas gifts for the children at Hillsides from their wish lists. Through donations from Leo Club at Flintridge Prep and others, Kristin assembled stockings/gift bags for each child at Hillsides. On December 23, 2006, Kristin hosted a Christmas party at Hillsides for all of the kids, with the help of several volunteers. In addition to receiving their stockings/gift bags and Christmas gifts, the children at Hillsides decorated 28 dozen Christmas cookies, made ornaments and key chains, watched “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” devoured Christmas goodies, and enjoyed the holiday festivities.

Kristin is a senior at Flintridge Preparatory School in La Cañada. She serves as the senior class president and has been active in student government throughout her four years in high school.

She has played varsity soccer at Prep for four years, having recently served as co-captain and earning First Team All Prep League honors. Kristin has also been a member of the debate team at Prep, and was the Southern California Debate League champion (public forum) in 2005 and runner-up in 2006. Kristin is a National Merit Finalist and a member of Cum Laude Society. She is interested in studying history, government and/or politics in college.

Kristin would like to thank Laura Kelso at Hillsides for all of her help with this project, Reggie Ursetti and Susan Hodge, librarians at Prep, Leo Club and all of the volunteers who helped make this project possible.

She would also like to thank her mom and co-leader, Janet Braun, and co-leader

Mary Davis for all of the incredible adventures in Girl Scouts and their help with her Gold Project.

Laura Hendricks

For her Gold Award Project, Laura Hendricks organized volunteers to make baby quilts for donation to the prayer ministry at First United Methodist Church in Pasadena, the church Laura attends. Laura obtained donations of all supplies needed to make the quilts and organized groups of volunteers to help cut and piece together quilt squares and assemble and sew the quilts.

Laura is a senior at South Pasadena High School. She is the president of Empath Club which provides service to and visits retirement homes. She hopes to attend college in Northern California or Oregon. Laura is interested in a career which involves helping others in some way and dreams of traveling to countries such as Peru, Costa Rica, and Ireland. Laura has earned several ribbons at the L.A. County Fair for her quilting, as well as ribbons at both the California State Fair and L.A. County Fair for her school woodshop projects. Laura is active with the youth choir, bell choir and youth group at her church. She has traveled with her youth group to Mexico to renovate a church and to build and repair stucco houses. Laura feels fortunate to have been selected to participate in the 2007 Rose Parade as a member of the 2007 Tournament Troop with other Gold and Eagle Award recipients. Having watched the Rose Parade throughout her life, she felt this was an opportunity of a lifetime. Laura has been a Girl Scout since first grade and has had many memorable adventures, including a sleepover at Sea World and a trip to Our Cabana in Mexico, where she met Girl Scouts from different countries and climbed the ancient pyramids.

Laura would like to thank her mom who helped motivate her to finish her Gold Award project and her leaders for all the great opportunities they provided her.

Kathryn Ann Nathan

For her Gold Project, Katie had the opportunity to work with the Ronald McDonald House in Pasadena. Ronald McDonald House is a home away from home for families of seriously ill children receiving long-term treatment at Huntington Memorial Hospital. Katie assembled 200 activity bags for children who stay at the house while their siblings are being treated. The activity bags were specially tailored, color-coded, and categorized by age and gender. The bags included items such as Play Dough, bracelet-making kits, decks of cards, crossword puzzles, and jacks. When Katie delivered her activity bags to the house, she was delighted to see smiles light up the children’s faces.

Currently a junior at La Cañada High School, Katie has been a member of Girl Scouts since Daisies in kindergarten. In addition, Katie is very passionate about art and is currently enrolled in the high school’s Art Portfolio class. Academically, Katie is a member of National Honor Society and California Scholarship Federation. Katie also volunteers at the Ronald McDonald House and has been involved in service projects that benefited the YWCA Battered Women and Children and Five Acres. For the past three summers, Katie has served as a Unit Leader for the La Cañada Girl Scout Day Camp. She is also a member of Oxy Science Bridges and Art Club. As a PTSA member, she hosted Teacher Appreciation Day. In her free time, Katie enjoys painting, swimming, shopping, eating, and running. Katie plans to attend a four-year college and pursue a career in medicine.

Katie would like to thank her family and friends for their love and support. She would also like to thank the many generous community contributors, her lovely Girl Scout leaders, Susan Boyd and Jamie Melzer, and the Ronald McDonald House.

