By Claire KOUKEYAN

The Gold Award is the highest award a Girl Scout can achieve and I had the

opportunity to earn it with the support of the First United Methodist Church.

My name is Claire Koukeyan and my journey as a Girl Scout began in kindergarten. Being a Girl Scout is a unique experience from learning people skills and goal-setting to selling cookies outside of Vons and learning outdoor skills such as setting up a campsite and cooking with limited resources.

For over 11 years, I have built strong friendships in my troop and gained confidence in my ability to achieve anything I set my mind to. These experiences have shaped me; the lessons and impact I’ve made will stay with me throughout my life.

I’ve long been interested in nutrition and helping those affected by poverty. At First United Methodist Church, I provided demonstrations on three consecutive Tuesdays at their food pantry and informed their clients of various recipes through pamphlets I developed with the help of my project advisor’s expertise in nutrition. These contained four simple, healthy recipes including yogurt parfait, chili quesadilla, tuna salad and spaghetti a la Vienna. While waiting to acquire their items, clients enjoyed samples of these recipes each week and many were inspired by the variety of recipes they could create. The chili quesadilla samples were so popular that clients returned for seconds and thirds, particularly enjoying the avocado on top!

The process of creating pamphlets and samples for my target audience was deeply gratifying. I heard people’s stories about their planned travels by foot from Pasadena to Monterey and how the recipes would help reduce food waste of commonly distributed items such as canned tuna.

Additionally, I contributed to the program by organizing a neighborhood food drive to procure donations through social media to bring awareness to the program and its impact. The experience was eye-opening and led me to realize that helping others not only impacts their lives but enriches my own.