Building girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.
For Troop 60187 in Upper St. Clair, Girl Scout Cookie season is an opportunity to build skills and sisterhood not just among peers, but with younger Girl Scouts, too!
This Allegheny County troop has a yearly mentorship program where older Girl Scouts mentor a younger Girl Scouts Daisies and show them the ropes of cookie season. Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania spoke with Kara B., a Cadette who has spent two cookie seasons in the mentor program, and she had to tell you in her own words what the program means to her.
Be a Cookie Mentor This Year (It’s Fun!)
By: Kara B. Girl Scout Cadette
My name is Kara, and I am a Girl Scout Cadette with seven years of cookie-selling experience.
Two years ago, during the 2024 cookie season, I mentored a first-year Girl Scout Daisy who had never sold cookies. It was a fun experience, but also helpful, as most Girl Scout activities are. Me and my (temporary) apprentice went door-to-door in her neighborhood, alternating who sold cookies. I went first, to show her how it’s done, and then I let her try. When it was her turn, I gave her some tips, then stepped back to let her sell. Each time, she got more confident and better at answering questions. And each time, I was proud. In between the houses, I would give her more tips based on how things were going.
The second time I was a cookie mentor, I went with two Girl Scouts who live around the corner from me. They were nervous, and their troop leader asked if any experienced Girl Scouts would help them go door-to-door. Whenever I’m asked to help a younger girl, I agree. Teaching others helps me feel prepared and confident, too. And it’s not just Daisies who need some help. Brownies sometimes need guidance, or Juniors who are shy can benefit from going with a more outgoing friend to help them get some sales and build their courage up.
Lots of younger Girl Scouts are excited about the idea of a middle school or high school girl helping them learn the speaking skills they need, but sometimes, very few older girls sign up to be cookie mentors. Maybe they don’t have a lot of free time, or simply feel like they won’t enjoy going door-to-door like they used to when they were younger. But here’s the secret: helping someone else makes everything more fun! It feels great to know that I can teach things I learned when I was a younger Girl Scout, and that their troop will use cookie money to do many of the same activities that I remember doing with my troop.
I think that more older girls should offer to be cookie mentors—not just because it helps the younger Girl Scouts, but also because it helps us. It improves our leadership skills, and besides, going door-to-door is a lot more fun with a buddy. Even when it’s a younger buddy! Also, it will give you a sense of pride when you see that you helped someone else succeed. Some girls (me included) have confidence in their own skills, but don’t often get to feel the pride or impact of teaching someone else. Being a cookie mentor has been a great way for me to feel that pride, even though I’m still young, too.
If there’s not an official cookie mentor program in your service unit, consider this your sign to start one this year!
For Tanya Schwab, prioritizing her Girl Scouts has been the hallmark of her 15 years as a dedicated volunteer.
Tanya has been a volunteer since 2008, starting as a troop leader in Westmoreland County. She has been an associate cookie manager, associate service unit manager, and camp trainer.
She first signed up to volunteer as a troop leader for her daughters’ education. “I was looking for another opportunity to be able to educate them because I was doing traditional homeschooling. I thought that Girl Scouts would be an awesome way to be able to do that and do things in the community that go toward their homeschool education, and it definitely fulfilled a lot of that for my girls. I was just taking a lot of other Girl Scouts along with us as I was doing it with my own girls.”
For 15 years, she has always focused on the Girl Scouts. “My motto has been for all those years is ‘it’s all about the girls,’” she says.
Tanya continues to volunteer year after year because she sees how impactful her work is. Through her, the girls have learned how to lead and celebrate each other, and they have gotten comfortable with problem-solving.
“I will never forget the summer camp where I sat at a campfire with a leader. I remember her saying that for some of those girls in that troop, this was their summer vacation. Going away for 48 hours to summer camp was their vacation because their families couldn’t take them on a traditional summer vacation. Those are the moments you realize why you’re doing what you’re doing.” Tanya says. The magnitude of that moment really changed the way she thought about her role, and only encouraged her to make these experiences even better for her troop.
I remember the leaders and I got together, and I told them, ‘If we go home, we’re teaching these girls to quit.’ The weather was kind of rough for 24 hours, but we knew it wouldn’t be for the next 48 hours. I said, ‘I don’t really want to do that,’ and they were in agreement with me. And the rest of the trip was fine. The girls had a blast, and to this day, the stories they will tell you . . .
