Gold Award Girl Scout Alexandra: Passion and Perseverance Make Gold
Through confidence and compassion, Gold Award Girl Scouts like Alexandra H. help improve real-world problems as today and tomorrow’s leaders. To earn the Gold Award, Girl Scouts in 10th – 12th grades spend 80+ hours identifying an issue, working with local leaders to address the problem, and taking action that leads to measurable change.
For her Gold Award project, Alexandra H.—a 4th generation Girl Scout who thrived as a Girl Scout Daisy all the way through high school as a Girl Scout Ambassador—addressed the growing issue of food insecurity in Oconomowoc. She created a Little Free Pantry at Lions Park to provide an accessible, 24/7 food resource for families in need.
“I had two jobs in high school and competed in track, cross country, and downhill ski racing, but it was important to make time to earn Girl Scouting’s highest honor and leave a mark on my town,” explained Alexandra, who recently completed her fi rst year of college at Valparaiso University in Indiana, where she is studying nursing and running Division 1 cross country and track. “When I was younger, I volunteered with my family and went door-to-door collecting food items for a local pantry. It struck me that the individuals receiving food items needed a car to get to the food pantry, they had to have proof of identifi cation, and the variety of food items was limiting. I remember thinking it wasn’t totally accessible. Later, when my troop was working on our Bronze Award, we built a Little Free Library. So, I piggy-backed off these ideas for my Gold Award.”
Alexandra partnered with the Oconomowoc Lions Club, First Congregational UCC Church, and the Oconomowoc Junior Woman’s Club to organize food drives and establish ongoing support. Through these efforts, Alexandra built and stocked the pantry with over 1,000 donated food and hygiene items. She also raised awareness about food insecurity by publishing a guide in the General Federation of Women’s Clubs News & Notes to inspire other communities to start similar initiatives. This project made an immediate impact, allowing families to access food without barriers. To ensure sustainability, Alexandra’s church continues to hold monthly food collections, and the community has embraced the “take what you need, leave what you can” model. Alexandra’s effort set the foundation for long-term support, both locally and beyond.
On her journey to the Gold Award, Alexandra practiced resourcefulness, tenacity, and decision-making skills, giving her an edge personally and professionally.
“With my hectic school schedule, I needed to use my time management wisely, ask for help, and delegate. I also had to get comfortable pivoting as needed, like when I had to pause the installation of the Little Free Pantry due to frozen ground. Throughout all the twists and turns, so many people supported me and no one ever gave up—I am so proud of how the project evolved while also keeping its original integrity intact.”
Now, Alexandra is a Lifetime Member who continues to use her Girl Scouting experiences in her current and future endeavors. “My favorite Girl Scout badge to earn was the first aid badge. My troop picked badges to earn, and I chose to help lead my sister Girl Scouts in an activity to get CPR-certified, where we also made first aid kits and had a nurse and EMT as guest speakers. That experience helped spark my interest in nursing as a career path and reinforced my passion for helping people and bringing joy to others. Girl Scouting builds strong women who can accomplish anything.”
Alexandra recently received the GSUSA Gold Award Scholarship, which recognizes one outstanding Gold Award Girl Scout per council for their leadership. Recipients use the scholarship toward tuition, fees, books, and supplies to continue their education.
You champion Girl Scouts like Alexandra as they advocate for others, develop resiliency, and make an impact on communities they care about.
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