New Gold Award Girl Scouts include, from left, Oceanside residents Emily Sandoval, AnnMarie Walker, Anna Jerpseth, and Madeline Connelly. The Gold award is equivalent to the Eagle rank for Boy Scouts.
NORTH COUNTY — Thirteen Girl Scouts who live or go to school in the north coastal areas have stepped up to earn the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor in Girl Scouting.
New Gold Award Girl Scouts who live in Carlsbad included:
— Anna Bradley (La Costa Canyon High School, Class of 2020) who led an education campaign about celiac disease treatment options for children and teens for her Gold Award project
— Kirra Hogan (La Costa Canyon High School, 2020) created a sibling support group for family members of children living with autism
— Alexa Mendes (San Dieguito High School Academy, 2021) developed a stress management program for peers at her school. Camryn Riccitelli (Carlsbad High School, 2019) of San Marcos founded the Carlsbad High School Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
Three Encinitas scouts earning the Gold Award were:
— Lauren Hohmeyer (San Dieguito High School Academy, 2018), who developed a new website the North Coast Y-Service Club in collaboration with volunteers
— Karina Martos (Dehesa Charter School 2019) created a teen mental health awareness program for youth with anxiety disorders
— Jenna Levin (San Dieguito High School Academy, 2019) published a children’s book comparing mutualistic relationships in nature to how children can help others.
Oceanside is home to four Gold Award Scouts, including:
— Madeline Connelly (Sage Creek High School, 2020), who established a camp called Girls Leading Healthy Lifestyles
— Emily Sandoval (El Camino High School, 2019) created a lunch gatherings program for teens on the autism spectrum
— AnnMarie Walker (El Camino High School, 2019) produced the Save a Life Saturdays student CPR training program
— Anna Jerspeth (El Camino High School, 2019) led a bullying prevention seminar series for middle schoolers.
Solana Beach resident Emma Richards-Smith (Torrey Pines High School, 2019) educated high school athletes earned her Gold Award by developing a sports injury prevention program for athletes ages 11 to 18; and Laura Bryant (of Solana Beach’s Santa Fe Christian School Class of 2020), now of La Jolla, designed and led a program called Values Education Student-Led program to build leaders of character.
