With the help of the staff at Friends in Deed and other volunteers, Erica distributed food, toys and other donations to 200 families on December 21, 2006. Friends in Deed donated surplus food and presents to Union Station and the Pasadena Civil Services.

Through this project, Erica learned that things do not always go as planned. She learned to appreciate what she has, to be happy with her life, and to take advantage of all the opportunities she has been given.

Erica is currently a senior at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy. She is involved in her school’s senior dance company, Saltatrix, and is a member of various clubs at school such as Students Against Drunk Driving, California Scholarship Federation, and National Honor Society. 

She has volunteered over 100 hours at Camp Max Straus, a local camp for inner city kids, located in La Crescenta. She enjoys working at the Rose Bowl Aquatics Center teaching children how to swim. Throughout high school, she has been on the Varsity Water Polo and Swim Teams.

Erica would like to thank her mom and co-leader Mary Davis, and her other co-leader Janet Braun, for motivating her to complete her project. She would also like to thank Calando, Arrowhead, Insert, and all other supporters for their generous contributions. She would especially like to thank Charlene Albee for overseeing her project and helping her achieve her Gold Award.

Christina is currently the Vice President of the California Scholarship Federation at Immaculate Heart High School, where she is a junior. She has received the Scholar-Athlete Award every year since freshman year, which is awarded to students with a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or higher.  As a member of the Varsity Basketball Team, Christina was named MVP.  She is also a member of the Spanish National Honor Society and was Winter Formal Princess her freshman year.  Christina was also selected to be one of six leaders for her upcoming senior Kairos retreat.

An active Girl Scout, Christina has received the I Live My Faith Award, the Marian Award, Bronze Award, Silver Award, and now the Gold Award.

Christina plans to major in psychology and sociology in college.  She hopes to one day be a social worker and work with juvenile delinquents.  She also would like to work in the Peace Corps in either South America or Africa.  After she retires from social work, she wants to travel and see the world.

Christina would like to thank her parents for always supporting her in her endeavors, both inside and outside of Girl Scouting.  She would also like to thank her devoted and dedicated leader, Mrs. Patti Brugman, for her ten years of caring support.   

Robyn created a dichotomous key to teach children how to differentiate between insects and how to classify them. With magnifying glasses and insect specimens, Robyn spent a weekend teaching museum guests the different parts of the insects, insect behaviors and adaptations of local insects.

Robyn is a senior at Flintridge Preparatory School where she has been an active participant in many school plays and musicals. When she is not participating in Girl Scouts, she enjoys volunteering at the Natural History Museum, painting, sketching, playing the piano and dancing. 

Robyn would like to thank everyone who helped her achieve her Gold Award, including Robin Savoian, Julie McAdam, Brent Karner, Joe Maggio, the Gallery Interpreters, and especially, James Clark.

She used nine 6-foot tall pieces of cardboard and displayed the information—history, basic beliefs, religious text, traditions—along with pictures and symbols. She brought the exhibit to the Harvest Market so that many people from various backgrounds would see it and get a brief overview of major world religions, enhancing their understanding of them and the people who practice them.

Kathleen believes that the greater the community’s understanding of various religions practiced, the more tolerant they will be of the differences.

In addition to Girl Scouts, Kathleen is a member of the Nichiren Buddhist organization, Soka Gakkai International, where she has held various youth leadership positions. She also writes for the Brandeis University newspaper, The Hoot, and interned for the Crescenta Valley Sun.

She received the Justice Brandeis full-tuition scholarship at Brandeis University and the Los Angeles Times Student Journalism Scholarship. In addition to various local community awards, Kathleen also received the Crescenta Valley High School English award.

Kathleen loves studying Buddhism, literature, feminism and radical politics. She hopes to major in Sociology and Women’s Studies, pursue a career in journalism, and one day change the world.

Kathleen would like to thank her mother, Kathy Quant, for being an amazing and wonderfully unconventional Girl Scout leader over the past eight years. From organizing Women’s Career Symposiums to teaching the girls how to change the oil in a car, Kathy helped the girls in Troop 213 become strong and independent women. Kathleen knows she could not have achieved all that she has without her mother’s guidance and support.

