Rithika Jonnalagadda Earns Girl Scouts Highest Honor

Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont is pleased to announce that Rithika Jonnalagadda, Summerfield, has earned her Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting.

Jonnalagadda, daughter of Janardhana Jonnalagadda and Rama Vishwanatham and a member of Girl Scout Troop 41704, focused her Gold Award project on teaching students and their families how to better manage stress and focus on improving their mental and physical well-being. Due to COVID-19, she changed her original plans for an in-person fair to a virtual panel discussion, where she hosted several mental health experts and had a certified yoga instructor who led several sessions on yoga techniques and breathing exercises. She also created a website with quick tips and helplines that the community can access at any time.

The Gold Award represents the highest achievement in Girl Scouting, recognizing girls in grades 9 through 12 who demonstrate extraordinary leadership through sustainable and measurable Take Action projects. Each girl must dedicate a minimum of 80 hours to planning and carrying out her project, which must benefit the community and have long lasting impact.

“Earning the Girl Scout Gold Award designation is truly a remarkable achievement. It is the culmination of so many things- from a girl’s self-discipline and leadership abilities to time management and the creativity, initiative and mastery of skills it takes to complete these kind of projects,” said Lane Cook, chief executive officer of Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont. “Every girl who earns this prestigious award is making a difference not only in her community, but her own life as well. The skills gained through the Gold Award process are ones that will be used often in her future endeavors.”

Started in 1916 as the Golden Eaglet, thousands of Girl Scouts earn the Girl Scout Gold Award each year. Earning the Gold Award opens doors to scholarships, preferred admission tracks for college, and amazing career opportunities—as well.

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