Madison girl scouts Gabriella Dollahite, Maeve Merkle-Scotland, Lauren Ozimek, and Ashlinn Virgulto have earned the Gold Award, the highest award in girl scouting. They were recognized at the organization’s Gold Award Celebration on June 2 at Cascades in Hamden.

The Girl Scout Gold Award requires girl scouts in grades 9 to 12 to spend at least 80 hours researching issues, assessing community needs and resources, building a team, and making a sustainable impact in the community. A Gold Award girl scout’s accomplishments reflect leadership and citizenship skills that set her apart as a community leader. Nationally, only six percent of older girl scouts earn the Gold Award.

Dollahite’s project, World of Color: Empowering Young Refugees through Art, made art classes available to people at Integrated Refugee and Immigration Services. The courses varied in medium and subject and helped to occupy students’ winter break in an inspiring and productive manner. Her lesson plans will ensure the courses run for a long time. Dollahite graduated from Daniel Hand High School this spring and hopes to study animation.

Merkle-Scotland established the Outdoor Exploration intramural program for elementary-school students to teach them about and help them engage with nature, since, with advances in technology, many children of that age do not spend nearly as much time outside as children of past generations did. Merkle-Scotland created guides and lesson plans that the school pans to keep for future iterations of the program. She graduated from Daniel Hand High School this year and would like to study social work and become a therapist.

Ozimek filmed and edited a series of videos called Just Breathe Yoga & Meditation for mothers with babies in intensive care, hoping to create a source of calm for parents in high-pressure situations. Yale New Haven Hospital now possesses the entire series and actively uses one video to promote stress relief. Ozimek graduated from Daniel Hand High School this spring and plans to study business in college.

Virgulto organized a three-day event to teach special-needs youth about track and field sports. She hoped it would raise awareness to the fact that these athletic activities are often unavailable to children with special needs. A wide age range attended, and she recruited volunteer buddies to do the activities with them. A group of volunteer leaders will take over the program annually in Virgulto’s stead. She graduated from Daniel Hand High School last year and studies management at UConn with the intention of working in business.

“I am so proud of all of our Gold Award girl scouts for taking the lead and spending over 80-plus hours solving real problems in their communities,” said Girl Scouts of Connecticut CEO Mary Barneby of Madison. “By earning this award, girl scouts set themselves apart as leaders in their community and true examples of go-getters, innovators, risk-takers, and leaders.”’

For more information about the Gold Award or how to become a Gold Award volunteer or mentor, visit gsofct.org.