Ten Nebraska Girl Scouts earned the highest achievement in Girl Scouting, the prestigious Gold Award. Gold Award Girl Scouts are high school activists who change the world through extraordinary leadership and passion by tackling local, national, or global issues.
Using strategic thinking, collaboration, problem solving and time management, Gold Award Girl Scouts addressed pressing issues, assisting them in becoming the future leaders the world needs. This year’s Spirit of Nebraska Gold Award Girl Scouts made meaningful, lasting change in community infrastructure, hygiene product accessibility, environmental sustainability, honeybee conservation, and more. Special ceremonies have been held across the state to honor these Girls Scouts and their incredible work.
The 2024 Gold Award Girl Scout Recipients:
Abigail Pieper, Scottsbluff – Renovated the family interview room at the local Department of Health and Human Services. She aimed to provide a safe and comforting space for children during difficult times, such as waiting for foster placements or family visits. Abigail added shelves made from recycled pallets for toys and books, installed step stools in bathrooms, and regularly cleans the space to maintain its inviting atmosphere.
Katherine Berry, Omaha – Partnered with the Golden Retriever Rescue in Nebraska to create and distribute
informative pamphlets on dog health issues. She designed these for both physical and online distribution,
presented them at a dog fair, and supplied local veterinarians with the materials.
Kaitlyn Blum, Lincoln – Led a project to improve her church’s outdoor worship space. She organized a team to stabilize wobbly benches, added a border, replaced a bridge, re-laid bricks around the firepit, and added stone to the fire ring. They also installed a welcome sign with ideas for using the space.
Elizabeth Broders, Norfolk – Created and donated 12 busy boards to schools and nursing homes, benefiting Special Education classrooms and dementia patients. These boards aid in fine motor skills and problemsolving. She received support from family, friends, and financial donations.
Samantha Cunningham, Omaha – Repainted and decorated the girls’ bathrooms at Holy Cross Catholic
School. She added mental health information and inspirational quotes to the walls and provided students with pamphlets on mental health resources. Teachers also received materials to educate students about mental health.
Delainey Kaster, Falls City – Created the Discover Nebraska Patch Program. This program allows Girl Scouts of all ages to learn about Nebraska’s history, geography, and fun facts by completing specific requirements. Inspired by her fascination with a 4th-grade Nebraska history class, she aimed to make learning about the state an engaging experience for Girl Scouts.
Sarah Loeffelholz, Pleasanton – Targeted the Union Pacific Railroad Depot and created history boards with
photos and a timeline, and a website detailing the Depot’s history. Sarah raised over $500 through GoFundMe, worked with a sign company, and participated in media interviews. The Pleasanton Village Board will maintain her project to ensure its longevity.
Elizabeth Luther, Nebraska City – Created a curriculum for middle school students on the importance of
honeybees and their role in pollination and processing. She also set up a demonstration hive for educational use and made a website, https://www.esbeesne.com, with additional resources.
Makayla Maxson, Kearney – Partnered with the United Way of Kearney to enhance children’s access to
literacy by installing two Little Free Libraries, supported by community donations. Her team helped build,
install, and stock the libraries with the United Way maintaining them. She also developed a two-level patch program to educate Girl Scouts about literacy and book care.
Katherine Miller, Omaha – Addressed menstrual equity for elementary school girls in her district by
providing readily accessible menstrual products in school bathrooms. She stocked bins in bathrooms and
supplied resources to school nurses. Her project promotes comfort and confidence around periods and ensures access to products for girls in need.
