Girl Scouts of Maine Grants Over $19,000 in Scholarships and Honors Highest Awards Girl Scouts and Volunteers at Annual Celebration
May 14, 2024
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Helen Ruhlin
(207) 252-9212
hruhlin@gsmaine.org
STATEWIDE—Girl Scouts of Maine (GSME) hosted nearly 200 attendees at their Annual Celebration on Saturday, May 11, at the Williamson Performing Arts Center in Fairfield, honoring outstanding Girl Scouts and volunteers for their notable achievements.
Each spring, this annual event recognizes Silver, Gold, and Pinnacle Award Girl Scouts, graduating ambassadors, scholarship awardees, and exceptional volunteers. Highest awards are given to Girl Scouts who complete community-based take-action projects that address relevant issues they feel passionately about, in a sustainable way. The 2024 Annual Celebration was emceed by Winter Williams and Addison Boucher of Troop 2196 in Saco, both sophomore students at Thornton Academy.
This year, eleven middle school aged Girls Scouts earned their Silver Award. This year’s Silver Award projects tackled community issues such as animal welfare, nature preservation, accessible information about local wildlife, and more. Silver Award Girl Scouts who attended and were recognized at the Annual Celebration included Penelope Graham of Waterville, Avis Kennedy-Stirling of Greenville, Mirielle Bridges of Parsonsfield, and Emily Marion of West Baldwin. To read more about each of the individual Silver Award projects and other highest award projects, visit www.girlscoutsofmaine.org/highestawardsstories.
One Pinnacle Award, an esteemed Girl Scout achievement reached after successfully earning the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Award, was awarded to Mackinna Campbell for completing three projects: helping a local children’s hospital, creating an after-school dance program, and emphasizing teen political involvement in the Westbrook area.
Nine Girl Scouts graduating from high schools across the state were awarded a Joanne Crepeau Future Leaders Scholarship for a combined total of $19,500 in scholarship funds. Established in 2018, to date GSME has awarded $116,000 to 71 Girl Scouts in Maine. 2024 Scholarship recipients honored on-stage at the event included Sidney Allen of Cape Elizabeth, Vivian Dudar of Lisbon Falls, Juliana Marcello of Detroit, Olivia Wentworth of Denmark, Grace Longanecker of South Portland, Astrid Akerman of Cape Elizabeth, and Olivia Marion of West Baldwin, and Ariella Searfoss of Pownal, and Madison Binette of Lewiston.
Nearly one hundred high school Girl Scouts from all over Maine are part of the Class of 2024 Graduating Girl Scout Ambassadors, 23 were able to attend and be recognized at the Annual Celebration.
“It fills us with pride to extend scholarships to nine remarkable Girl Scouts this year, embodying our ethos of nurturing leadership. We firmly believe that these girls will emerge as catalysts for change, champions of causes, visionaries, and trailblazers, poised to enhance our collective world,” says GSME CEO, Mara Robinov-Moorhead.
More than two dozen volunteers and adults were recognized at the event for a series of appreciative awards that highlight individuals, committees, and service units for their above-and-beyond efforts throughout the year. Adult award recognitions included the President’s Award, Appreciation and Honor Pins, the Commitment to Excellence, the Thanks Badge, and Juliette Spirit Award.
“There are no people more generous with their time, talent, and investment in growth than Girl Scout adults, so what can possibly be more wonderful than honoring them all and sharing a celebration of those who go just that bit further, share just that bit more, to make the world a better place,” says GSME Director of Adult Learning, Dawn Walker-Elders.
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Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs across the state of Maine and beyond, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. To join us, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, visit girlscoutsofmaine.org. For the latest updates, follow us on Facebook @GirlScoutsofMaine and Instagram @girlscoutsofmaine.
Photos courtesy of Girl Scouts of Maine
