Girl Scouts Dakota Horizons proudly recognizes 12 local Girl Scouts who are part of the 2025 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 Laney Gonsor of Aberdeen, SD, for earning her Gold Award.
Gold Award Girl Scouts become innovative problem-solvers, empathetic leaders, confident public speakers, and focused project managers. They learn resourcefulness, tenacity, and decision-making skills, giving them an edge personally and professionally. As they take action to transform their communities, Gold Award Girl Scouts gain tangible skills and prove they’re the leaders our world needs. The 2025 Gold Award Girl Scout class identified issues in their communities, took action, and found or created solutions to earn their Gold Awards, addressing real-life problems such as environmental sustainability, mental and physical well-being, and gender inequality in STEM.
Laney earned her Gold Award with her No Kid Goes Cold Project. For this project, Laney reached out to Sleep in Heavenly Peace to see how she could support their mission. After discussing ways she could help, Laney decided to sew three quilts and donate them to the organization. She also taught younger girls to sew, and they were able to create and donate an additional quilt.
Her accomplishments reflect leadership, citizenship, and foundational skills built through Girl Scouts. “I have made so many new friends being in Girl Scouts. I have also learned so many new things,” Laney said.
Laney is a freshman at Mount Marty University and is working on becoming a teacher. She will receive her award at the council’s Honoring Excellence recognition event to be held on June 8, 2025.
