Girl Scout Gold Award Winners

Andrea Aviles

Andrea Aviles' Gold Award Project was renovating an ordinary elementary school classroom into an up-to-date computer lab at St. Anthony's School in San Gabriel, the elementary school Andrea previously attended. St. Anthony's is a low-to-middle income school that desperately needed modern computers and technology to help its students learn the skills necessary to succeed and compete in the 21st century. Andrea raised funds to upgrade the electrical system at St. Anthony's to support a technology lab for 30 computers.

Andrea is a senior at Flintridge Sacred Heart Academy in La Cañada. She currently serves as the vice president of the Sacred Heart Dance Company and has been a member for three years. She has also been involved with the school's Ambassadors Club throughout her four years in high school as well as with the FSHA swim team. Andrea has participated as a main dancer in Sacred Heart's fall musicals. Her favorite campus event is the annual dance concert in which she has participated every year since she was a freshman.

Andrea would like to thank her parents for always believing in her and helping her with everything that she does. She would also like to thank her Girl Scout leaders for their strong encouragement to complete her Gold Award.

Ruth Deborah Barber

For her Gold Project, Ruth provided aid to child soldier refugees in Uganda, Africa. She hosted presentations to educate her community about the struggles of the Ugandan people. She also raised over $800 for better housing, sanitation, and healthcare. She collected blankets, mats, clothes, shoes and stuffed animals for these refugees who live in constant fear of abduction by the rebel army of Uganda.

Ruth is a sophomore at La Cañada High School. She is involved in many extracurricular activities such as band, Concert Percussion, Concert Choir, Film Club, mock trial, and the Invisible Children Club (created as a result of her project). She is also very involved in her church, participating in the leadership community called 24.7. She is a member of California Scholastic Federation and National Honor Society. Ruth enjoys writing, reading, talking on the phone, debating and meeting new people. She would like to become a detective or a lawyer after graduation.

She would like to thank her supportive family, Gold Award advisor, troop, and leaders for supporting her vision, and everyone who believes that one person can make a difference.

Katherine Marie Bliss