Staff Reports | Community Updates
Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council is honoring 31 local Girl Scouts with the Gold Award this year, the most prestigious honor in Girl Scouting.
The Gold Award recognizes Girl Scouts in grades 9 to 12 and their service projects to address important issues in their community and develop sustainable solutions, according to a press release.
“Gold Award Girl Scouts identify everyday issues around them or draw inspiration from personal experiences to create meaningful change as project leaders,” says Mary Mitchell, co-CEO of GSACPC. “We are proud to provide a platform for them to launch their own vision of community service.”
The 2025 Gold Award recipients have shown initiative and demonstrated leadership through their projects to tackle mental health stigmas, honor veterans, advocate for the environment, promote animal welfare, advance STEM education, the release states.
“The Gold Award represents young women who are actively shaping our communities for the better,” says Christina Spicer, co-CEO of GSACPC. “Their world-changing projects reflect the critical thinking, problem-solving, communication, team management, goal setting, budgeting, and other diverse skills they have developed by participating in Girl Scouts.”
Spicer also notes that the Gold Award distinction on a high school resume helps young women stand out in college admissions, internships, job interviews, scholarship applications, and more, as they prepare for the next chapter of their lives.
The 2025 Gold Award Girl Scouts and their impactful projects are:
Phoenix:
Aarohi Ghorpade, Phoenix
C Change
Arionna Smith, Phoenix
Robots Build Kids
Ava Sharett, Phoenix
Alleviating Period Poverty
Breanna Barnes, Phoenix
Overcoming Mental Health Challenges
Claire Ellish, Phoenix
Legacy of WWII Valor: Keeping History Alive and Inspiring Civic Pride Across Generations
Katya Sasha Rubin, Phoenix
Adaptive Figure Skating
Kelly Mitchell, Phoenix
Protecting Our Environment
Klarissa Stiff, Phoenix
Library Redesign
Madilyn Messenger, Phoenix
Western Burrowing Owls
Rayne Thompson, Phoenix
Thriving Minds: Innovative Approaches to Neurodivergent Care
Samantha Shockness, Phoenix
Mindfulness Where it Matters
Sarah Bendok, Phoenix
Agrivoltaics Project at Spaces of Opportunity
Sarah Witte, Phoenix
STEAM Kits
Tatiyana Mack, Phoenix
Grow, Grow, Grow
Scottsdale:
Anna Moraca, Scottsdale
Sensory Boards
Corinne Koelsch, Scottsdale
Bringing Broadcastings
Emily Morrow, Scottsdale
Girl Scouts in STEM
Michaela Paltzik, Scottsdale
Helping Paws
Paradise Valley
Sophia Crisalli, Paradise Valley
Pobody’s Nerfect: A Self-Guided Journal for Young Girls
Mesa
M’tima Hamilton, Mesa
Designing a CrossBody Bag for Mastectomy Patients