Melissa Katow

Melissa conducted her Gold Award Project, “Movies for the Elderly,” for the Kensington Retirement Home. Her efforts brought over 150 video donations to the residents from family, friends, and movie rental stores. She also refurbished an oak bookshelf to conveniently store the videos at Kensington. Each month she held one or more movie nights with the residents. These movie nights consisted of snacks and watching anything from Fantasia to I Love Lucy episodes. The movie nights gave the residents an event to look forward to and a change in their everyday routines. With the help of a younger Brownie troop, Melissa was able to give each resident a hand-made card wishing them good health or a fantastic day. Melissa’s project established a program that can effortlessly be continued by Kensington’s activity coordinators. Her project also allowed her to spend more time with her grandfather who was a resident at the retirement home.

Melissa is now a senior at La Cañada High School. She has been a member of the tennis team for the past four years and participated in various clubs such as Smile Club, Spanish Club and Math Club. She loves nothing more than being at the very front of the crowd for concerts of her favorite bands, especially the Beastie Boys. In the future, she would like to attend a four-year college in California, but is still undecided in her field of study.

Melissa would like to thank her family, friends, and troop leaders, for helping her throughout the process of completing her Gold Award.

Elizabeth June Kim

For her Girl Scout Gold Award Project, Elizabeth wanted to do something meaningful that would benefit the community. She chose to paint a mural on the Palm Crest special education building. The school had recently relocated its special education program to a bungalow which faces the street. The staff prepared the inside of the building very nicely for the children but the outside was dilapidated. Using funds from a fundraiser, Elizabeth used tools to scrape off the old paint that was peeling off and repainted the building. She wanted the children to learn and play in a very pleasant environment so she painted a huge mural that captures the school’s spirit with lots of palm trees and colorful flowers. The children of the special education program are very happy with the mural and they like studying in a building that is brightly painted.

Elizabeth is currently a junior at La Cañada High School. She actively participates in many clubs such as Key Club, Cultural Awareness Club, Math Club, and Mu Alpha Theta. She has been a member of CSF and the National Honor Society for the last three years. Elizabeth has played the flute for eight years and is a member of LCHS band. She was selected for the All Southern Honors Band for two years. She had also been selected as a member of the Pasadena Youth Symphonic Orchestra. She has won numerous awards in flute competitions, including several first places in the SYMF competition. She was also on the LC girls’ JV tennis team in her freshman year. Elizabeth is the junior representative in the student council at her church. She also volunteers at the Verdugo Hills Hospital.

Elizabeth would like to thank her family, her G.S. leader Mrs. Anne Tryba, and Pepe’s Restaurant for the success of her Gold Award Project.

Katarina Diehl Lazo

Orphaned by AIDS, but uninfected themselves, the children of Shepherd’s Home and Dayspring Junior School in the slums of Nairobi, Kenya are attempting to become productive citizens and future leaders of their plague-stricken country. These children receive love, education, and support from the schools’ staff, but their needs exceed the facilities’ budgets. Katarina orchestrated a drive, collecting and shipping over 1,000 pounds of school supplies, books, and teaching materials to Kenya. She taught children at La Cañada Presbyterian Church how to write parables and fables and had them write letters to the Shepherd’s Home and Dayspring children. Then she traveled to Kenya and spent a week teaching the children at both facilities allegorical writing. The Kenyan children wrote letters to their California friends and pen-pal relationships blossomed, fulfilling one goal of Katarina’s “Write On!” project.

A junior at La Cañada High School, Katarina has been a member of Troops 134/95 since kindergarten and has attained her Bronze and Silver Awards. She loves music and is a member of the LCHS Concert Choir, LCPC’s youth ensemble and orchestra, and the chorus of this year’s LCHS musical. Since first grade, Katarina has been a member and is now assistant coach of the La Cañada Palpitating Panthers, a competitive jump rope team. Katarina is a youth leader and nursery volunteer at LCPC. She loves reading, is the treasurer of her book club and hopes to pursue a writing career.

