College Freshman Goes Gold with Project about Girls' Self Image

America, a graduate of Homeland Christian Academy and freshman at Highlands College, recently earned the Girl Scout Gold Award. America earned her Gold Award for her project Fearlessly Unashamed. Her project focused girls’ self image. She saw that peer pressure caused girls to try and live up to a certain standard, and she wanted to show them that beauty is found in all shapes and sizes. America created a website featuring real girls with real stories about how they came to have healthy views of body image. She met with girls about her project, and she hopes to continue to work with them to teach them about inner beauty. “I never want to see any girl get discouraged about the way she looks. All girls are beautiful in their own way,” said America. “I hope this website helps people to understand how teenagers truly feel about themselves and how they should react to worldly pressures about their appearance.” 

“By earning the Girl Scout Gold Award,” said Trish Coghlan, chief executive officer of the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama, “America has become a community leader. Her accomplishments reflect leadership and citizenship skills that set her apart.”

The girl who goes for the Gold embraces challenges, achieves excellence, and works diligently to make the world a better place, in her own unique way. Her leadership, vision, and boundless energy is an inspiration to all Girl Scouts. Each girl earning her Gold Award demonstrates excellence through a leadership project totaling more than 65 hours. Girls who earn their Gold Award are also recognized by the President of the United States, the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Armed Services, state legislatures, colleges and universities for admission and scholarship opportunities, and the American Legion. Some universities and colleges offer scholarships unique to Gold Award recipients, and girls who enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces may receive advanced rank in recognition of their achievements. 

The Girl Scout Gold Award represents the highest achievement in Girl Scouting; it recognizes girls in grades 9 through 12 who demonstrate extraordinary leadership through sustainable and measurable Take Action projects. Since 1916, girls have successfully answered the call to go gold, an act that indelibly marks them as accomplished members of their communities and the world. For more information about the Gold Award, visit girlscoutsnca.org/gogold.