Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida 2026 Gold Award recipients
Twenty-Two Young Women Earn Girl Scouting’s Highest Honor Through Transformational Community Service Projects
June 3, 2026 – Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida recognized 22 outstanding young women from Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Okeechobee and Indian River counties with the prestigious 2026 Girl Scouts Gold Award, the highest achievement in Girl Scouting. The annual Gold Award Ceremony was recently held at the Doubletree by Hilton Deerfield Beach.
During the ceremony, each Girl Scout was presented with a Gold Award pin by a special adult who supported her through her project and Girl Scout career. In return, the girl presented this adult with the Companion Gold Award pin.
(left to right) Tula Hudson-Miller, Board Chair, Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida; Troop Leader Laura Davis; Taylor Browning; and Lisa Lohnson, CEO, Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida
Awarded to only 5% of eligible Girl Scouts nationwide, the Gold Award recognizes girls in grades 9 through 12 who demonstrate exceptional leadership, dedication and commitment to creating meaningful, sustainable change in their communities. Twelve of this year’s recipients are graduating high school seniors, six completed their projects last summer and returned to participate in the event following their first year in college, and four are current high school underclassmen
To earn the Gold Award, each Girl Scout must identify a community issue she is passionate about and lead a large-scale service project designed to create lasting impact. The Gold Award Class of 2026 took on issues including literacy; mental health; breast cancer, concussion, autism and endometriosis awareness; food insecurity and waste; foster care; and environmental sustainability. Their collective projects contributed more than 2,500 community service hours and partnered with dozens of local organizations to impact thousands of lives close to home and as far away as Tanzania in Africa.
Gold Award projects require advanced communication, leadership and project management skills, often involving collaboration with nonprofits, schools, local governments and community organizations. The experience is designed to inspire a lifetime of civic engagement and leadership.
Often described as “what you want to be remembered for,” the Gold Award leaves a lasting legacy of activism, compassion and service long after a Girl Scout’s journey ends.
Lisa Fregoso from HCA Florida Healthcare, the Gold Award Ceremony’s presenting sponsor
“I am impressed by the determination and creativity the Gold Award Class of 2026 demonstrated through their projects. Their community collaborations are remarkable, showing everyone the power of partnerships,” said Lisa Johnson, CEO of Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida. “Earning a Gold Award marks an important milestone in a Girl Scout’s career. The vision, commitment and leadership will continue to carry these extraordinary young women to new heights. This will forever distinguish them on scholarship applications, college admission essays and resumes.”
The 2026 Gold Awards ceremony sponsors included HCA Florida Healthcare, Amazon, Florida Power & Light and Publix Super Markets Charities and table sponsor Tula Hudson-Miller. To learn more about the Gold Award, scholarship opportunities or how to support Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida, please visit gssef.org.
The 2026 Gold Award Girl Scouts who completed health-related projects are:
Julianna Auais, a Miramar resident and junior at Archbishop McCarthy High School in Southwest Ranches, completed a project called Relax and Recover with The Crafty Box Club. The combination of anxious children and a busy emergency waiting room sets a stage for high levels of stress and anxiety. When long wait times in an unfamiliar hospital environment with others who are experiencing pain or fear are part of the mix, Julianna knew there was an opportunity for intervention and improvement. Approximately 30 million ill and injured children visit the ED annually. This doesn’t account for the children who accompany ill or injured adults. In both cases, the environment can be a scary experience that often leads to overwhelming stress that interferes with their ability to cope. Through a partnership with Broward Health Medical Center, Julianna began with education about pediatric mental health and age-appropriate activities that could be realistic, safe and sustainable in an emergency waiting room. Next, she educated younger students about the issues kids face in the ED every day and recruited them to make boxes with her. The results included a social media campaign on Instagram, dozens of volunteers making boxes and more than 100 boxes delivered to the Broward Health Medical Center’s ED. Feedback from hospital staff and user surveys showed that 100% of recipients found the boxes to be comforting, relaxing and distracting in positive ways over the course of waiting time and during emergency treatment. Julianna is continuing to educate others and is working to expand her program to more hospitals in Broward County.
Dakiera Battle, a Pembroke Pines resident and senior at West Broward High School, noticed that some student athletes were not taking concussion education seriously or retaining the information in a meaningful way. That led her to her project, Heads Up: Concussion Awareness for Student-Athletes. Although Florida requires athletes to complete concussion and heat-related illness awareness training before playing sports, the material is often rushed or treated like a boring formality. This created a dangerous gap in understanding, which can lead to underreporting symptoms, misunderstanding of injuries and an increased risk of long-term health complications. Dakiera sought to change the approach to the education and the mindsets that felt like it discouraged athletes from speaking up about injuries, especially “invisible” ones like concussions. Through collaboration with the Broward County Athletic Association and help from her high school football coach, she created a digital education initiative designed to make concussion information more engaging, accessible and memorable for teens. There’s a website that hosts concussion awareness resources, educational worksheets and recovery information for students, parents and coaches; interactive social media content with important facts about symptoms of and tips to avoid concussions; and a series of educational YouTube videos explaining what concussions are, how to recognize symptoms and what steps athletes should take if they suspect a concussion. This was complemented with printable worksheets to help students better understand symptoms, recovery, how to support teammates with injuries and why it’s critical to change the culture of head injuries and prioritize brain health. Dakiera will attend Florida State University in the fall to major in biology and business.
