Jul. 27, 2026
Girl Scouts of the USA selects Ella Kate Vinson of Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians
Elizabeth “Ella Kate” Vinson of Knoxville has earned a $5,000 Gold Award Scholarship from Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) to provide financial support for her post-secondary pursuits. She was eligible to apply for the scholarship as a recipient of the 2026 Gold Award, the Girl Scout’s highest honor. Only one Gold Award Girl Scout per council may receive the scholarship.
“We congratulate Ella Kate for this well-earned recognition and know this scholarship will be a great benefit to her and her family as she enters college,” said Lynne Fugate, CEO of the Girl Scout Council of the Southern Appalachians (GSCSA). “She is the epitome of what it looks like to be a Girl Scout, and I can’t wait to see how she continues to make a positive impact.”
Gold Award Girl Scouts demonstrate exceptional leadership by tackling important community issues. Earned by just 6% of Girl Scouts nationwide, the award requires planning and executing a sustainable, high-impact project. Through this intensive process, young women work hard and empower themselves while creating lasting change for others.
Vinson’s Gold Award project created the first annual Pond Gap Clothing Closet and Wellness Fair. She collected gently used clothing from her peers, troopmates, neighbors and friends and made it available for the Pond Gap community. Through an investment of 90 hours, she partnered with local schools, the United Way and other community members to provide the closet and host healthcare providers to share information about available services to more than 160 attendees. Vinson’s written guide will help others recreate the event annually.
She then applied for the GSUSA Gold Award Scholarship, which is awarded to those whose project demonstrates extraordinary leadership; measurable, sustainable impact; and addresses an issue of national and/or global significance.
“Earning my Gold Award taught me that meaningful change starts with simply seeing a need and taking the initiative to do something about it,” said Gold Award Girl Scout Ella Kate Vinson. “Organizing a free community clothing event for families at a local elementary school showed me the power of service, collaboration, and leadership, and it strengthened my desire to continue making a difference wherever I am. Girl Scouts has shaped the kind of leader I hope to become – someone who listens, serves, and works to make a meaningful impact in my community and beyond.”
Learn more about Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians at girlscoutcsa.org.
About the Girl Scout Gold Award
Since 1916, girls have been making meaningful, sustainable change in their communities and around the world. The Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest achievement a Girl Scout can earn, acknowledges the power behind each Gold Award Girl Scout’s dedication to not only empowering and bettering herself, but also to making the world a better place for others.
Only Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors are eligible for the Gold Award, and before they can pursue it, they must meet prerequisites, including completing a Take Action project or earning the Girl Scout Silver Award, which requires a project to improve the neighborhood or community. At a minimum requirement of 80 hours, most girls spend between one and two years on Gold Award projects.
Some universities and colleges offer scholarships unique to Gold Award Girl Scouts, and girls who enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces may receive advanced rank in recognition of their achievements.
About Girl Scout Council of Southern Appalachians
Girl Scouts is the preeminent leadership development organization for girls, offering programs that give every girl a chance to practice a lifetime of entrepreneurship, adventure and success – whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike, advocate for community causes or make their first best friends. The Girl Scouts of Southern Appalachians has approximately 11,500 girl and adult members in 46 counties from southwest Virginia, through eastern Tennessee, and northern Georgia. Membership is open to all girls from kindergarten through their senior year in high school. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors and millions of alums, Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place. To join us, volunteer, reconnect or donate, visit girlscoutcsa.org or call 800-474-1912.
