Girl Scouts Dakota Horizons proudly recognizes local Girl Scouts who are part of the 2026 Girl Scout Gold Award class, who earned the highest award in Girl Scouting, the Gold Award. Gold Award Girl Scouts make positive impacts on our local communities by addressing some of the most pressing issues. We congratulate Kaeonna Radtke of Jamestown, ND, for earning her Gold Award.
Kaeonna earned her Girl Scout Gold Award by leading a Park Clean Up project to help community members feel safe in and proud of their local parks. She partnered with the Jamestown Parks and Recreation Department to identify areas in need and organized a community cleanup event. While turnout was smaller than expected, volunteers made a big impact by cleaning up seven parks. The group celebrated with hot dogs and ice cream. To keep the momentum going, Kaeonna shared her project with her local Girl Scout Service Unit, which committed to adopting a park to help maintain clean, welcoming spaces for the community.
Kaeonna is a senior at Jamestown High School and will be graduating in May. She will receive her award at the council’s Honoring Excellence recognition event to be held on June 14, 2026.
According to recent research, Gold Award Girl Scouts are more likely to fill leadership roles at work and in their personal lives and are more civically engaged than their non-Girl Scout peers. Eighty-seven percent of Gold Award Girl Scouts agree that earning their Gold Award gave them skills that help them succeed professionally. Seventy-two percent said earning their Gold Award helped them get a scholarship. Changing the world doesn’t end when a Girl Scout earns her Gold Award. Ninety-nine percent of Gold Award Girl Scout alums take on leadership roles in their everyday lives.
