Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast Honors Local 2026 Gold Award Girl Scout Scholarship Recipient

Kate Maki Receives National Scholarship for “Free to Succeed” Gold Award Project

In May, Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast proudly honored 20 members of the 2026 Girl Scout Gold Award class who earned the highest award in Girl Scouting: the Gold Award. Gold Award Girl Scouts make positive impacts on our local communities by addressing some of our most pressing issues, including food insecurity, monarch population rehabilitation, trail safety and emergency preparedness, and 504 Plan advocacy. Today, Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast announced Kate Maki as the recipient of a national $5,000 scholarship for her work creating a “Comfort Corner” at her high school where students could discreetly access school and hygiene supplies for continued personal and academic success. Kate is among 111 Gold Award Girl Scouts across the nation receiving the $5,000 scholarship from Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA), made possible by funds from GSUSA and its National Board.

Through her “Free to Succeed” project, Kate addressed the issue of low self-esteem caused by a lack of access to basic school and hygiene supplies. Many students at St. Francis High School struggled to keep up in class because they did not have access to essential materials, leading to embarrassment, poor academic performance, and decreased attendance. To combat this issue, Kate created a “Comfort Corner” space where students could discreetly access free school supplies, hygiene products, and snacks throughout the day. The initiative has helped hundreds of students, with thousands of supplies distributed. St. Francis High School’s National Honor Society has committed to maintaining the Comfort Corner for sustained academic success at school in years to come.

While working on her project, Kate partnered with community organizations like the St. Francis Lions Club, St. Francis Common Council, BP/Citgo, Children’s Hospital, St. Francis Recreation Department, and Project Concern. She raised awareness by speaking at local events, including National Night Out, and organized school-wide supply collection drives.

“I realized my passion for social work through my Girl Scout Gold Award. Seeing how much my project helped people made me realize that advocating for others is where my heart lies,” said Gold Award Girl Scout Kate Maki. “This scholarship means that I can attend UW-Milwaukee. I hope to become a school social worker to continue helping kids in the future.”

This year, GSWISE recognized 20 Gold Award Girl Scouts who identified issues in their communities, took action, and found or created solutions to earn their Gold Awards. This year’s class of world-changers invested nearly 1,600 hours to address real-life problems such as outdoor revitalization, childhood literacy rates, and childhood cancer. The 2026 Gold Award Girl Scouts demonstrate the breadth of issues American teens feel are most prevalent in society today.

Gold Award Girl Scouts become innovative problem-solvers, empathetic leaders, confident public speakers, and focused project managers. They learn resourcefulness, tenacity, and decision-making skills, giving them an edge personally and professionally. As they take action to transform their communities, Gold Award Girl Scouts gain tangible skills and prove they’re the leaders our world needs.

According to recent research, Gold Award Girl Scouts are more likely to fill leadership roles at work and in their personal lives and are more civically engaged than their non-Girl Scout peers. Eighty-seven percent (87%) of Gold Award Girl Scouts agree that earning their Gold Award gave them skills that help them succeed professionally. Seventy-two percent (72%) said earning their Gold Award helped them get a scholarship. Changing the world doesn’t end when a Girl Scout earns her Gold Award. Ninety-nine percent (99%) of Gold Award Girl Scout alums take on leadership roles in their everyday lives.

“Kate is an incredible community leader, and I’m excited to congratulate her on receiving this well-deserved scholarship in recognition of her Gold Award project,” said Ana Simpson, CEO of Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast. “While earning her Gold Award, Kate demonstrated resilience, time management, communication, and collaboration – key skills that she will continue to utilize in her next chapter. We are proud of her accomplishments and look forward to seeing how she continues to lead with courage, confidence, and character.”

This year, Girl Scouts of the USA awarded a scholarship to one Gold Award Girl Scout from each council across the Movement.

To learn more about GSWISE’s 2026 Highest Awards recipients and projects, visit www.gswise.org/highestawards.

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About Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast (GSWISE)
Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges. 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. We serve approximately 12,000 girls in grades K5-12, and 6,000 adults who believe in our mission of building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place. With programs in Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha counties, we give every Girl Scout in our council the chance to reach their full leadership potential. To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit gswise.org, email customercare@gswise.org, or call 800-565-4475.