Sisira Chalasani of Concord has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award for a community leadership and service project that expands access to literacy for local immigrant youth.
Aiming to emphasize the importance of literary education for refugee and displaced children in her community and the barriers they face, the Girl Scout Senior partnered with The Charlotte is Home Center for her project, “Miss Ruth’s Book Nook.” This warm, welcoming and resource-rich library nook provides a safe and engaging space for reading, curiosity and creativity.
“My Gold Award project is inspired by the Pack Horse Librarians of Appalachia—brave women who traveled on horseback through rugged mountain terrain during the Great Depression to deliver books to families living in isolated areas,” said Chalasani, a Girl Scout of 10 years. “Many refugee and displaced children arrive with limited access to books or consistent educational resources, and my project helps children adjust to new environments, regain a sense of comfort and normalcy and strengthen their literacy skills. My goal is to empower them with tools that support confidence, connection and long-term success.”
Sisira created a flyer promoting donations for her project and built bookcases to fill with educational materials. She gathered a collection of multilingual books in Spanish, English, Arabic, French, Ukrainian and Russian along with puzzles and literacy-focused activities that encourage learning through play. The title, “Miss Ruth’s Book Nook,” honors her Girl Scout troop leader and Juliette mentor, Ruth Tankersley.
Girl Scouts in high school can earn the Girl Scout 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 Scout must dedicate a minimum of 80 hours to planning and carrying out their 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 Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont (GSCP2P) council have created community gardens, addressed issues in foster care, combated bullying in schools and so much more.
“My Gold Award project has shaped my understanding of leadership, service and community. Working with refugee and displaced children helped me recognize the importance of empathy, cultural sensitivity and meeting people where they are,” said the Girl Scout. “Most importantly, this experience broadened my perspective on equity in education. It strengthened my commitment to pursuing a career in healthcare, where compassion, understanding and service are essential. My Gold Award project has not only helped others but has genuinely changed me.”
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 2025, 30 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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