Katarina thanks her stalwart leaders, Mrs. Gartside and Mrs. deBrauwere, pastors Jim Milley and Kristin Leucht, Shepherd’s Home advocate Doug Millham, LCHS teacher Lindsay Horne, Shepherd’s Home directors Nellie and MacMillan Kiiru, her family, friends, and mission team, especially Hailey Horne, and her advisor and mother Lauren Diehl. She sends love and prayers to the sweet, inspirational children of Shepherd’s Home and Dayspring, especially George, the “little brother” she sponsors.

Erica Kristen Lee

For her Girl Scout Gold Project, Erica refurbished and redecorated the Children’s Room at the Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services. The children who are taken from their homes, usually due to neglect or domestic abuse, are taken to this room while awaiting placement into foster care. In undertaking this project, Erica hoped to make the room a more cheerful and comforting environment for the children during their difficult time. She succeeded in making the room more kid-friendly by giving it a jungle theme and bringing in some more toys and videos. She painted the room and decorated with jungle animal decals, as well as providing new bedding, crib bedding, and matching furniture. In addition to fixing up the room, Erica collected new clothing for these children who are often brought here in great need.

Erica is currently a junior at La Cañada High School. She has been a member of the La Cañada High School varsity tennis team since her freshman year of high school. This past season, she was awarded the All-Area Singles Player of the Year in addition to being awarded the Co-Most Valuable Player for both her sophomore and junior seasons. She has been a member of the California Scholarship Federation and National Honor Society for the past three years. This year she participated in the Crescenta-Cañada Family YMCA Youth and Government program. She also volunteers at Verdugo Hills Hospital.

Erica would like to thank everyone who contributed to her Gold Award Project. She would especially like to thank her Gold Project advisor, Mrs. Julie Lee and her troop leaders, Mrs. Anne Tryba and Mrs. Linda Fors. She would also like to thank her family for all their help and support and all the generous Girl Scout families who donated to her project.

Jessica Mei Leng

Jessica had the opportunity to work with The Sycamores for her Gold Project. The Sycamores is a residential facility in Altadena for abused and neglected boys ages 7 to 17. Jessica organized a book drive for The Sycamores’ library, and collected over 130 books of various reading levels. She also wanted to do something fun for the kids at The Sycamores and, given the time of the year, Jessica organized a Halloween party for them. At the party, the boys were able to make masks, decorate cookies, create Halloween cards, have their faces painted and enjoy a safe and fun Halloween. Jessica presented the new library books to the boys after the Halloween celebration. The party was a success, and everyone had a wonderful time.

Jessica is a senior at Flintridge Preparatory School in La Cañada. She is the president of Spanish Club and Spanish Honor Society, an editor of the Prep yearbook, an officer of Leo Club and captain of the Prep swim team. She is also a Tournament of Roses student ambassador, a peer counselor at Flintridge Prep, and a member of the water polo team. Jessica will be attending college in the fall, where she plans to pursue a Latin American studies major. Jessica has been a Girl Scout for ten years.

Jessica would like to thank Jane Whitmore and everyone at The Sycamores for all of their help. Special thanks go to Janet Braun who was there every step of the way with unflagging motivation and guidance. Thanks also to Mary Davis and troop 201, as well as family and friends, for all of their support.

Kathleen Theresa Locker

Kathleen Locker, a junior at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy, chose to help Santa Teresita Elementary School in Lincoln Heights. This school has many underprivileged children attending who cannot afford to buy the regular school supplies that we take for granted. In addition to collecting the school supplies, she prepared a study guide for elementary grades, which she translated into Spanish for bilingual families. To collect the supplies, she put ads in the newspaper and school and church bulletins. Furthermore, Kathleen led a younger Girl Scout troop in learning to make collages and Valentines for the homeless in exchange for donated supplies.

When she went to deliver the school supplies to Santa Teresita, Principal Sister Mary Catherine told her a story of twin girls who were not completing an art project that was a homework assignment. The girls were sent to the principal’s office and when she inquired as to why they had not done their work, they replied that they only had one pair of scissors to share and no money to buy glue. This story really impacted her deeply and made her decide to continue the project beyond Girl Scouts.

At FSHA, Kathleen is a member of the varsity tennis team and junior varsity swim team. She has taken karate for seven years and has just recently received her black belt. Kathleen has been in National Charity League since 7th grade and enjoys the service she gets to do through that organization.

