How did Aaralyn Poligadu, of West Hempstead, a member of Troop 1403, earn the Girl Scouts Gold Award?

The Girl Scouts of Nassau County recently honored 51 scouts who have earned Gold Awards this year, recognizing their positive impacts on their communities. Among them was Aaralyn Poligadu, of West Hempstead, a member of Troop 1403. The Gold Award is the highest honor a Girl Scout can attain.

“Every Girl Scout who earned their Gold Award this year demonstrated remarkable resilience, dedication, and passion in tackling societal challenges,” Rande Bynum, chief executive of Girl Scouts of Nassau County, said. “We are immensely proud of each one for achieving their goals and making lasting impacts in their communities. This year, our Girl Scouts addressed critical issues such as environmental justice, mental health, and gender equality in sports. We applaud their significant contributions.”

A high school Girl Scout begins her Gold Award journey by identifying a civic or social issue that matters to her. She then builds a team to support her project, which is intended to have a lasting impact on her community — for instance, by establishing a nonprofit organization or developing educational materials for schools. Throughout the process, ideally, she becomes an innovative problem-solver and a confident leader, gaining essential skills that prepare her for personal and professional success.

Poligadu, 17, is now a freshman at Seton Hall University. She knew from the beginning that she wanted to use her project to positively impact children, so she focused on raising their awareness of the challenges of keeping exotic animals as pets. To do so, she authored a children’s book, “Katie and Marlow the Monkey,” which tells the story of a girl caring for an exotic monkey. Poligadu also created a website and conducted workshops on the safety and responsible care of exotic animals, offering guidance on their unique nutritional and living requirements.

The process a creating a manuscript was new to her, but she jumped into it. “I had to do a lot of research on how to create each part of the book,” she said. “In the end, I’m really happy I did that. I’m not really an illustrator. I used a website which allowed me to formulate books and format them. I went on YouTube to learn how to create audiobooks and utilize Canva,” an online tool that helps a reader find the book, which was not formally published.

Poligadu has been a Girl Scout since she was young, and thanked her troop for helping her develop an interest in exploring. “I truly love it,” she said. “I love the adventures we went on to many different places. They broadened my views and ideas. I believe it was so worth it, because I learned so much, including how to be independent.”

Research indicates that Girl Scouts who earn Gold Awards are more likely to assume leadership roles and become civically engaged. Seventy-two percent said that earning the award helped them secure college scholarships, and 87 percent said that it helped them develop skills that were beneficial for their careers.