Area Scouts Earn Gold For Projects

Four Windward girls are among the Hawaii Girl Scouts who earned their Gold Award in 2013, recognized April 27 for projects that changed their communities. They are (front, from left) Alyssa Lau, Dayna Sur, Taylor Weston, Kayla Suganuma, Allexandria Blacksmith, Virginia Rhodes, Cori Yoshida, Chase Suehiro, (back) Alanna Simao, Dana Miyashiro, Corin Thornburg, Erin Yim and Kaila Wang. Photo from Girl Scouts of Hawaii.

Four Windward area Girl Scouts are among 15 to earn their Gold Award this year. A ceremony this spring acknowledged their role in changing the world around them.

Kailua teen Alanna Simao’s project, “Sharing Shelves,” promoted literacy by stocking shelves with books at the Windward Spouse Abuse Shelter and at IHS. Three Kaneohe Girl Scouts also were recognized for their Gold Award projects: Alyssa Lau for “Early Breast Cancer De’Duck’tion,” Kayla Suganuma for “Make a Difference – Special Olympics,” and Dayna Sur for “More Than Just a Game.” Pearl City Girl Scout Corin Thornburg, a student at Le Jardin Academy, completed the project, “Hydroponic Taro Garden,” which involved constructing it at Le Jardin and teaching her school-mates how to run and maintain it.

“The projects have shown that girls and young women today can accomplish anything they set their minds to,” said Candice Naito, senior vice president of First Hawaiian Bank and former Girl Scouts of Hawaii board member. (The bank’s foundation supported the Gold Award process with a $10,000 grant.)

Other Gold winners are Cori Yoshida (Helping Buddies for VIP Players), Erin Yim (Children’s Justice Center Support Books), Taylor Weston (PB&J Awareness Program), Kaila Wang (Adopt-a-Veteran), Chase Suehiro (Hawaii 5210 ‘Go!’ Kits for Breakfast), Erica Sampaga (Swim Teams), Virginia Rhodes (Tsunami Safety for Seniors), Dana Miyashiro (Mural of Hope), Alyssa Liem (Transforming Young Lives with Mentoring) and Allexandria Blacksmith (To Give Back Around the World).

“The award provides an extraordinary opportunity for young women to contribute to the community while developing leadership skills,” added board chairwoman Lori Lum.

Each awardee had to devote at least 60 hours to their project, which “must create measurable and sustainable change in the community.”