Leading Change Locally: Three Central Ohio Girl Scouts Receive Prestigious Gold Award
COLUMBUS, Ohio — From inspiring a love of music to strengthening literacy and advancing heart health, three Central Ohio Girl Scouts are creating meaningful change—and earning the Girl Scout Gold Award. The highest award in Girl Scouting, the Gold Award recognizes exceptional leadership and a lasting commitment to creating meaningful, sustainable change in their communities.
The 2026 honorees from the Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland Council include:
Brianna Dekle, Bexley
Junior Band Camp
Recognizing the challenges younger musicians face as they prepare for high school band programs, Dekle, of Bexley, created Junior Band Camp as her Gold Award project. A junior at Bexley High School (Class of 2027) and an active participant in her school’s band programs, Dekle saw that middle school students had few opportunities to explore instruments before entering more competitive high school music programs. In response, she launched Junior Band Camp to give 5th and 6th graders in the Bexley school district a hands-on introduction to different instruments, with support from band instructors and high school band members serving as counselors. The program reached 70 students, culminated in a mini-concert, and included a plan for the school district to continue offering the camp annually.
Veronica Fuller, Sunbury
Book Buddies
Inspired by her own love of reading, Fuller, of Sunbury, created Book Buddies as her Gold Award project to address declining engagement with literacy among young children. A 2025 graduate of Ohio Connections Academy and current student at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Fuller designed the program to inspire children ages 5–7 to develop a love of reading through supportive, engaging experiences. She partnered with local libraries to host literacy-focused events and provide take-home activities that help build language skills and confidence. Working alongside young readers, teen volunteers, and library staff, Fuller extended the program’s reach beyond library settings and into the broader community, including outreach at the Delaware County Fair.
Sahithi Sadineni, Plain City
Ohio Cardiac Collective
Motivated by a growing concern for heart health, Sadineni, of Plain City, created the Ohio Cardiac Collective as her Gold Award project. A senior at Dublin Jerome High School, she was inspired by research showing increased risks of heart disease and related deaths following the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as a lack of awareness around warning signs and prevention. In collaboration with a nonprofit founded by her family, Sadineni developed a program focused on educating the community about cardiovascular health, including risk factors, prevention, and life-saving skills such as CPR. Through presentations, hands-on workshops, and digital content, she reached audiences of all ages, helping build a more informed and heart-healthy community.
What is the Girl Scout Gold Award?
The Girl Scout Gold Award, part of the Highest Awards Program, honors girls in grades 9 through 12 who complete extraordinary leadership projects that are sustainable and measurable. Each project requires a minimum of 80 hours to complete, and honorees demonstrate the highest standards of community engagement and innovation.
“One of the most meaningful aspects of earning the Girl Scouts Gold Award is the opportunity it gives girls to discover their voice and use it to make a difference,” said Tammy Wharton, President and CEO of Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland. “These Girl Scouts have done exactly that, creating projects that will have a lasting impact on their communities.”
Each year, fewer than 6% of eligible Girl Scouts earn the Gold Award. Since 1916, approximately one million Girl Scouts have achieved this prestigious honor.
Earning the Gold Award is just the beginning of its lasting impact.
- Gold Award Girl Scouts are more likely to fill leadership roles at work and in their personal lives and are more civically engaged than their non–Girl Scout peers.
- 87% of Gold Award Girl Scouts agree that earning their Gold Award gave them skills that help them succeed professionally.
- 72% said earning their Gold Award helped them get a scholarship.
- 99% of Gold Award Girl Scout alums take on leadership roles in their everyday lives.
In addition, recipients are eligible to apply for the GSUSA Gold Award Scholarship, which recognizes and provides financial support to one Gold Award Girl Scout per council.
When is the Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland Highest Awards Ceremony
Girl Scouts of Ohio’s Heartland will recognize Dekle, Fuller, and Sadineni—along with Silver and Bronze Award Girl Scouts—on Saturday, May 9 at the AEP Foundation STEM Leadership Center, located on the Battelle Science and Innovation Campus at Camp Ken-Jockety in Galloway, Ohio.
The Highest Awards Ceremony will be emceed by Emyle Taylor of 103.9 The Maverick’s Kirsch and Emyle morning show. Taylor is a Girl Scout alum.
2026 Girl Scout Gold Award – FAQs
Who is Brianna Dekle and what is her Girl Scout Gold Award project Junior Band Camp?
Brianna Dekle of Bexley earned the Girl Scout Gold Award by creating Junior Band Camp, a program designed to help 5th and 6th grade students explore musical instruments before entering high school band. The camp reached 70 students, included mentorship from high school musicians, and concluded with a mini-concert. Her project includes a sustainability plan for the school district to continue offering the camp annually.
Who is Veronica Fuller and what is her Gold Award project Book Buddies?
Veronica Fuller of Sunbury earned her Gold Award by creating Book Buddies, a literacy program aimed at children ages 5–7. She partnered with local libraries to host engaging reading events and provide take-home activities that build language skills and confidence. Her project expanded into the broader community, including outreach at the Delaware County Fair.
Who is Sahithi Sadineni and what is the Ohio Cardiac Collective?
Sahithi Sadineni of Plain City earned the Girl Scout Gold Award for founding the Ohio Cardiac Collective, a community education initiative focused on heart health. Through workshops, presentations, and digital content, she educated people of all ages about cardiovascular risk factors, prevention, and life-saving skills like CPR.
What is the Girl Scout Gold Award?
The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest honor in Girl Scouting, awarded to girls in grades 9–12 who lead sustainable and measurable community projects. Each project requires a minimum of 80 hours and demonstrates exceptional leadership, innovation, and community impact.
What are the long-term benefits of earning the Girl Scout Gold Award?
Earning the Gold Award has lasting benefits. Gold Award Girl Scouts are more likely to take on leadership roles and be civically engaged. Additionally, 87% say the award helped them succeed professionally, 72% say it helped them earn scholarships, and 99% continue to lead in their everyday lives. Recipients are also eligible to apply for the Girl Scouts of the USA Gold Award Scholarship.
