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Community Corner

Three Wantagh Teens Earn Highest Honor in Girl Scouting

Deanna Culen, Juliana Hyatt and Emily Law receive Girl Scout Gold Award.

Three Wantagh teens were recently recognized for achieving the highest honor in girl scouting.

Deanna Culen, Juliana Hyatt and Emily Law of Wantagh joined the record number of 119 Girl Scouts in Nassau County that have fit a minimum of at least 65 hours of community service into their busy schedules. The teens developed Gold Award community action projects that promoted acts of kindness and goodwill. Their efforts earned them each the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor that someone can achieve in Girl Scouting.  

"Girl Scouts who achieve the Gold Award demonstrate perseverance and determination as well as time management and organizational skills,” said Donna Ceravolo, Executive Director of the Girl Scouts of Nassau County.

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Culen, who recently graduated from , was concerned about the harmful chemicals used in cleaning products. For her Gold Award project titled, “Clean Green,” she educated and informed her community about the hazards of chemical cleaners and taught them how to make environmentally safe cleaning supplies. Culen also designed and sewed several hats for chemotherapy patients and taught a Girl Scout troop how to sew so they could continue that portion of her project.

While at Wantagh High School, Culen participated in Leadership Skills and Key Club. She will be attending the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University and will major in Forensic Science.

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Hyatt, who also just graduated from Wantagh High School, wanted to raise awareness about the issues of hunger and homelessness on Long Island. For her Gold Award project, she was able to educate her community by developing activities and a curriculum for students at a Vacation Bible School in the community. Hyatt was able to gather donations of over 900 pounds of food that were given to the hunger relief organization Long Island Cares.

While attending Wantagh High School Hyatt was active in student government serving class her class secretary. Like Culen, she will be attending the C.W. Post Campus of Long Island University, where she will study education.

Law, who recently graduated from Kellenberg Memorial High School in Uniondale, wanted to lift the spirits of senior citizens for her Gold Award project titled, “Garden Rejuvenation.” She refurbished the garden area at a nursing home for the elderly by planting various types of flowers, vegetables and herbs. She shared her project via social networking sites Facebook and Twitter.

Law will be attending Sacred Heart University in the fall.

"We are proud of all the young women who earned their Girl Scout Gold Award this year,” said Ceravolo. “Only five percent of eligible Girl Scouts choose to take this rigorous path towards earning their Gold Award. We couldn’t be happier for those that achieved this award and really changed the lives of others and improved their communities in significant ways.”

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