Tanya Schwab
Through troop camping trips, Tanya and her girls have had so many growing and leaning opportunities. They get to learn real-world skills based on their experience. Her favorite memory is of a camping trip to Assateague Island. “We had 23 or 24 of us. Our trip didn’t turn out the way we wanted it to because we had terrible weather and had to move things inland for a day. We got to see the horses, and thankfully, we had no run-ins with the horses eating our food. That was my favorite trip.” Tanya saw the stormy weather as a teaching opportunity for the Girl Scouts, keeping their character and growth in mind.
Tanya says that volunteering is nothing short of rewarding when she sees the Girl Scouts learn and grow. “Every volunteer needs to figure out what their niche is. There are so many ways an adult can help. It’s work, but it’s so much fun, and the awards you get from it, from seeing what the Girl Scouts accomplish, it’s great. It’s wonderful to see that,” she says.
Tanya’s strength and courage continue to inspire and encourage both Girl Scouts and fellow volunteers, and her impact on the Girl Scout community is truly felt throughout her community!
Leading Girl Scout strong in her first year as a volunteer, Jennifer Mooney loves giving back to her community!
In her first year as a Girl Scout troop leader, Jennifer Mooney has found her passion in community service and leadership. “It’s been a whirlwind of a year,” she says. Located in Clearfield County, Jennifer leads a multi-level group of Daisies and Brownies. Since completing her first year, she now has more confidence in her abilities to lead and teach her Girl Scout troop.
After her own year of growing and learning in leadership and experience, she has had the joy of seeing her Girl Scouts grow for their first times.
“They are definitely more outgoing, more confident in themselves. They’re really going out of their way to be helpful to each other and to others,” she recalls.
She wants to encourage other new volunteers to never give up, because it is very rewarding. “It takes a lot of energy and motivation and time,” but, she says, “I’m not a quitter.”
Her favorite memory is from Oct. 31, Girl Scout founder Juliette Gordon Low’s birthday. She remembers, “We made homemade ice cream to do that, along with a piñata. We just had a little birthday party at our troop level.” Her memory is as sweet as the homemade vanilla ice cream they made!
“They are definitely more outgoing, more confident in themselves. They’re really going out of their way to be helpful to each other and to others.”
Jennifer Mooney
To encourage her Girl Scouts to give back to the community, Jennifer has organized two meaningful troop projects this year. The first project this summer will be to improve the local cleanliness of one of Pennsylvania’s state parks. She says, “We are going to do a community service project at one of the state parks, where we are going to help them clean up for the spring and summer season.”
The second project is a community collection project to acquire donated supplies and toiletries and give them to local veterans. “There’s a VA clinic that we will be dropping the supplies off with,” she says. “In this day and age, it is so hard to find people to volunteer and give back to their community. That’s one thing that I hope I can get across to them. That’s so important,” she says about her Girl Scouts.
Jennifer enjoys giving back to her community. Through the Girl Scouts, she hopes that she can continue to teach her Girl Scouts a strong love for community service, too.
For more than 25 years, Angela Deemer has served as a troop leader with Girl Scouts. Her roles have included service unit manager for eight years and MagNut manager for her local troops. Currently, she leads three troops in Clearfield County.
Initially, she joined Girl Scouts because she wanted to bond with her daughters. “I had started whenever my daughters were little. I’m not a sporty kind of person. It was an extracurricular activity that I could do with them. And I have always believed in all of the Girl Scout values, and I wanted [my daughters] to experience them,” she says.
Angela spent quality time with her daughters through their Girl Scout troop’s experiences. When her two daughters were Cadettes, they made two trips to Washington, D.C., where they visited monuments, the Pentagon, and the White House. Angela says about her Girl Scouts, “They really understood a lot. There was a lot for them at the museums and fun things for them to see, but I think they did fully understand a lot of the monuments and the memorials and why they were there.”
It’s a very rewarding volunteer job to do. It’s rewarding to make a difference in a girl’s life.
—Angela Deemer
Angela’s advice for new volunteers is to work with the resources they have available in their county. For her county, she says, “We are in a rural community, so we don’t have all of the things they have in the big cities. The resources—whenever it tells you to do things for a badge—we don’t have those resources. I always say to them, as long as you do it with the badge in mind and with what we have available, that’s what matters. Do it in the spirit of the badge.”