Madison Blake, a Davie resident and freshman at Broward College, created Feeling it Through: Sensory Overload – At Ease. While volunteering at Camp Giborim, a local special needs program that serves campers with autism, Down syndrome and various other disabilities, Madison gained a unique understanding about the impact of stress on children and adults with such conditions. Factors such as differences in learning, processing speed and communication styles can lead to extraordinary reactions to stress because they may have a stronger response rate, disorienting levels of mental distress or challenges expressing their feelings. Madison learned how sensory objects can help by engaging senses, boosting confidence, improving focus, enhancing emotional regulation and helping with communication development. Madison created specialty bins filled with the sensory objects needed for a wide range of ages and abilities. She also produced a series of educational videos to show others how to make some of the tools for little or no cost. She started with a goal to collaborate with and support three schools and 60 individuals. She built an impressive 18-member team and partnered with seven Broward County schools. Survey results of school case workers said 100% of their clients who used the sensory bin items and found them to be helpful in reducing a child’s stress levels. Additionally, her survey results demonstrated that adults came away with a better understanding of how to help their students in stressful situations and led teachers to feel “closer” with their students because they could help them “feel more understood.”
Taylor Browning, a Wellington resident and junior at Wellington Community High School, completed her project titled Pediatric Medical Daycare – More Than Just Physical Therapies. Most people haven’t heard of a Prescribed Pediatric Extended Care (PPEC) facility. These are all-day, non-residential, medical daycare centers offering skilled nursing care for children with complex medical conditions. Beyond the medical therapies, these young patients need mental, emotional and developmental stimulation which can be achieved by interactions with individuals with time to share. Taylor wanted to tell people about these children and work to fill the gaps in their daily lives with recreational activities built to accommodate their conditions and constraints. Taylor was drawn to working with this special group and passionate about connecting others to make their lives more interesting, hopeful and joyful. She partnered with Parents Choice Medical Daycare in Boynton Beach to create a four-month series of weekly activities, with developmental benefits to youth patients, that did not interfere with medical treatments. Weekly sessions included using live musical instruments and singalongs with simple participation movements; interactive games using letters, numbers and colors; and reading books aloud. Taylor consulted with licensed therapists to evaluate the project’s results with surveys for clinicians and parents. Feedback demonstrated a 90 to 100% satisfaction rate recognizing the “overall benefit” of the program to children in the medical daycare, as well as overwhelming support for the idea of community members volunteering time to benefit patients. Informal and formal feedback from parents agreed that the non-physical activities enriched their child’s overall care.
Cecilia “Cece” Burdick, a Pompano Beach resident and junior at North Broward Preparatory School in Coconut Creek, was adopted as a toddler and is familiar with children who’ve faced emotional challenges including anxiety, attachment disorders, low self-esteem and trauma due to instability, separation from family and frequent transitions. For Cece, children in foster care are near to her heart and her project, Kits for Kids, reflected that. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, many children in foster care struggle with mental health without consistent access to therapeutic support. Creative expression, especially through art, is a widely recognized method to improve mental health and provide therapeutic benefits for children who need support to process emotions, build resilience and strengthen a sense of control. At the same time, children often need their necessities met before extras, such as art supplies, can be considered. Cece partnered with Kids in Distress in Wilton Manors to put individualized, age-appropriate craft kits into the hands of foster children that would offer them a variety of tools and self-guided lessons to explore their creativity, reduce stress and build emotional strength. To engage others and build in sustainability, Cece also founded the Craft Club at her school, where she educated peers about the local foster care system and supported the mission to help foster children in this unique way. With passion and drive, she recruited 16 student members who now share her vision to engage the center’s young clients with activities such as crocheting, painting, coloring and bracelet-making. Participants will continue to provide feedback on Cece’s project goals to reduce stress, improve self-expression and increase confidence. Cece’s mother and troop leader, Cindy Burdick, is also a Gold Award Girl Scout and presented Cece with her pin during the award ceremony.
Isabella Lombardo, a Loxahatchee resident and senior at Park Vista Community High School in Greenacres, found that endometriosis is a commonly misunderstood disease that is often misdiagnosed. This led her to her project, Endometriosis Awareness. Many women think that severe menstrual cycle pain is normal, but after much research and doctor’s appointments, they may learn that this painful condition occurs when tissue that is similar to the inner lining of the uterus grows outside the uterus. It often affects the ovaries, fallopian tubes and the tissue lining the pelvis. It seemed like no one wanted to discuss this disease. However, Isabella knew it was important and wanted to create a comprehensive educational campaign to tell more girls about this condition and ultimately raise their awareness to get involved and begin to know their own bodies. Through collaboration with Jupiter Medical Center and the Health Care District of Palm Beach County, Isabella created informational posters for her school’s female restrooms and hosted online information sessions to teach girls about the symptoms and long-term effects of endometriosis. Her message was spread to an international audience of girls in Tanzania in East Africa through a collaboration with Quality Healthcare Solutions and Consulting in West Palm Beach. For this group, she also organized a collection of reusable menstrual pads for girls in Tanzania that are eco-friendly, cost-effective and sustainable alternatives to disposable items. Isabella will attend Florida Gulf Coast University in the fall, where she will study marine biology.
