Gold Award Winners: 8 Area Students Earn Girl Scouting’s Highest Honor

In June, the Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas presented Gold Award pins to several girls from Preston Hollow area schools.

Girl Scouts’ most prestigious designation recognizes girls in grades nine through 12 who demonstrate extraordinary leadership through intensive, multiyear projects that sustainably impact the community and beyond.

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Mary Borkowski, the daughter of Sandy and Chris Borkowski, of Dallas, is an incoming Ursuline Academy senior. Her project: Knowing how sensory toys help her autistic brother, Mary and her volunteers created 107 marble mazes, manipulation mats, weighted lap pads, and sensory blankets for nonprofits to distribute and a YouTube channel with tutorials on how to make more.

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Audrey Pierce, the daughter of Chris and Cindy Pierce, of Dallas, is an incoming Ursuline Academy junior. Her project: Audrey and her team of volunteers used such materials as pipes, rocks, rope, wood, and turf to create a sensory walk at the Vogel Alcove learning center where preschoolers from families facing homelessness can get outside and clear their heads before returning to class.

Caroline Rippel, the daughter of David Rippel and Laura LaRaia-Rippel, of Plano, is an incoming Ursuline Academy junior. Her project: Caroline and her volunteers created a music wall, a safe space at Vogel Alcove where children could explore music. She also provided documentation on duplicating the project and extra instruments for the learning center’s use.

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Olivia Isbell, the daughter of Margo and John Isbell, of Dallas, is an incoming Ursuline Academy senior. Her project: Olivia and her volunteers partnered with Brother Bill’s Helping Hand to host about 25 underserved pupils in kindergarten through second grade at a three-day camp focused on watercolor painting, paper crafts, and drawing. Campers received new school backpacks plus additional art supplies and instructional videos.

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Anya Aggarwal, the daughter of Paul and Nalini Aggarwal, of Dallas, is an incoming Hockaday sophomore. Her project: In collaboration with United to Learn, she and her volunteers provided elementary school students from W.T. White High School feeder campuses with a hands-on science camp focused on the human body and positive body image. She also created a binder on how to replicate the camp.

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Alyssa Anderson, the daughter of Scott and Lanesha Minnix, of Irving, is an incoming Hockaday senior. Her project: Alyssa’s STEMusers Career Expo for 30 girls in grades fifth through eighth included 13 women from professions such as radiation, oncology, engineering, chemistry, patent law, and food science, plus a keynote speaker and panel discussion. Her STEMuses nonprofit aims to hold similar events and offer scholarships.

Margaret Coleman, the daughter of Mark and Kimberly Coleman, of Dallas, is an incoming Hockaday senior. Her project: Margaret and her volunteers partnered with the Dallas Arboretum to design and install a permanent exhibit for youth using zoetrope animation devices to show how the life cycles of bees and plants promote sustainability. She also gave presentations at the arboretum.

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Grace Dorward, the daughter of Janet and David Dorward, of Dallas, graduated from The Hockaday School in 2022. Her project: Grace and her volunteers provided Cistercian Preparatory School with 100 birthday cards to inform students turning 18 about registering and the importance of voting. She also included a digital copy, a video, and a packet so the school could continue the program.