As a service unit manager in a rural area, Angela organizes many of the Girl Scout events for the unit’s 10 troops. Together, their troops have yearly events, from lock-ins at the YMCA to Thanksgiving day meals to fishing fun days for Girl Scout families. She says, “We’ve tried to do anything the girls would have fun with.”
She recommends, “Have fun. Don’t stress over earning so many badges or doing everything the exact correct way.” Volunteers should “see what the girls like to do and do those things and just have fun,” she says.
After her more than 25 years with Girl Scouts, Angela says, “It’s a very rewarding volunteer job to do. It’s rewarding to make a difference in a girl’s life. I’ve even had a couple of [Girl Scouts] that I have their daughters now. It’s just nice to know that they look back at things with fond memories…just knowing you made a difference in somebody’s life.” Angela plans to continue making a difference in the lives of the next generation of Girl Scouts.
In Beaver County, Amanda Bradley is keeping Girl Scouting fun, girl-led, and engaging for her Girl Scouts!
Amanda Bradley has been a Girl Scout troop leader in Beaver County since 2015, and for nine years, she served in several service unit roles. For five years, she served as camp director for Awesome Pawsome Day Camp.
In 2015, Amanda joined Girl Scouts for her daughter. “I thought it would be something fun to do with my daughter.” She humorously adds, “And having an in-house cookie dealer was an added bonus.”
Her favorite thing about volunteering is “Watching the girls learn and grow throughout the years. It’s amazing how they have changed since they were five.”
“Spending time with my girls and watching them grow throughout the years has been the most rewarding experience of my life. And watching my daughter learn and grow based on what she has experienced in Girl Scouts has been priceless.”
—Amanda Bradley
Her favorite memory is from “Mommy and Me camp at Camp Redwing, summer 2016. It was so magical. A close second would be the Winter Memories camp at [Camp] Hawthorne Ridge.”
In her ten years of service, Amanda has overcome many struggles in her role as troop leader, but she has found that adapting to what the Girl Scouts want to do helps keep it interesting.
Amanda’s motto to “Keep it simple and focus on fun,” has preserved engagement in her troops. “If the girls have fun, they will never leave you,” she says.
She loves the opportunities of the Girl Scout program, and she hopes to teach her Girl Scouts an appreciation for the world and its potential. “I hope they have learned to see the world for all its possibilities. I always wanted to expose them to things they may never have had a chance to experience at home. I also hope they have learned how to take care of each other and our world in general.”
About her years in service, Amanda says, “Spending time with my girls and watching them grow throughout the years has been the most rewarding experience of my life. And watching my daughter learn and grow based on what she has experienced in Girl Scouts has been priceless. Becoming a troop leader has been one of the best decisions I have ever made, and I would make it again without a single hesitation.”
With a passion for curiosity, learning, and exploration, Kelley Hardie teaches her Greene County Girl Scouts a love for science!
Joining Girl Scouts as a volunteer in 2020, Kelley believed in the potential for Girl Scouts to take on the world of STEM. When Kelley’s daughter asked to join Girl Scouts during the COVID-19 pandemic, she saw the benefits that Girl Scouts had to offer. In her five years of volunteering, she has already seen her Girl Scouts grow and learn in many ways.
Kelley says, “Within a social context, Girl Scouts was an amazing benefit for my daughter because we started the troop in 2020. So during the global pandemic, when most kids were craving that socialization, especially in her young years of kindergarten, we were able to provide that in a group setting, and that was really, really meaningful.”
“Learning is fun. You learn every day. You can have many passions. You don’t just have to enjoy one thing. Your interests can be so vast, and that’s what makes you, you.”
—Kelley Hardie
Kelley credits her troop’s range of diverse events as the main reason for the growth of her Girl Scouts. “To see their leadership skills blossom, the way they communicate and interact with one another and with the other troop leaders, it’s been amazing. I think it’s because we don’t just focus on one area. We offer such a diverse set of educational learning opportunities and interests and skills. It piques their interests in different ways,” she says.
Many of those interests and skills are for the STEM fields. Her troop meets at Waynesburg University where Kelly is the Dean of Students. “We have the ability to have our chemistry instructors meet with the Girl Scouts . . . And talk with them about how science is important, not just wholistically but as a female, and what that means to enter this world of science.”
