Ava Geisler was awarded the highest honor of Girl Scouts for her leadership and Gold Award community service project that creates lasting change in the Triad by increasing access to literature in underserved areas.
Geisler, Girl Scout of 10 years and member of Troop 151, addressed access to literature in underserved communities by adding a free library to a community in need in partnership with The Beloved Community United Methodist Church from 2023 to 2024. The free community library is stocked with a variety of books and magazines catering to all age ranges and is located near the church so the underserved area is no longer a book desert because of its print and digital books, online resources and education available on the library’s website at freecommunitylibrary.godaddysites.com.
“I selected this project because I love to read and want people in all situations to have access to free books,” said Ava. “The leadership skills I used throughout the process of completing my Gold Award were project management, problem solving, budgeting, collaboration, implementation and research. These traits all helped me to properly organize my project and to work with my team to make the project successful and sustainable.”
Girls in high school can earn their Gold Award by creating sustainable change on a community or world issue. They address the root cause of a problem, plan and implement innovative solutions to drive change and lead a team of people to success. Each girl must dedicate a minimum of 80 hours to planning and carrying out her project that benefits the community and has a long-lasting impact. Gold Award Girl Scouts gain tangible skills and prove they are the leaders our community and world need, and those from the GSCP2P council have created community gardens, addressed issues in foster care, combated bullying in schools and so much more.
Ava said, “My library is sustained past my involvement through the website that I created. This website allows users of the library to find even more information about how they can interact with other libraries and reading resources in our communities. I included step-by-step instructions on how to get a library card for both adults and children, the free e-book program through our library, a book locater for other little libraries and recorded children’s book stories. This library will also facilitate increased levels of learning in this community by providing kids with books, therefore increasing their likelihood of becoming proficient readers.”
Thousands of Girl Scouts across the country earn the Girl Scout Gold Award each year, which first began in 1916 as the Golden Eaglet. Earning the Gold Award opens doors to scholarships, preferred admission tracks for college and amazing career opportunities. In 2024, 40 GSCP2P Girl Scouts earned their Gold Award.
To learn more about earning a Girl Scout Gold Award, visit https://www.girlscoutsp2p.org/en/members/for-girl-scouts/badges-journeys-awards/highest-awards/gold-award.html.
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