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Darien Girl Scout Empowers Athletes To Volunteer To Earn Gold Award

DARIEN, Conn. — Allegra Molkenthin of Darien has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting.

Allegra Molkenthin of Darien has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting.

Allegra Molkenthin of Darien has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting.

Photo Credit: Contributed
A total of 86 Girl Scouts earned their Gold Awards for the Class of 2016, including 40 from Fairfield County.

A total of 86 Girl Scouts earned their Gold Awards for the Class of 2016, including 40 from Fairfield County.

Photo Credit: Girl Scouts of Darien

To earn her Gold Award, Molkenthin created an afterschool program inviting high school athletes to volunteer at a homeless shelter for young families. 

Her goal was to give high school athletes the opportunity to fit volunteerism into their busy schedules and to be role models to children in the shelter. 

Both the high school and the homeless shelter have agreed to continue to work with athletes who want to participate. 

Many students who volunteered plan to return next year, and captains of athletic teams will encourage their teammates to join, too. 

She currently attends Middlebury College and plans on pursuing a career in the liberal arts field.

Celebrating its 100th Anniversary this year, the Gold Award requires a high school age Girl Scout to spend at least 80 hours researching issues, assessing community needs and resources, building a team and making a sustainable impact in the community.

A Gold Award recipient’s accomplishments reflect leadership and citizenship skills that set her apart as a community leader. Nationally, only 6 percent of Girl Scouts earn the Gold Award.

The Girl Scouts all began more than 100 years ago with one woman, Juliette Gordon Low, who believed in the power of one girl. Girl Scouts of Connecticut are now more than 52,000 members strong. They are part of a sisterhood of 2.7 million around the globe.

“Since 1916, approximately 1 million Girl Scouts have made a sustainable impact in their communities,” said Mary Barneby, CEO of Girl Scouts of Connecticut. “We are so thrilled to honor a record number of girls this year and we are excited to see how many more incredible young women will continue to change the world in the next 100 years.”

For more information about the Gold Award or how to become a Gold Award volunteer or mentor, click here.

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