She would like to thank everyone that donated to her collection, especially her St. Bede’s community, which made it possible for her to complete her project. She would like to thank her Girl Scout leader, Mrs. Karen Parks, and her mother, Mrs. Mopy Locker, for keeping her on track to complete her project.

Maggie Mazur

For her Gold Project, Maggie worked with Santa Teresita Elementary School which is located in a lower income area of Los Angeles. Principal Sister Mary Catherine wanted the children to have a more positive, friendly atmosphere where the children could eat lunch. Previously, the lunch area overlooked barb wire fencing, a busy street, and a housing project. Her goal was to make this area beautiful with landscaping, so the kids would have a nice environment. She worked with a close family friend Michael Schmidt, who is a landscape architect. In addition, she met with the grade level classes to educate them on the actual planting of the plants, as well as caring for the plants.

Maggie currently attends Alverno High School in Sierra Madre. She was the only girl in her troop, let alone from her eighth grade class, to attend this school. It was hard to keep in touch with everyone, but she quickly made friends. She thinks this has to do with being a Girl Scout because you learn so many leadership skills. Another thing she learned in Girl Scouts was trying new things, and being open to new ideas. At Alverno, she joined the cross country team, and worked her way up to varsity. This year, she ran in the CIF championships and earned a letter.

She has been a Girl Scout for 11 years, and has learned so much. It has opened her to new experiences, and shown her that she can do anything if she sets her mind to it. She knows that she has contributed something to her community by being able to say that she is a part of Troop 184.

Maggie would like to thank Sister Mary Catherine and the children of Santa Teresita, along with Michael Schmidt and her parents, for helping her complete this project.

Lacey Mariko Miyazaki

Lacey Mariko Miyazaki is 16 years old and currently a junior at La Cañada High School. Her Girl Scout Gold Award Project was the beautification and enrichment of the special education center at Palm Crest Elementary School. Although the library was in fairly good condition, it was in desperate need of new books and software specifically for the special needs children. Lacey held a two-day fundraiser at Georgee’s Pizza on Foothill, and used the proceeds to buy the new books and software. They also needed a clean and more enjoyable environment for the children. With the help of some friends and family, she created a 20-by-3-foot brick planter in front of the building. Both OSH and Lowe’s Hardware Stores donated supplies such as bricks, planting and potting soil, tools and flowers. She then decorated and donated several watering cans, and created a watering calendar to help the children continue to care for the plants over the course of the school year.

In addition to being a Girl Scout for 11 years, Lacey volunteers for four hours weekly at Verdugo Hills Hospital. She has also been playing tennis since the age of 5, and is currently on the La Cañada High School varsity tennis team. Because her entire family and many of her friends play, she sincerely enjoys the sport and hopes to continue.

Lacey would like to acknowledge her parents, Sharlene and Brian Miyazaki, her sister, Danielle Miyazaki, and Tammy Jackson, the director of special education, for their enthusiasm and support. She would also like to thank her grandparents, OSH and Lowe’s Hardware Stores, and Georgee’s Pizza on Foothill for their generous donations.

Jennifer Morishita

For her Gold Award Project, Jennifer created 50 “comfort kits” for foster children served by the Department of Children and Family Services. After reading about how some foster children have nothing but a plastic bag to carry their only possessions from one home to another, Jennifer decided to make comfort kits out of pillowcases and custom designed each one. The comfort kits were filled with items that were either donated or purchased with money raised through fundraisers and donations. Each comfort kit contained: music CD, socks, pillow, crayons, flashlight, toothbrush, toothpaste, stuffed animals, toiletries, and a coloring book that Jennifer made herself.

A junior at La Cañada High School, Jennifer is vice president of the Tutoring Club, co-vice president of the Cultural Awareness Club, and a member of the Oxy Science Bridges Institute and Music Appreciation Club. She enjoys singing with the LCHS Concert Choir and has been on the tennis team for the past three years. Jennifer has been a member of the California Scholarship Federation and National Honor Society since she was a freshman. At church, Jennifer serves as co-president of the youth group, sings in the youth band, and volunteers in a number of mission and community outreach projects. She enjoys playing the piano, traveling, and watching movies. This year, Jennifer was the sole recipient of the Violet Richardson Award. She is also a recent graduate of the Nikkei Federation Rising Stars Youth Leadership Program.

