Libsyn Directory

Ep 152 Montserrat Hidalgo - Environmental Justice Through the Gold Award

Hearts Of Gold - Reflections from Gold Award Girl Scouts

Release Date: 01/02/2025

Ep 160 From Passion to Action: How Annie Advocated for Pet Safety in South Florida

Hearts Of Gold - Reflections from Gold Award Girl Scouts

Annie discusses her impactful Girl Scout Gold Award project, "South Florida Pet Safety." She highlights the alarming statistic that up to 30% of animal deaths are preventable and shares her mission to educate pet owners in her transient community about unique local dangers. Annie details her creation of a pet safety book tailored specifically for South Florida, covering crucial topics such as heat dangers, wildlife hazards, poisonous plants, and preparedness for natural disasters like hurricanes. She also shares insights on how she funded the project through community sponsorships, emphasizing...

Ep 159 Embracing Cultural Diversity: Aanya Kasera's Journey to the Girl Scout Gold Award

Hearts Of Gold - Reflections from Gold Award Girl Scouts

Aanya discusses her project, "Sharing the Joys of Cultural Diversity," which focused on fostering understanding and appreciation of cultural differences among children in her community. Aanya highlights two key components of her project: facilitating discussions about cultural identity in local schools and creating a children's book that details her own experiences as an immigrant from India. She reflects on her personal struggles with cultural acceptance and the importance of embracing one’s identity. Join us as Aanya shares her insights and the impact of her work in promoting cultural...

Ep 158 Empowering Kindergartners: Jola Strayhorn's Journey to the Girl Scout Gold Award

Hearts Of Gold - Reflections from Gold Award Girl Scouts

Jola created an engaging video aimed at teaching kindergartners essential classroom behaviors, which she identified as a need due to the social challenges faced by children during the pandemic. We discussed the research she conducted on the impact of the pandemic on young children, particularly regarding social anxiety and interaction skills. Jola shared her experiences working with her family friend’s nieces, who starred in the video, and the challenges she faced during the filming and editing process. She emphasized the importance of patience and perseverance, especially when navigating...

Ep 157 Shay Roy-Lewis Her Art Exhibit: Art, Advocacy, and Achievement

Hearts Of Gold - Reflections from Gold Award Girl Scouts

Shay shares insights into her impactful Gold Award project, an art exhibition held at the Overture Center for the Arts. The exhibit aimed to raise awareness about mental health among teenage girls in a positive light, showcasing the strength and creativity of young women artists from the Madison and Dane County area. Shay discusses her motivation to present mental health discussions more positively and highlights the submission process that led to the selection of 16 unique artists. The episode also touches on the themes explored in the artwork, including culture and sexual identity, and the...

Ep 156 Marly Barnett: Transforming Spaces: The Making of a Children's Art Gallery

Hearts Of Gold - Reflections from Gold Award Girl Scouts

Marley shares her inspiring journey of curating and developing a children's art gallery in partnership with the Southwest Art Gallery and Science Center. At just 16 years old, Marley embarked on this project to provide art-related opportunities for kids in her community in North Dakota, where such resources were scarce. She discusses her passion for art as a self-taught artist, the need she identified in her community, and how her collaboration with the Southwest Art Gallery, which shares her mission, facilitated the creation of this new space. Marley reflects on her experience as a volunteer...

Ep 155 Building Connections Through Letters: Hannah Crawley’s Girl Scout Gold Award Journey

Hearts Of Gold - Reflections from Gold Award Girl Scouts

Imagine a world where friendships are built one letter at a time. That’s exactly what Hannah Crawley created with her Girl Scout Gold Award project—a nationwide pen pal program connecting Girl Scouts across the U.S. and even Japan. At a time when social media dominated communication, Hannah brought back the magic of handwritten letters, fostering deeper connections and lifelong friendships. Now serving in the military, Hannah reflects on how this project not only strengthened her communication skills but also prepared her for a future where letters remain a vital link. She shares the...

Ep 154 Honoring Amanda Blake’s Legacy Through the Gold Award

Hearts Of Gold - Reflections from Gold Award Girl Scouts

Full transcription available on Cee-Cee Deslaurier-Tate about her incredible Girl Scout Gold Award project, which honors the legacy of Amanda Blake, best known as Miss Kitty from Gunsmoke. Cee-Cee dedicated over 1,000 hours to creating a documentary highlighting Amanda’s conservation work, including her efforts to save endangered cheetahs and launch the first no-kill animal shelter in Arizona. Through extensive research, interviews, and a fundraising initiative, Cee-Cee has helped preserve Amanda’s impact on wildlife conservation. She shares how her passion for the Old West and...

Ep 153 Makayla Hoefs' "Coding for Cookies" Project

Hearts Of Gold - Reflections from Gold Award Girl Scouts

# Full transcription available at [heartsofgoldpodcast.com](http://heartsofgoldpodcast.com/) ## Episode Summary Makayla Hoefs shares the inspiring story behind her Girl Scout Gold Award project, *"Coding for Cookies."* This innovative initiative bridges Girl Scouts and robotics, offering young girls hands-on STEM experiences through engaging events. Makayla discusses how her project evolved, collaborating with the Minnesota and Wisconsin Lakes & Pines Council, and making the program sustainable for future generations. Listen to hear about the impact she's made, the challenges...

Ep 152 Montserrat Hidalgo - Environmental Justice Through the Gold Award

Hearts Of Gold - Reflections from Gold Award Girl Scouts

In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Montserrat Hidalgo, a recent high school graduate and environmental justice advocate. Montserrat shares her journey from Girl Scout Gold Award recipient to an emerging leader in her community. Learn how her project tackled urban heating and environmental racism in South East Los Angeles, the collaborative research that fueled her work, and the global connections she forged. About Our Guest: Montserrat Hidalgo is a recent graduate of South Gate High School and will be attending Williams College in the fall to double major in Environmental Studies and...

136B Isabel Santiago Reyes - Follow up from Sangam India World Center visit

Hearts Of Gold - Reflections from Gold Award Girl Scouts

This bonus episode has Isabel popping in to share her experience from her trip to the Sangam World Center in India.

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About Our Guest:
Montserrat Hidalgo is a recent graduate of South Gate High School and will be attending Williams College in the fall to double major in Environmental Studies and Biology. She has been a Girl Scout from 5th grade through 12th grade and completed her Gold Award by addressing urban heating and environmental racism in South East Los Angeles.

As a passionate environmental justice advocate, Montserrat founded Youth Action!, an environmental justice club at her high school. She also collaborated with Communities for a Better Environment (cbecal.org), a statewide environmental justice organization, to conduct NASA-funded research with UC Irvine and Chapman University on hot spots, air quality, and green spaces in South East LA. This groundbreaking work not only laid the foundation for her Gold Award project but also connected her with a global network of changemakers.

Key Takeaways from This Episode:

The Inspiration: How Montserrat's experiences in South East LA motivated her to tackle environmental justice issues.
The Gold Award Project: The impact of her work addressing urban heating and environmental racism and how it serves as a model for others.
Youth Leadership: How she founded Youth Action! and collaborated with key organizations to make a difference.
Actionable Advice: Tips for youth and community members looking to create meaningful environmental change.

Links and Resources Mentioned in the Episode:

Communities for a Better Environment: cbecal.org
Learn more about the Girl Scout Gold Award: girlscouts.org/en/our-program/highest-awards/gold-award.html
For more information about NASA-funded research: nasa.gov

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