On behalf of the entire GSGLA council, we would like to congratulate Isabella D. (Izzy) on being selected as one of the recipients of the 2022 Girl Scouts of the USA Gold Award Scholarship! The GSUSA Gold Award Scholarship recognizes one outstanding Gold Award Girl Scout per council who has demonstrated extraordinary leadership to drive lasting change in their community and beyond.
Izzy’s Gold Award Project addressed how first responders can effectively interact with the developmentally disabled (DD) during critical incidents. She conducted comprehensive research and shared findings with the training directors at Long Beach Search and Rescue (LBSR), who then began utilizing her findings and recommendations when training new and experienced first responders. To enhance the presentation experience and increase awareness during training sessions, liaisons from the Down 4 Dance non-profit program, Long Beach Unified School District-Special Education, and Best Buddies International were invited to discuss symptoms and common evidenced-based strategies to de-escalate critical incidents with the DD population.
We are so incredibly proud of Isabella’s Gold Award Project! Congratulations, Izzy! We can’t wait to see what more you will achieve!