Jennifer would like to thank her family, Virginia Culbertson of the Pasadena DCFS, Reverend KarenFay Ramos-Young, and her Troop Leader Anne Tryba, for all of their guidance and support. She would also like to express her appreciation to members of Centenary United Methodist Church, the Girl Scout troops and the local community for their generous donations; and family and friends who helped with fundraising.

Nicole Beth Nathan

Inspired by her love of games and sports, Nikki’s Gold Project consisted of supplying the Pasadena Ronald McDonald House with much needed backyard equipment. The Ronald McDonald House is a home-away-from-home for families of children being treated at Huntington Memorial Hospital. Nikki organized a collection drive for new or gently used playground balls and toys that would be used by the siblings of the children in the hospital. Through her efforts, Nikki was able to supply the house with much needed sports balls, hula-hoops, bats, and jump ropes. Nikki also provided and set up a large shed in the backyard of the Ronald McDonald House to store all of the new equipment. She then created a book filled with game instructions and jump rope songs for the children to learn and play during their stay at the house.

Nikki has been an active member of Troop 33 since kindergarten and has earned both her Bronze and Silver Awards. In addition to Girl Scouts, she serves on the LCHS ASB as junior class secretary, is involved in PTSA, Art Club, and Amnesty International, and is secretary of the OXY Science Bridges Institute. Academically, Nikki is a member of the National Honor Society and the California Scholarship Federation. She plays soccer on the LCHS girl’s varsity team and plays year round for the Los Angeles Futbol Club. In her spare time, Nikki enjoys drawing, reading, spending time with friends, playing soccer and shopping.

Nikki would like to thank the many generous contributors who donated to her project, her friends Liz and Jessica who selflessly volunteered to help with her project, and her parents for their encouragement. She would also like to thank her dedicated troop leaders, Mrs. Boyd and Mrs. Melzer, for their support throughout her scouting years.

Mallory Anne Parks

“Twist me and turn me and show me the elf, I looked in the pond and saw ... Myself!” Ever since Mallory was inducted into Girl Scouts, she has looked up to those receiving Gold Awards.

For her Gold Project, Mallory worked with Santa Teresita Elementary School. When she visited the school, she noticed the lack of books in the classroom libraries and decided that she was going to increase the supply of books. She set her goal at 200 books. She collected books at her parish and Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy where she is the Book Club co-president. The school agreed to give extra credit to girls who participated. It is astounding what girls will do for extra credit! Over six weeks, Mallory collected 3,000 books. There were so many books that a cargo van was rented to transport them to Santa Teresita. When delivery day arrived, it was an amazing experience to see how excited the children were to have new books to read. One little boy had to leave school early, but he was adamant on staying. “Sister, if I leave, I will not get my book!”

Mallory is a junior at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy and has been an avid reader since she read her first word. Recently, she has begun taking creative writing classes and is hoping to pursue writing as a career. She has been a part of the musical productions at FSHA and was recently a lead in Godspell.

She would like to thank Sister Mary Catherine, principal of Santa Teresita, for letting her help the school. She would also like to thank Sister Celeste Botello and Katy Sadler of FSHA for allowing the students to receive extra credit, the Book Club for the days spent organizing, and her mother and father, for without them, this project could not have been done.

Kathryn Dana Porter

Katie Porter has been a volunteer at both The Union Station Foundation, Pasadena’s largest homeless shelter, and at a Pediatric and Teen Clinic in Baldwin Park. When it came time to select a Gold Project, she decided to combine these experiences by creating a multilingual Medical Information Center for the Union Station’s library. Katie obtained donations of medical information from local healthcare providers, and from local, state and national organizations. She was able to get the majority of information in English and Spanish, as well as obtaining materials in Armenian, Chinese, Korean, Tagalog and other languages. Katie organized this material into binders, each covering a different topic. These included nutrition, asthma, diabetes, STDs, birth control, childcare, women’s health and domestic violence. There are also binders specifically for teens addressing puberty, mental health and substance abuse. These binders were placed in the homeless shelter’s library, creating a medical information resource center for the families living there.

Katie is a junior at La Cañada High School. She is a member of the California Scholarship Federation, the National Honor Society, and the National Society of High School Scholars. She is also a member of the Spanish, Film and Interact clubs, and has been an ASB representative for three years. Katie’s other Scouting achievements include earning her Silver Award, being a summer camp counselor and marching in the 2007 Tournament of Roses Parade.

