Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council (GSACPC) is pleased to award its most prestigious honor, the Gold Award, to a local Holbrook girl, Elizabeth Parker. This distinguished award recognizes Girl Scouts in grades 9-12 who take action in their communities by tackling an issue they are passionate about and developing sustainable solutions to local, national, and global challenges. Elizabeth grew up visiting National Parks across the nation. During one of their trips, Elizabeth’s family struggled to find a place for her dog to exercise off leash and began to brainstorm ways to help families traveling with their pets. While working for the Petrified Forest National Park, she heard conversations about opening a dog park and began planning her Gold Award project – the first dog park in a national park. To educate the community about the importance of having a designated area for dogs, and the different ways to protect their pet from becoming injured during a hike or other outdoor activities. Throughout her 12 years of Girl Scouting, Elizabeth has gained valuable leadership skills that have helped her find solutions to the issues in her community. As a member of the GSACPC Girl Voice Committee, she has learned how to effectively use her voice and advocate for her Girl Scout community. Elizabeth plans to attend Arizona State University and receive a bachelor’s degree in Theatre Production and Design. Recipients of the Gold Award not only change the world for the good and establish themselves as community leaders, but awardees can also take advantage of unique scholarship opportunities, are entitled to enlist at a higher pay grade when they join the military, distinguish themselves among the competition in the college admissions process, and when entering the workforce.
