Girl Scouts recognized for creating lasting change in their communities

Parkland residents Eliani Carr-Betts, Maha Siddiqui and Emma Solsona and Coral Springs resident Ava Palazzolo have each earned the coveted Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest and most prestigious recognition attainable by Girl Scout seniors and ambassadors in grades nine through 12. This award highlights the creative and impactful projects these young changemakers have developed to address real-world challenges in their communities.

Eliani Carr-Betts, Parkland
For her project, “Awareness of Human Trafficking in Broward County,” Eliani Carr-Betts launched a comprehensive initiative to combat human trafficking within Broward County, which ranks second in Florida for the highest number of human trafficking cases. Understanding that prevention begins with education, she dedicated her efforts to raising awareness and equipping young people with the knowledge and confidence to protect themselves. Carr-Betts took action by managing a social media presence to spread awareness, organizing the 2023 and 2024 A21 Walks for Freedom, an event led by A21, a global nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting human trafficking, attended networking events with key stakeholders and incorporated awareness initiatives such as the Red Sand Project. She also developed programs to build self-esteem and knowledge among youth to reduce their vulnerability. Working closely with Judge Ross’s Broward County RISE Court, she provided self-esteem-building cards to girls at risk of exploitation. Carr-Betts further strengthened her outreach by compiling and sharing victims’ stories, leading educational presentations and collaborating with organizations such as Polaris, A21 and the Nancy J. Cotterman Center.

Maha Siddiqui, Parkland
Motivated by the mental health challenges she witnessed among her peers, especially in the aftermath of the 2018 Parkland school shooting, Maha Siddiqui created “Rediscover Your Mind: Anxiety and Depression in Teenagers,” a project that directly addressed the widespread struggles teens face with anxiety and depression. According to the State of the Florida Girl report, 52% of Florida high school girls report feeling sad or hopeless for two or more weeks in a row and 1 in 4 girls seriously considered attempting suicide, showing a troubling rise of more than 60% in the last 10 years. Additionally, one in eight girls miss school due to feeling unsafe, with girls being one and a half times more likely than boys to stay home after experiencing bullying. Drawing on personal experiences from high school, where she saw many classmates continue to suffer from trauma-related stress, she developed an online resource to educate and support teenagers navigating similar challenges. Siddiqui collaborated with a licensed psychiatrist to ensure the site’s blog posts and videos offered accurate, professional insights into recognizing symptoms, differentiating between anxiety and depression, and developing healthy coping strategies. Her website provided a safe, accessible space where teens could seek help, ask questions and better understand their mental health. Within two weeks of launch, the site reached more than 140 visitors, with more than 97% of surveyed users saying they learned something new, and 98% reporting that the information helped them better understand their own mental health. Her goal is to continue growing the platform by answering new user-submitted questions with professional input, making it a lasting resource for current and future visitors.

Emma Solsona, Parkland
Emma Solsona’s project, “Minds Matter,” recognized the growing struggle among teens to balance academics, extracurricular activities and their personal lives, often leading to overwhelming stress and anxiety. According to the State of the Florida Girl report, 52% of Florida high school girls report feeling sad or hopeless for two or more weeks in a row and 1 in 4 girls seriously considered attempting suicide, showing a troubling rise of more than 60% in the last 10 years and underscoring the urgency of addressing mental well-being in schools. Seeing how school-related stress was affecting her classmates, Solsona created a school-based club, Minds Matter, to promote mindfulness, encourage open dialogue and teach practical strategies for managing stress. With the motto “Healthy minds = healthy lives,” Minds Matter hosted monthly meetings focused on mental well-being, featuring interactive exercises, peer discussions and coping tools. She also introduced “Brain Bins” into classrooms that were filled with fidget toys into classrooms to help students stay calm and focused throughout the day. To ensure the club’s longevity, she recruited younger students to carry the initiative forward and launched a website, MindsMatterClubs.wordpress.com, to guide others in starting their own chapters.

Ava Palazzolo, Coral Springs
For her project, Ava Palazzolo launched “A Girls Guide to Power Tools,” a hands-on initiative to empower young girls with the confidence and skills to safely use power tools, an area often overlooked due to persistent cultural stereotypes that discourage female participation in technical fields. Recognizing the gender gap in construction and engineering, Palazzolo created a video series demonstrating the proper use of tools such as impact drivers, hammer drills and sawzalls, while emphasizing tool safety and the importance of personal protective equipment. She expanded her impact through live presentations at events such as General Contractors Career Day, FAU High School’s MATE team and STEM labs, where girls participated in interactive, real-world demonstrations. Palazzolo also collaborated with apprentices at local trade institutes to promote tool safety education among future tradespeople. Her video series is hosted on a dedicated website, offering free and lasting access to anyone interested in developing their technical skills. By combining digital and in-person instruction, Palazzolo’s project breaks down barriers in STEM and empowers girls to step confidently into traditionally male-dominated spaces.

“We are so proud of all of our Gold Award Girl Scouts whose projects are insightful, impactful and relevant,” said Lisa Johnson, CEO of Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida. “With their projects, these young ladies tackle some of today’s most pressing challenges with compassion, innovation, and leadership. They are change agents that are making a true impact in their communities and beyond.”

These Girl Scouts were among 27 young female leaders in the region to earn the Gold Award during the 2025 Annual Gold Award Ceremony, with sponsorship support from Amazon, Fiserv, Florida Power & Light, Great Charity Challenge, HCA Florida Healthcare, and Publix Super Market Charities.

About Girl Scouts
The preeminent leadership development organization for girls, Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida provides a safe, supportive environment for girls to learn, lead and thrive, surrounded by a supportive network of peers and caring adult mentors. Through unique, impactful experiences, girls from kindergarten through 12th grade are empowered to become confident, capable and compassionate leaders who engage their communities, inspire lasting change and make a positive difference in the world. They are encouraged to explore their full potential, dream big and act boldly. Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida serves 6,100 girls and engages 3,600 volunteers across Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River and Okeechobee counties. To explore opportunities to volunteer, donate or partner with Girl Scouts, call 561-427-0177 or visit www.gssef.org.

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