For Kelley, it is the experience of having hands-on learning that makes Girl Scout programs exciting for the troop. She says, “Those connections and relationships that they’re creating now are going to last forever. They’re always going to remember the first time that they were exposed to a university science lab. And meeting a university professor and being in awe at the experiments that they were able to create. That’s what’s meaningful. That’s what’s memorable.”
The experiences in STEM have lasted in the memories of her Girl Scouts, especially the science experiment that Kelley calls “The Screaming Gummy Bear,” when a science professor expanded the head of a gummy bear until the candy made a loud scream. “We did that program two years ago, and they still talk about the science experience today that they were able to recreate,” Kelley says.
Kelley wants every Girl Scout to be excited about learning. She explains, “Learning is fun. You learn every day. You can have many passions. You don’t just have to enjoy one thing. Your interests can be so vast, and that’s what makes you, you. We all have different interests, and we need to be open-minded to those different interests just to experience those things for the first time.”
Kelley looks forward to many more years with her daughter and her Girl Scout troop, watching them all grow, explore their interests, and find their passions. “And I am just so thankful that my daughter suggested this opportunity because she and I are able to share this experience together,” she concludes.
“Children are often not taught about mental health until their teenage years. My project is a step towards raising awareness and helping empower children to regulate their emotional well-being.” —Gold Award Girl Scout Devon McDonald
Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania would like to congratulate Devon McDonald, Gold Award Girl Scout of Allegheny County Troop 52242, who was selected as the recipient of the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) Gold Award Scholarship for our council! The GSUSA Gold Award Scholarship recognizes one outstanding Gold Award Girl Scout per council with a $5,000 academic scholarship, whose project demonstrated measurable and sustainable impact while addressing an issue of national and/or global significance.
Gold Award Girl Scout Devon McDonald, a recent graduate of Fox Chapel Area High School, earned her Gold Award for her project “Big Feelings Story Time: Social-Emotional Learning Curriculum.”
Devon’s project focused on introducing children and families to mental health education at a young age to combat the stigma surrounding the global issue. She created a social-emotional curriculum called “Big Feelings Story Time” to educate children and their caregivers about mental health issues and ways of coping through story times, activities, and take-home materials, and to open discussions between families.
Devon chose her project because she saw a need to educate children about mental health at a younger age. “Children are often not taught about mental health until their teenage years. My project is a step towards raising awareness and helping empower children to regulate their emotional well-being.”
Her outreach efforts had a large impact on her local community. Her curriculum has been adopted by several organizations, including the Laurie Ann West Community Center in O’Hara Township, the Cooper Siegel Community Library in Fox Chapel, the Hampton Township School District, and the Riverview School District.
Devon presented her project at our Awards of Distinction event celebrating diverse leadership of women and Girl Scouts across our council.
She accepted her scholarship via video at our 2025 Gold Award Ceremony.
Congratulations, Devon, on your remarkable achievement and for serving as a role model to Girl Scouts everywhere!
If you are interested in implementing Devon’s curriculum, you can download it below!
The Adult Award Review Committee has the distinct privilege of reviewing nominations for the exceptional volunteers who serve as the backbone of our organization. The committee meticulously assesses each recommendation, and the board approves the nominations for the adult awards, including the President’s Award, Appreciation Pin, Honor Pin, and Thanks I & II Badge. Congratulations to our 2025 Adult Award recipients!
President’s Award Recipients The President’s Award recognizes the efforts of a service delivery team or committee whose exemplary service in support of delivering the Girl Scout Leadership Experience surpassed team goals and resulted in significant, measurable impact toward reaching the council’s overall goals.
Morning StarService Unit 2647(Sabra Richart, Lori Little, Deborah Malley, Jamie Marcotte, Tami Lenhard, Anne Stanton, Shannon Robertson, Kristen Clarke, Denise Schenck, Laura Obyc, Jackie Alabran, Jessica Repp, and Tabatha Mill)
The Morning Star service unit team has made a profound impact on Girl Scouts, their families, and troop leaders by fostering engagement, leadership, and community involvement. Through strategic planning and teamwork, they have exceeded goals related to leader attendance, training opportunities, event planning, and membership retention, even overcoming post-COVID challenges. Their dedication has enhanced the Girl Scout Leadership Experience by providing diverse programs, leadership opportunities, and an inclusive, supportive environment for all Girl Scouts. By increasing community visibility and retaining Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts, the team has demonstrated outstanding commitment to the growth and sustainability of the service unit.