Katie is also an accomplished fencer who has been nationally rated for the last 4 years. In addition to winning many local and state tournaments, she has been to the Junior Olympics twice, and the Summer National Championships three times.

Katie would like to thank her family and friends who helped her with her Gold Project. She would also like to thank the local physicians who acted as advisors—Drs. Khoury, Valencia, Goldman and Porter.

Regina Maria Saavedra

For her Gold Project, Regina organized a book drive for the children at Agape, a shelter for abused children ages 5-12 in Lima, Peru. She took these books for the shelter’s poorly stocked library, as well as a special book for each child for which Regina made bookplates. Each book was accompanied by a letter written by a teenager in California, which Regina translated into Spanish. In Peru, she spent time with the children, took them on outings, and hosted a party. She helped the children write letters back to their new pen pals, translated them back to English, and sent the letters back to their donors.

Regina has been a Girl Scout for 11 years. She was a camp counselor at La Cañada Girl Scout Day Camp for two summers.

Regina is the junior class president at La Cañada High School, and has been part of the Associated Student Body since seventh grade. She has been a delegate in the YMCA Youth and Government program for two years, and a student member of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, as well as the National Honor Society and California Scholarship Federation. She is a member of Key Club, Spanish Club, Oxy Bridges Science and a leader of Bible Club at her school. She is also involved at St. Bede’s Catholic Church, where she is a teen leader for the confirmation program, as well as an active Youth Life participant. She volunteers weekly at the Angels of the Valley Hospice Care.

Regina would like to thank her parents a thousand times over for their support and help, as well as her dedicated Girl Scout leaders for always being there, and Terese Miller for her constant availability and encouragement, and of course, all of Regina’s friends — who were incredibly generous throughout.

Nicolina F. Salvo

Nicolina held a clothing and toy drive for the orphans in Casa de Los Pobres in Tijuana, Mexico. She chose this project because she was saddened by the poverty for children in Mexico. She started this project by contacting the orphanage director — Sister Maru Espinoza and manufacturers that would donate items. In February, Nicolina made the trip down to Mexico to meet with the children, introduced them to Girl Scouts and explained why she wanted to contribute to their community. By the end of the day, the children had smiles on their faces. Nicolina learned a lot from this project and felt very blessed. However, knowing that there are many less fortunate children that need help, she will continue her clothing drive for Casa de Los Pobres until she goes to college.

Nicolina hopes to become a doctor. She has been working very hard both academically and athletically. She is currently in the California Scholarship Federation and is on the honor roll at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy. She is a member of Amnesty International and Students Against Destructive Decisions. She is a co-founder of Volleyball Summer Camp for underprivileged children at Santa Teresita School in Los Angeles. She plays varsity volleyball for school and San Gabriel Volleyball Club. Nicolina is president of the Teenagers Association of Childrens Hospital, a teen leader for St. Bede’s Church confirmation program, an active member of the St. Bede’s Youth Ministry.

Nicolina would like to thank her leader Mrs. Parks for all of her help and guidance during the project and her mother Teresa Salvo for always being a great influence and inspiration. Lastly, she would like to thank her family, friends, Foot Locker, Sport Chalet, and Sir Christopher & Hatton for all their help in donating clothes and contributing to a very successful Gold Award Project.

Jill Stassel

For Jill’s Gold Award Project, she repainted the interior of Foothill Unity Center, an organization that distributes food to the homeless in the San Gabriel Valley. Jill organized a large group of volunteers from La Cañada High School to help prep, paint and freshen up Foothill Unity Center one weekend. Jill obtained donations of all painting supplies from OSH, and fed pizza, donated by Shakey’s, to her volunteers.

Jill is a senior at La Cañada High School. She has participated in advanced ceramics, varsity track and Concert Choir. Jill’s goal is to attend college, become a teacher and work with underprivileged children. She is fluent in Spanish, and she hopes to work with children for whom English is a major obstacle to learning. Jill’s passion for Spanish has grown throughout the year. She attended Spanish Language Camp in Minnesota over four summers, spent a summer living with a family in Spain, completed Spanish classes at Pasadena Community College and now tutors high school students in classes ranging from Spanish 1 to AP Spanish. She also tutors children whose English is limited. Jill has also been a member of the Pasadena Chapter of National Charity League since seventh grade and has volunteered at Madison Elementary, Youth & Healthy, Union Station, and the Glendale Humane Society.

