It is with the greatest pride that the Floral Park-Bellerose-Stewart Manor Association of Girl Scouts announces the recipients of the Girl Scout Gold Award for June, 1999: Andrea Benvenuto, Meredith Rossbach and Virginia Slatic. With a beautiful ceremony at Adelphi University on June 6, the Girl Scouts of Nassau County recognized 33 outstanding Girl Scouts earning the Gold Award, the highest achievement in Girl Scouting. It is the culmination of a Senior Girl Scout's experience in Girl Scouting. Guests were welcomed by the president of Girl Scouts in Nassau, Pat Motschmann and the opening flag ceremony was conducted by members of our own Senior Girl Scout Troop 1224. Leaders Cathie Wall and Joyce O'Connor, family, friends, dignitaries, service team members, Principal Diane Kelly and Mayor Steve Corbett were able to come together to share in this very special moment. Every recipient displayed a presentation board summarizing their projects. Each girl must meet the following criteria: the completion of four interest projects, career exploration, leadership hours and a Senior Girl Scout challenge and then be interviewed to present their individual Gold Award project plans. The project has a minimum requirement of 50 hours and should meet a need beyond the Girl Scout community.

Andrea and Meredith, both with a strong appreciation of the arts and talent for music, developed a program which would introduce youngsters in grades 1 - 3 to the world of fine arts. They completed the interest projects for music, writing and stress management and their leadership hours were served as senior project advisors to Nassau Council and presidents of clubs at school. The girls designed flyers that made the public aware of the time and location of the community presentation. Andrea and Meredith visited many Brownie troops and by doing their program at the meeting the Brownies were able to complete several Brownie Try-it patches. In the Floral Park Library meeting room, Andrea and Meredith instructed 25 boys and girls about the fine arts. Andrea played the flute and Meredith played the violin so the children could hear different instruments and then each youngster made a maraca. The children composed their own music by tapping on glasses filled with varying levels of water and sang songs. Everyone was able to design their own artwork by drawing their favorite memory, and was guided through creative expression in the poetry writing segment. The children were delighted with the afternoon as was evident by their enthusiasm and the positive evaluations given at the conclusion of the program.

Andrea is a senior at Floral Park Memorial High School. She was editor of The Shield (the school newspaper), editor of the school literary magazine The Trumpet, an active member of the National Honor Society, Big Sisters, Band and Pit Orchestra. She has been the recipient of other honors including: Commencement and National Merit scholar, Junior Women's club scholarship, President's Award for Academic Excellence, Walt Whitman and Live Poets Society contest winner, band scholarship and math award. Andrea plans to attend the University of Delaware in the fall, majoring in English with a future in journalism. Her parents Celeste and Frank and brothers Dan and Mike are bursting with pride.

Meredith is a senior at Sacred Heart Academy and participates in many extracurricular activities including performing in orchestra (president), string ensemble and pit band for local drama productions, and an active member of the Tri-M Music Honor Society. She tutors elementary children at the Hispanic Counseling Center in Hempstead and lends a helping hand in the Christmas in April program doing groundskeeping and painting homes for the needy. Meredith has achieved academic excellence in the National and Music Honor Societies, earned the Girl Scout Silver Award, and still finds the time to work as a lifeguard with the Town of North Hempstead. Miss Rossbach will attend the University of Dayton, where she will study music therapy with a minor in psychology. Her parents Patricia and Peter, and brother Matt are very proud of her accomplishments.

Virginia Slatic began her project with a philosophy that all children should be able to have some diversion should they become hospitalized. She decided to create homemade alphabet blocks and tic-tac-toe boards for the chronically ill at St. Mary's Children's Hospital. Ginny completed interest projects in visual arts, prints and graphics, childcare and understanding yourself and others. To raise money for her supplies, Ginny handpainted slates and sold them to friends and relatives. Miss Slatic involved many members of the community in her project. One hundred sixty-seven blocks were cut at Bellerose Lumber, and then Ginny instructed Boy Scout Troop 678 and Girl Scout Troop 1551 on the proper sanding of each block. Ginny used a woodburning tool to engrave the letters on each finely smoothed block. The Catholic Daughters of America cut the felt geometric playing pieces and the Stewart Manor Homemakers helped to sew the 110 felt tic-tac-toe boards. The blocks were packages so they were very portable and the game boards hold their own pieces. Director of Development Robert Castano at St. Mary's will be able to use the toys at the hospital and for the home health care program.

Ginny is a senior at Floral Park Memorial and is eager to start Hofstra University to study elementary education with a minor in art. She has been active in the Foreign Language and Art Honor Societies, Big Sisters, captain of cross-country, winter and spring track. Ginny has been recognized for her creative sculpture entered in the Olympics of Visual Arts, photography awards, athletic abilities and most achievement in psychology/child development course. Miss Slatic also finds the time to give tours of the Girl Scout Service Center and has been hostess to Girl Scouts visiting America from other countries. Her parents Lydia and Bob and brother Chris are very supportive and proud.

Andrea, Meredith and Ginny are very grateful to all who assisted them to achieve this goal, their fellow troop members who helped with the sessions, their mentor from council and most importantly, their families.

The girls have done many hours of service through their troop activities and the girls have all verbalized a desire to return as adult leaders someday, continuing their commitment to our communities. They are the most positive role models for our young people. By working towards the Gold Award, each girl was able to reflect on her accomplishments and her own goals. They were encouraged to evaluate their resources, work around obstacles and be responsible for planning and implementing a most worthwhile community serving project.