Trefoil Day Camp(Kelly Bonomo, Angela Reda, Holly Swogger, Katelyn Connors, Kelsey Marsh, Alyssa Dukes, Sally Schlieper, Jordan Latchaw, Laura Anderson, Heidi Smith, Decwin Waite, Christine Preston, Jean Sankey, Jo Ann Messett, Katherine Shaffer, Karrie Johnson, and Muncie Canon)
Following a 50-year tradition, this dedicated team has created a lasting impact on Girl Scouts attending day camp, providing opportunities to earn badges, develop leadership skills, and build lasting friendships. The team fosters growth by guiding Program Aides through a year-long planning process, ensuring they gain hands-on leadership experience before mentoring younger campers. Additionally, through strong community partnerships and outreach, they have expanded Girl Scout traditions, connected service units, and enriched the lives of hundreds of girls. Their commitment to the Girl Scout Leadership Experience empowers girls to progress from campers to confident leaders, shaping the next generation of strong, capable women.
Northern Cambria Service Unit 5912(Caroyln Ludwig, Jodi Nealen, Kim Laverick, Mandy Smith, Stephanie Sheesley, Kayla Knapik, Adele Rieger-McCombie, Carrie Lute, and Nicole Farabaugh)
The Northern Cambria service unit team has significantly enhanced Girl Scouts, their families, and the community by promoting leadership, engagement, and service. Their dedication has led to increased leader participation, valuable trainings, and expanded event opportunities for Girl Scouts. Focused on community visibility and membership retention, especially among Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts, they have strengthened the service unit. By embracing the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, they continue to provide inclusive, girl-led opportunities that empower young leaders and support the program’s long-term success.
Thanks Badge I Recipients The Thanks Badge is the highest honor in Girl Scouts. It honors a registered adult Girl Scout whose ongoing commitment, leadership, and service have had an exceptional, measurable impact on meeting the mission-delivery goals and priorities of the entire council or the entire Girl Scout Movement.
To receive this award, volunteers reach beyond their local Girl Scout communities to serve as pillars in Girl Scouting. Their presence and impact can be felt throughout the council.
Darlene Brown Darlene has made a significant impact on Girl Scouts at every level, serving as a troop leader, co-service unit manager, day camp director, and mentor, among many other roles. She has been instrumental in outdoor training, camp programming, and recruitment efforts, helping to increase membership and provide valuable opportunities for girls and volunteers across the council. Her dedication extends to her work as part of the Troop Mentor Network, where she offers guidance and support to volunteers, ensuring the success of Girl Scouts in her community and beyond. Darlene’s commitment to the Girl Scout mission, along with her tireless volunteer efforts, truly exemplifies the spirit of Girl Scouting.
Mary Ann McSwigan Mary Ann has dedicated 42 years to serving Girl Scouts, providing valuable leadership and support to both girls and adults. She has been instrumental in maintaining the stability and success of her service unit, offering training to her service unit and beyond, event coordination, and she serves as a strong voice in council meetings. Her role on the Adult Awards Committee and as a valued delegate further reflects her commitment to recognizing and supporting others in the Girl Scout community. Mary Ann’s kindness, wisdom, and ability to empower others embody the spirit of sisterhood and make her a treasured member of the Girl Scout family. This recognition is long overdue, and we are so grateful to Mary Ann.
Thanks Badge II Recipients The Thanks Badge II recognizes a previous Thanks Badge recipient who has continued to provide exemplary service in a leadership role significantly above and beyond the call of duty, resulting in a measurable impact that benefits the entire Girl Scout Movement.
To receive this award, volunteers reach beyond their local Girl Scout communities to serve as pillars in Girl Scouting. Their presence and impact can be felt throughout the council.
Janet Kovacs Janet has made a profound impact on Girl Scouts throughout the council with her dedication to both girls and adult volunteers across various levels. She has served as a camp volunteer, trip chaperone, event organizer, and leader, providing guidance, safety, and support to countless Girl Scouts and leaders. Janet’s involvement extends beyond her service unit, as she participates in several council-wide committees, including as a national delegate and a council trainer. She is always willing to help with kindness and enthusiasm.
