Girl Scouts San Diego hailed the leadership and community service achievements of local Girl Scouts at its recent annual Gold Award ceremony at the Joe and Vi Jacobs Center. Recipients included Carmen Amon and Bianca Hernandez.

    National City resident Carmen, daughter of Maria and Patrick Amon has been a member of Girl Scout Troop 5906 for 12 years. For her Gold Award project, “Seeing Red,” Carmen created a video to educate teens about peer pressure and depression. Carmen is an incoming senior at Health Sciences High and Middle College.

    “Teenagers and young adults are bombarded with good and bad influences. There are friends they can count on, and others who lead them down the wrong path. My video helped people understand how this emotional tug-of-war is part of everyone’s shared experience,” said Carmen.

    Bianca designed her Gold Award project, “Preemie Care Packages,” as a resource for families. “I’ve always had a soft heart when it comes to children. My brother, Ivan, was born 12 years ago as a premature baby. He has overcome many health difficulties, and today is 100 percent healthy. I wanted to do something to show my gratitude and provide comfort to premature babies and their parents and siblings,” said Bianca. The Chula Vista resident is the daughter of Eliseo and Monica Hernandez, and a member of the High Tech High Class of 2012. She has been a member of Girl Scout Troop 5152 for ten years.

    The Girl Scout Gold Award – Girl Scouting’s highest honor – recognizes the leadership, effort, and positive impact girls in grades 9-12 have on their communities. Each recipient spends two to three years completing a seven-step process that includes exploring career interests, colleges, internships and jobs. It culminates when the girl plans, executes and evaluates a major service project based on a personal passion that addresses the needs of a specific community.

    “As I shook the hands of the awardees, I marveled over how they poured their hearts, time and talents into their projects, said Jo Dee C. Jacob, chief executive officer of Girl Scouts San Diego. “These amazing leaders-in-the-making joined the elite 5.4 percent of Girl Scout Gold Award recipients nationwide – to the great benefit of the communities they serve.”

    Those who benefited from the Gold Award recipients’ projects included children who discovered the joy of dance, art, and music, along with the fun side of math, science, reading, and healthy living; organizations preserving culture, history, serving veterans, and protecting the environment and wildlife; families in the midst of medical crises, homelessness and trauma recovery; senior citizens who got to share treasured photos, recipes and stories; and individuals whose lives will be saved by workshop participants who learned self-defense, earthquake safety and first aid. Other projects promoted inclusive environments and individual confidence.