Carolina Quinones joins the podcast to share the story of her Girl Scout Gold Award project, which set out to combat chronic absenteeism by addressing a lack of laundry resources for students in New York City. When faced with a massive $150,000 structural roadblock to install washing machines at her school, Carolina refused to give up on her passion for the community. Instead, she pivoted her project to raise funds and research cost-effective alternatives, ultimately creating 74 comprehensive laundry care packages for students living in temporary housing. Packed with essentials like laundry sheets, dryer balls, and fabric refresher spray, her project directly supported local families while raising awareness about the unseen connection between clean clothes and school attendance.

More from Carolina:

My name is Carolina Quinones. I am 18 years old, and a Senior at Fontbonne Hall Academy, a small, all girls Catholic high school in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. I am also a Girl Scout and have been since kindergarten. Girl Scouts has given me the opportunity to participate in so many rewarding programs, such as the Journey for Justice destination. I am also a recipient of the Girl Scout Silver Award and Girl Scout Gold Award. For my Girl Scout Silver Award project in 9th grade; I worked to create a small library for students at my former middle school. I most recently earned my Girl Scout Gold Award. My project combated chronic absenteeism rooted in a lack of access to laundry resources. I am also chairperson of my school's DEI club and president/founder of Speech and Debate Club. I am pursuing my passion for advocacy as a political science major in Canada with the hopes of one day being elected into a position which will allow me to enact change on a greater scale and help more people.

Following the tragic loss of her brother and a total breakdown of communication during a severe hurricane in Fairview, 14-year-old Chloe Button dedicated her Girl Scout Gold Award project to building community resilience. She assembled waterproof natural disaster packs containing radios, chargers, flashlights, and maps of Fairview and North Carolina, distributing them to local churches and fire stations. To ensure the project's success, Chloe attended classes to earn her own official radio certification, providing her community with a reliable way to call for help and coordinate mutual aid when power grids and cell towers fail.

More from Chloe:

I am a Freshman at AC Reynolds HS of Asheville. I have been a Girl Scout since kindergarten in GSCP2P. I successfully completed my Girl Scout Gold Award by developing "Communication Disaster Packs" with an action plan to assist my local fire stations and churches through any future natural disaster. During the course of my project I also became licensed by the FCC for Amateur and GMRS radio communications. I am currently ranked 3rd in NC State for Marksmanship through the American Legion and JROTC and CMP programs in the sporter class. I also raise chickens and placed 3rd at the WNC State Fair in 2025. Last, I am a 3 time Youth Fishing Champion for Biltmore Estate. After HS graduation in 2029 I hope to earn my Bachelors in Criminal Justice and Forensic Anthropology with a minor in Psychology then pursue a career as a Crime Scene Investigator.

Full transcript available on SubStack: https://substack.com/@sherylmrobinson

Nazeefa Loladia earned her Girl Scout Gold Award by designing a multi-layered project to address the digital divide. Locally, she organized an electronics donation drive that collected nearly $5,000 in devices for the Atlanta nonprofit Inspiredu to refurbish and distribute to underserved communities. She expanded her project's global impact by partnering with Leap to Shine, a sister organization in India, where she created 15 educational video tutorials to teach children and instructors how to navigate the newly provided tablets and academic software. Additionally, Nazeefa addressed community technology needs by leading cybersecurity and basic coding workshops that successfully educated 100 elementary and middle school students.

More from Nazeefa:

I've been a proud Girl Scout for the past nine years, earning my Bronze, Silver, and now Gold Award. Through Girl Scouts, I've developed a strong passion for leadership and community service, which has been recognized through honors like Council Woman of Distinction and a council scholarship. In high school, I've stayed actively involved in student council, National Spanish Honor Society, National Honor Society, DECA, and several marketing internships, all of which have helped shape my interest in business. While I haven't committed to a college yet, I plan to major in business and continue building on the leadership and service skills Girl Scouts has given me.

https://www.instagram.com/digitallaccess/