Amy Miehl Amy’s dedication to Girl Scouts extends across all levels, impacting both girls and adult volunteers throughout Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania. She plays a vital role in mentoring girls through the Gold and Silver Award Committees, training Program Aides, organizing service unit events, and stepping in wherever extra support is needed. Her leadership in planning service unit events, camp programs, and adult engagement opportunities ensures a thriving and connected Girl Scout community. With her patient kindness, inclusivity, and unwavering commitment, Amy exemplifies what it means to be a true sister to every Girl Scout.
Honor Pin Recipients The Honor Pin recognizes an individual’s exemplary service in support of delivering the Girl Scout Leadership Experience, which has had a measurable impact on two or more geographic areas of service, allowing the council to reach and surpass its mission-delivery goals.
To receive this award, volunteers must go outside their own service unit and support others. Sometimes, this is accomplished by mentoring Gold Award candidates. Other times, it’s by offering much-needed training to volunteers.
Kimberly McCullough Kimberly has made a profound impact in the Indiana service unit and beyond, serving as a troop leader for multiple troops and as the day camp director of the Blue Spruce Day Camp. She has ensured the continuation of troops, provided leadership through various service unit events, and coordinated a well-organized day camp that serves girls and volunteers from across several service units and even out of state. Kimberly’s dedication to creating rewarding experiences for girls and her commitment to fostering leadership skills in older Girl Scouts exemplify her role as a true sister to every Girl Scout.
Amy Roth Amy is a passionate Girl Scout volunteer who wears many hats, including troop leader, troop cookie manager, and outdoor skills training council trainer. Through her leadership, certifications, and unwavering support, she impacts not only her own troop but also countless girls, volunteers, and council members, embodying the spirit of Girl Scouting with her positivity, mentorship, and commitment to lifelong learning and adventure.
Appreciation Pin Recipients
The Appreciation Pin recognizes an individual’s exemplary service in support of delivering the Girl Scout Leadership Experience. This service, which has had a measurable impact on one geographic area of service, helps reach and surpass the mission-delivery goals of the area.
Christine Jordan Sarah Shaffer Nicole Yaroscak Carrie Fascetti Kayla Gabbard Andrea Shultz Tammy Fogle Rita Schrekengost Greg Hill Alexandra Steenbergen Maryjean Letham Dianna Morris Jenna Smith Jesse Kimmel-Freeman Elizabeth Glowczewski Lauren Lazzari Elizabeth Farley Laura Anderson Misty Parshall Amber Matteo Donna Faraone Elizabeth Hulings Caroline Lascek Megan Myers
Congratulations to all of our 2025 Adult Award recipients!
Our annual Awards of Distinction event, held this year on May 14, 2025, at the Carnegie Science Center, celebrates women who exemplify excellence in leadership throughout our council’s region, as well as the accomplishments of two Gold Award Girl Scouts who received the honors of Girl Scout Humanitarian and Girl Scout of Distinction.
Gold Award Girl Scout Nickjay Saini, a high school senior at Peters Township High School, accepted the award for the 2025 Girl Scout of Distinction for her project: STEM for All.
Nickjay taught science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) concepts to children ranging from first to seventh grade. Her goal was to enhance STEM awareness in communities that have historically been underserved. She partnered with the University of Pittsburgh’s community engagement centers at two locations in the Hill District to offer classes for children during the fall and spring semesters.
With the support of her FIRST Robotics Competition team, Girls of Steel, Nickjay used LEGO blocks and the FIRST LEGO League curriculum to create an engaging and fun learning experience while introducing students to key engineering principles. Her classes allowed students to dive into the concepts of simple machines, such as gears and pulleys, and robotics. Through her dedication, Nickjay left a lasting impact on each student, inspiring them to pursue further STEM opportunities.
Even after completing her Gold Award project, she continues to devote her time to teaching children STEM. She is planning to attend the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign with a major in computer engineering.
“This project was a one-of-a-kind experience that opened up opportunities for me to grow as a person. I developed leadership skills that serve me well in everyday life.” —Nickjay Saini
Gold Award Girl Scout Katie Jankowski, a graduate of Canon-McMillan High School, accepted the award for the 2025 Girl Scout Humanitarian for her project: Paws for a Cause with Rosey.