Jill would like to thank her Girl Scout leader Janet Braun for all her help and support. Janet has not just been a leader, but a role model as well. There was never a time when Janet was not able to find a solution to a problem or spend the time to discuss it. Jill would also like to thank her friends at school who came to prep and paint when school was out. Finally, Jill would like to thank her parents for encouraging her to complete her Gold Award project.

Ashley Elizabeth Tang

Ashley’s Gold Award Project consisted of educating the public about the benefits of pet ownership and helping senior citizens find feline companions with the Southern California Siamese Rescue and the Paw’d Squad, a nonprofit rescue organization. She talked with Girl Scout troops about the benefits of pet ownership as well as at various fairs at the Pasadena Senior Center.

Ashley is currently a senior at La Cañada High School and will attend a four year university in the fall of 2007. She is a five-year member of the choral department, currently singing in the nationally recognized La Cañada High School Chamber Singers, which recently sang at the American Choral Directors’ Association in Miami. She is a member of the National Honor Society and the California Scholarship Federation. She is an editor of the school’s Literary and Arts Magazine. She is also currently participating in her fourth year in the all-school musical, this year as a dancer. She volunteers weekly at the Pacific Asia Museum in Pasadena. She enjoys reading and playing the piano in her free time.

Ashley would like to thank Julie Shaull for being a wonderful leader and role model and for her unwavering support throughout the entire process. She would also like to thank her family for their love and support.

Courtney Tashjian

Courtney Tashjian’s Gold Award Project was named “Ti Haiti,” meaning “Little Haiti” in Creole, referring to the 285,000 impoverished rural Haitian families benefiting from her shipments of essential baby food and supplies to the Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Deschapelles, Haiti. Last summer, 12 containers of urgently needed baby supplies were sent to the hospital by private airplane, including baby food, diapers, clothing, crib sheets, blankets, cereal mix, diaper rash ointment and room fans. These items were saved and organized until December, when they were distributed as Christmas gifts to the impoverished parents and babies.

Courtney is a senior at La Cañada High School and is a member of the National Honor Society and the California Scholarship Federation. She enjoys her audition-only membership in the school’s exclusive Chamber Singers, which recently returned from Miami to perform for the National American Choral Directors Association. Courtney is active in weekly youth service and social activities at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and recently received the Young Womanhood Recognition Award.

Courtney would like to express her gratitude to her parents and brother, for their guidance, love, and support during this substantial project. She would also like to recognize the tremendous generosity and support of the local La Cañada community. Through the many pictures sent back from the hospital, Courtney realized that the Haitian recipients not only appreciated the donations but also felt the love and charity reflected in the many hand-sewn quilts and baby blankets! In addition, Courtney would like to send a big thank you to the many Girl Scout leaders who have guided her over the years: Donna Jaeger, Dianne Tso, Marie Abajian, Sheila Paccone, Linda Anderson, and Christie Frandsen. She would also like to send her love and appreciation to Dr. Henri Ford and his family, for their friendship and mentorship through her successful “Ti Haiti” Gold Award Project.

Alyssa Tso

For her Gold Award Project, “Music for the Elderly,” Alyssa provided the community living at the Kiplinger Senior Citizen Home with a music system, musical entertainment supplies, and company. She requested and collected donations of CDs from her community, family and friends, which she cataloged and organized. Alyssa received numerous donations of CDs and even a CD player. With the help of Ronald Ballesteros, she built a CD cabinet for the home. Alyssa held musical performances with the help of St. Bede’s Boy Scout Troop 507 and brought various musical videos to watch with the seniors. Her project also included Brownie Scouts from the Pasadena area. Alyssa spent time instructing and creating St. Patrick’s Day and Easter cards for the senior citizens with the Brownies. The most meaningful part of her project was the quality time she shared with the seniors. She especially enjoyed and was most proud when she directly observed the positive changes with the seniors as she spent time with them.

Alyssa is currently a senior at La Cañada High School. She has been a Girl Scout since first grade and is a member of Troop 98. Her interests include Los Angeles Kings hockey and the Beastie Boys band.

She would like to thank all her family and friends that supported her and helped her with her project.