Jasmine Salmon, a Pembroke Pines resident and senior at Pembroke Pines Charter High School, wanted to use her Gold Award project to shine a light on how loneliness can present a critical health factor, too often ignored, that can impact patient survival rates when it comes to serious conditions such as cancer. Through her project, The Quiet Power of Us, she wanted to teach people how to “see” and “treat” loved ones with cancer in quiet ways that anyone without any special training or education can do to contribute to someone’s improved mental health and overall approach to personal recovery. Through her partnership with Memorial Cancer Institute, located within Memorial Regional Hospital, she wrote and illustrated an online book entitled The Quiet Power of Us. It’s the story of Teddy and takes readers through a time when a loved one shares a cancer diagnosis and teaches Teddy how the power of quiet, comfortable and intentional presence makes important additions on the path of healing. In the story, Teddy finds small, quiet examples of how he can show mindfulness and care for the person fighting cancer that demonstrate the consideration and consistency that patient feedback describes as the most valuable. Research by the American Cancer Society suggests that this approach can help patients increase trust of treatments and healthcare workers and fortify hope and feelings of resiliency. Jasmine has received excellent feedback from Memorial’s clinical professionals and educators and is continuing to work to expand the program’s reach to more healthcare systems. She will attend the University of South Florida to major in microbiology and plans to pursue a career in pathology.
Addison White, a Greenacres resident and senior at Wellington Community High School, completed her project, taBOOB, which addresses lack of awareness about and early detection of breast cancer in youth. She wanted to start more open conversations about overall breast health and educate more young women about creating lifesaving habits to carry to their adult lives. A little-known fact is that breast cancer is the most common cancer among female adolescents and young adults ages 15 to 39 years, and breast cancer in adolescents and young adults is often more aggressive and more difficult to treat than in older women. Early detection is critical and it all begins with open dialogue with girls at younger ages so the chance for survival is exponentially increased. Addison’s campaign was delivered through a series of informative interviews and online resources such as how to perform a self-breast exam, explanations of benign breast conditions and a breast cancer risk calculator. With a targeted marketing plan, her messages and materials have reached 1,374 people on Instagram, 1,945 people on Facebook, 219 video views and 312 unique visitors to her website. The survey results showed knowledge gains on understanding misconceptions regarding breast health, building healthy habits to promote overall breast health, how to perform a self-breast exam, the role healthcare providers play in young girls’ breast health, the need for openness and conversations within family, and confidence to self-advocate when it comes to personal health. Addison’s powerful interviews may be watched here. Addison was surprised during the ceremony with the $1,500 Barbara Ann Turner “Service from the Heart” Scholarship, as well as an honorable mention scholarship from MotivEight in the amount of $500. She recently graduated from high school and completed her associate’s degree from Palm Beach State College and will continue her education at University of South Florida on a three-year track to become a nurse.
Brianna Wilkinson, a Weston resident and senior at Cypress Bay High School, completed her project, Fear-Free Vaccines. Of the 72 million children between birth and age 17 in the United States, approximately 94% visit a doctor’s office to receive vaccines annually. While vaccines help fight diseases, they can also cause children to experience high levels of anxiety and fear that lead to a traumatizing experience for children and their parents. Brianna sought to talk about this common challenge and help minimize the stress and fear by providing an innovative educational program complete with a vaccine care package that offered patients and children tools to understand and help improve their overall in-office experience. Through her partnership with Pediatric Associates in the Weston and Sky Lakes offices, Brianna targeted patients between four and 12 years old with a kit for reducing fear and managing stress, thus improving the children’s quality of visits, long-term health outcomes from receiving the vaccines and improving healthcare workers’ environment. Her written materials were complemented with a video for the children that has already received more than 350 views. Survey results from patient’s families have shared an increase for the overall understanding of the vaccination process, a decreased sense of anxiety prior to vaccinations, an increase in confidence about continuing a recommended vaccination protocol with their children, and appreciation for the tools and tips provided as part of the program. Brianna will attend University of Miami in the fall.
About Girl Scouts
We are the preeminent leadership development organization for girls who believe that every girl can be a go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, and leader with the power to change the world. More than any other organization in our community, Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida empowers girls ages 5 to 17 with vision and voice—girls who command their future, engage their communities, and inspire others. We offer every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of leadership, adventure, and success. Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida serves more than 6,900 girls in Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Okeechobee Counties. To explore opportunities to volunteer or partner with Girl Scouts, call 561-427-0177 or visit www.gssef.org.