Katie designed a three-fold pamphlet and “Service Dogs welcome” window clings to be displayed in business windows all over Canonsburg and surrounding areas. She visited and talked to the local businesses to spread awareness and to help educate on service dog access issues that handlers are facing in today’s society.
At a young age, Katie was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and had a very difficult time in school and being out in her community. With these struggles, Katie asked her parents for a service dog, and with some research and lots of training, a German Shepherd dog named Rosey became a part of her world.
Little did Katie know how challenging getting a service dog into public places would be, how much the public was unaware of the Americans with Disability Act, and the access issues she and her service dog would face throughout her daily life. However, Katie found the strength inside her through her service dog to face the world with a different perspective, knowing that Rosey would always be there to get her through her life with ASD.
Girl Scouts was one of the first places that Katie felt her service dog could go and they were finally accepted. The leadership and responsibility Katie learned through Girl Scouts will never be replaced.
Katie has always had a love for giving back, including completing over six hundred volunteer hours a year since she was six years old. She has received many Presidential Awards, as well as many volunteer awards. Along with her Girl Scout Gold Award, she has also earned her Bronze Award and her Silver Award through Girl Scouts. Katie has been a member of the National Honor Society and president of her 4-H Club. She also served on the Junior Fair Board for Washington County. She is an active member in her 4-H Club where she mentors young children, and remains very active with Girl Scouts, where she is now a volunteer, passing on her skills to the next generation. Currently, Katie is working toward a degree in criminal justice with a minor in psychology at PennWest California University. She hopes to one day earn her master’s degree and work as a probation officer with a K-9.
“Life growing up with autism was not easy, but being a Girl Scout brought some of my fondest memories. As I look into my future, I hope to make many more memories as a lifetime member. Girl Scouts has helped me be resilient, fearless, and a good role model. Being a Girl Scout for over thirteen years has also taught me so many core principles, such as honesty, compassion, fairness, and respect for others as well as myself. Girl Scouts also taught me to be a strong leader and to love myself for who I am.”—Katie Jankowski
We were honored to celebrate these outstanding Gold Award Girl Scouts along with our 2025 Women of Distinction honorees. Congratulations on your achievements,Nickjayand Katie!
For more information about this year’s event and honorees, please visit gswpa.org/aod.
Respect, honesty, and consideration—it’s the Girl Scout way for Gail Barrett!
Gail Barret has been a Girl Scout member for more than 50 years, starting as a Girl Scout in first grade. She has served as a day camp director, service unit director, troop leader, delegate, and council member for 14 years. She is the second member in a three-generation family of volunteers. Her mother served in Girl Scouts, Gail serves now, and Gail’s daughter is the third-generation Girl Scout volunteer also serving now as a cookie manager.
Gail has many stories to tell after her more than 50 years with Girl Scouts. “I’ve got so many of them,” she says. “We went on a hike one time, and it was Nelson Ledges, where they have lots of the rock foundations. We got one of our leaders stuck up on a rock trying to get her down. That was pretty funny.”
Being a part of a generational Girl Scout family, Gail enjoys seeing other generations of Girl Scouts in her troops. She says her favorite part about Girl Scouts is “to see how Girl Scouts that have come up through the Girl Scout program now have their kids and their grandkids coming up through the program. I think that’s good for Girl Scouts, to see how it’s going on through the generations.”
“Live as a Girl Scout would live. Respect, honesty, consideration—those are all right there in the Girl Scout Law.”
Gail Barrett
Gail is honest with new volunteers who need her guidance. She says, “I don’t lie to new volunteers. It’s not a one-hour-a-week job. It takes some commitment because you know you’ve got to get the program right. I try not to sugar coat it because it is a commitment to do it if you want to do it right. The main thing is to have fun and don’t stress yourself out. I have fun. I tell people if I don’t have fun, I don’t usually get involved in it.”
She lives by the motto of her three values: “I always tell everybody—family, church, Girl Scouts. You live by those three things, you’re going down the right path.”
Gail is passionate about teaching the Girl Scout Promise and Law to her Girl Scouts. She believes Girl Scout values can teach and shape the future of every Girl Scout who joins the program. She says, “Live as a Girl Scout would live. Respect, honesty, consideration—those are all right there in the Girl Scout Law.”
Gail Barrett continues to teach each Girl Scout to uphold the honor of the Girl Scout Law, and she believes that the Girl Scout values will have lasting effects on each Girl Scout’s life.
GSWPA 