Gold Award Winners. {GSSEF}
Four local Girl Scouts from Parkland and Coral Springs have earned the prestigious Gold Award, the highest recognition a Girl Scout senior or ambassador can achieve.
Parkland residents Eliani Carr-Betts, Maha Siddiqui, and Emma Solsona, along with Coral Springs resident Ava Palazzolo, were honored for creating innovative, lasting projects that address pressing issues in their communities. The Gold Award is reserved for scouts in grades 9 through 12 who demonstrate exceptional leadership, problem-solving skills, and a commitment to creating sustainable change.
Eliani Carr-Betts: Raising Awareness of Human Trafficking
Tula Hudson, Sheena Kelly, Gold Award Girl Scout Eliani Carr-Betts, CEO Lisa Johnson. {GSSEF}
Carr-Betts launched “Awareness of Human Trafficking in Broward County” to educate youth on how to protect themselves from exploitation. Broward County ranks second in Florida for human trafficking cases. Her work included managing a social media campaign, organizing the 2023 and 2024 A21 Walks for Freedom, and partnering with organizations such as Polaris, A21, and the Nancy J. Cotterman Center. She also worked with Broward County RISE Court to provide self-esteem-building resources for at-risk girls and led educational presentations throughout the community.
Maha Siddiqui: Supporting Teen Mental Health
Mahreen Siddiqui and Golf Award Girl Scout Maha Siddiqui {GSSEF}
In the wake of the 2018 Parkland school shooting and a rising mental health crisis among Florida teens, Siddiqui developed “Rediscover Your Mind: Anxiety and Depression in Teenagers.” The project included a website with professional resources, blog posts, and videos created in collaboration with a licensed psychiatrist. Within two weeks, the site attracted more than 140 visitors, with the vast majority reporting that it had improved their understanding of mental health.
Emma Solsona: Promoting Mindfulness in Schools
Gold Award Girl Scout Emma Solsona {GSSEF}
Solsona created “Minds Matter,” a school club focused on mindfulness and stress management. Monthly meetings featured peer discussions, interactive exercises and coping strategies. She also introduced “Brain Bins” filled with fidget toys to help students stay calm and focused. To ensure the project’s sustainability, she trained younger students to lead the club and launched a website to guide others in starting new chapters.
Ava Palazzolo: Empowering Girls With Power Tools
Aaron Palazzolo and Gold Award Girl Scout Ava Palazzolo. {GSSEF}
Palazzolo’s “A Girls Guide to Power Tools” project aimed to break gender stereotypes in technical fields by teaching girls how to safely operate equipment such as impact drivers, hammer drills and sawzalls. She created a video series and led hands-on demonstrations at events including General Contractors Career Day and STEM labs, encouraging more young women to explore construction and engineering careers.
“We are so proud of all of our Gold Award Girl Scouts whose projects are insightful, impactful and relevant,” said Lisa Johnson, CEO of Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida. “They are change agents that are making a true impact in their communities and beyond.”
The four were among 27 young women in the region to receive the Gold Award during the 2025 Annual Gold Award Ceremony. Sponsors included Amazon, Fiserv, Florida Power & Light, Great Charity Challenge, HCA Florida Healthcare, and Publix Supermarket Charities.
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