Josie Beasley of Clayton has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, which is the highest and most prestigious achievement in Girl Scouting. Awarded to fewer than 6 percent of Girl Scouts annually, Beasley joins generations of young women who have earned their Girl Scout Gold Award while making a difference in their communities both locally and globally.
For her Gold Award project, Music Connections, Beasley sought to make musical education more accessible to children attending school in underserved areas. She educated children and adults in her community on the importance of music in enriching their lives and learning and created a governing body for the Booster Club for the Instrumental Music Program at Longleaf School of the Arts.
She recognized that there is often a lack of accessibility for musical education due to poor funding, and by starting the LSA Booster Program, she hopes that the program will thrive with the resources that they need for years to come.
Josie established a governing body and Bylaws for the club, and they are now in the process of gaining status as a non-profit organization. Beasley also taught music lessons at the Salvation of Wake County Community Center, through which she introduced music from different cultures to her students, and taught them songs in American Sign Language.
Josie is the daughter of Marsha and Skip Beasley and is a senior at Longleaf School of the Arts. She has been in Girl Scouts since 2010 and is in Girl Scout Troop #3433 led by Jennifer Earp. In addition to Girl Scouting, Beasley is a member of her school’s band and she works as a Dietary Aide at Springbrook Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.
By earning the Girl Scout Gold Award, Beasley has become a community leader. Her accomplishments reflect leadership and citizenship skills that set her apart.
“We congratulate Josie on this remarkable achievement. When a girl “Goes Gold”, she has taken the lead and demonstrated that she possesses the courageous qualities of a G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, and Leader),” said Lisa Jones, chief executive officer, Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines. “The Girl Scout Gold Award shows that one girl, one voice, and one project can have a powerful and lasting impact on the world.”
When compared to non-Girl Scout alumnae, Gold Award Girl Scouts soar when it comes to seeing themselves as a leader, providing service to others through volunteerism, and positive attitudes about themselves and the lives they lead. More generally, over ninety percent of Girl Scouts not only attributed their success in life to Girl Scouts, but they also said they could not have had access to the same experiences anywhere else. Additionally, Gold Award Girl Scouts are more ambitious, placing more emphasis on a successful career, financial security, and being a leader; and are more likely to believe they are achieving their ambitions in life.
It’s not only Girl Scouts who understand the value of the Gold Award. Some universities and colleges offer scholarships unique to award recipients, and girls who enlist in the U.S. armed forces may receive advanced rank in recognition of their achievements. Additionally, girls are eligible for scholarships provided by Girl Scouts – North Carolina Coastal Pines aimed at providing financial assistance in the pursuit of higher education and leadership opportunities.
Earning the Girl Scout Gold Award is no easy feat as a girl demonstrates significant leadership, planning, networking and organizational skills as girls spend, on average, one to two years working to complete her project. Girls must follow the steps of identifying an issue, investigating it thoroughly, getting help and building a team, creating a plan, presenting your plan, gathering feedback, taking action, and educating and inspiring others.
Since the council unification in 2007 through 2016, 562 of Girl Scouts have earned their Gold Award as a result of their efforts to transform an idea and vision for change into an actionable plan with measurable, sustainable, and far-reaching impact.
