2024 Dessert First Program

scholarship awardees

Gold Award Girl Scouts are changemakers. They have changed the world, changed their lives, and earned the most prestigious award in Girl Scouting. To earn the Gold Award, a Girl Scout identifies an issue in their community, drafts a plan to address a root cause, and leads a team of volunteers to implement it. When the project is complete, the Gold Award Girl Scout and their team have made a sustainable impact on the world that continues to last beyond their involvement. In 2023, Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri honored 25 Gold Award Girl Scouts in a special ceremony, Reflections. Held in June each year, Reflections celebrates the accomplishments and contributions of all Gold Award Girl Scouts.

For many, the Gold Award has opened doors to scholarships, preferred college admission tracks, and amazing career opportunities. Changemaker Scholarship At Dessert First, we celebrate the leadership and service of outstanding Girl Scouts and award three Changemaker Scholarships of $5,000 to be used for higher education. All Gold Award Girl Scouts honored at the Reflections ceremony are automatically considered for this scholarship opportunity. These scholarships are made possible by the generous support of Laurna Godwin in memory of Corrynne Godwin, the William R. Orthwein and Laura Rand Ortwein Foundation, and Penny Pennington and Michael Fidler.

Ryan Harper 2024 Awardee, Changemaker Scholarship made possible by Laurna Godwin in memory of Corrynne Godwin

Ryan Harper, a freshman at Truman State University, demonstrated extraordinary leadership through a measurable and sustainable community service project to earn her Girl Scout Gold Award. Moved by the increased gun violence affecting American students, Ryan decided to address the issue of gun safety for those in her community. Ryan created a video and presentation to teach local students and youth groups the safety steps to follow if they encounter a firearm, how to properly put on a gun lock and tips for creating safer homes. Ryan created two separate presentations, one for her classmates and one geared toward younger children. In the second presentation, Ryan lists the four steps everyone should follow when seeing an unattended gun. After the presentations, she gave the adults who attended donated gun locks. Ryan’s video and presentation has been uploaded to the Top Ladies of Distinction St. Louis chapter website, where the group will continue to promote the project in the future.