Nicole has been in Girl Scouts for 11 years, earning the Bronze, Silver, and now the Gold Award. She has had many exciting experiences including visiting Savannah, Georgia, the birthplace of Girl Scouts’ founder, and participating in the 22nd Annual Bridging Ceremony in San Francisco. Nicole was also honored to belong to the “Our Cabaña Troop,” which traveled to Mexico for two weeks.

Nicole is a sophomore at Nogales High School and is on the Junior Varsity Tennis Team. She is also involved with Venture Crew 443 in Covina and enjoys the excitement of being on a co-ed Crew. Currently, she is in training for a 55-mile trek this summer at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico.

Nicole would like to thank Ms. Asuncion Nogales of Emmanuel Health for all her help on the project. She would also like to thank her cousin, Christin Tobey, for helping with the challenge of negotiating the material she needed at the garment district and for getting it to fit in a Corolla.

Nicole would also like to thank the person that she has looked up to all these years -- her sister, Jodi Anne. Jodi was her advisor for the project and also her assistant leader. Lastly, Nicole would like to thank her parents Diane and Joe Franssen for their love, support and help throughout her scouting years and especially for being her leader.

She gained public awareness through press releases in newspapers, announcements in church bulletins and at masses, and letters to local Girl Scout troops.

In addition, she organized a presentation by the American Red Cross to educate the students at Santa Teresita on emergency preparedness. She also distributed educational materials for them to take home to their families.

Jacquelyn collected hundreds of emergency and first aid supplies, which she put into well-organized kits that included informational materials. As a result of her project, over 230 students and faculty will now have the necessary emergency supplies for their physical needs, as well as the information they need to appropriately respond in an emergency situation.

Through her project, she learned the importance of organization and planning. In addition, she discovered that she is a confident public speaker and a competent writer.

Jacquelyn is a senior at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy where she is a member of the Senior Dance Company, a school Ambassador, and a Senior Class Officer. In addition, she is a member of the National Honor Society, California Scholarship Federation, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honors, National Society of High School Scholars, and National Charity League.

Her project would not have been possible without the caring and generous support of her troop leader, Mrs. Karen Parks. She would also like to thank Cathy Sproule from the American Red Cross for all her generous time and assistance in making her project such a success.  

On December 23, 2006, Kristin hosted a Christmas party at Hillsides for all of the kids, with the help of several volunteers. In addition to receiving their stockings/gift bags and Christmas gifts, the children at Hillsides decorated 28 dozen Christmas cookies, made ornaments and key chains, watched “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” devoured Christmas goodies, and enjoyed the holiday festivities.

Kristin is a senior at Flintridge Preparatory School in La Cañada. She serves as the Senior Class President and has been active in student government throughout her four years in high school. She has played varsity soccer at Prep for 4 years, having recently served as Co-Captain and earning 1st team All Prep league honors.

Kristin has also been a member of the Debate Team at Prep, and was the Southern California Debate League Champion (Public Forum) in 2005 and Runner-up in 2006.  Kristin is a National Merit Finalist and a member of Cum Laude society. She is interested in studying history, government and/or politics in college.

Kristin would like to thank Laura Kelso at Hillsides for all of her help with this project; Reggie Ursetti and Susan Hodge, librarians at Prep; Leo Club; and all of the volunteers who helped make this project possible.

She would also like to thank her mom and co-leader, Janet Braun, and co-leader Mary Davis for all of the incredible adventures in Girl Scouts and their help with her Gold Award project.

Karen is currently attending The University of California, Irvine. She is a Public Relations Officer for the Golden Key International Honor Society and a member of the Communication Club.

She plans to major in Psychology and Social Behavior and to minor in Management and/or Film and Media.

During her high school years, Karen was the Chinese Club Vice President, an Assistant Girl Scout Troop Leader and an active member in Interact Community Service Club. Not only did Karen actively participate in many clubs at school, she was also on the Gabrielino Varsity Swim Team for four consecutive years.

Karen received the Girl Scout Silver Award in 2002 and completed her Gold Award last summer. Karen says that without the help of her mother, Aunty Connie, Deanne Aranda, Stephanie Verdugo, Terese Miller and all the helpful children from BRITE (Bridging Resources in Technology and Education), her project would not have been a success.  She wishes to thank them all for their time and assistance.