TAMPA, Fla. – Casey Ingram is a beast on the volleyball field. At six feet two, the 16-year-old has plenty of medals to show how well she can block and hit.
What Casey really wants now is gold. No more medal, just a pin.
“I am a Girl Scout and have been a Girl Scout for over 11 years. When you reach the final stage of Girl Scouting, you have the opportunity to complete your gold award,” said Casey.
The Gold Award is the highest achievement a girl scout can give. It’s a brand that shows that you’ve already made a difference in the world.
“Only 6 percent of girls nationwide get the gold award, which really sets young leaders and young women apart,” said Susan Campbell, Casey’s Troop 806 Leader.
To receive the Gold Award, a service project is required that has a lasting impact on the community.
Casey chose to fight literacy in childhood. She organized a book promotion for Westshore Elementary, a Title 1 school. She wants to ensure that every child has access to books, regardless of their family’s income.
“If I help this elementary school and give them more books, it won’t help the children there now, but the next year and the year after,” says Casey. “Helping someone learn to read may seem so small and very insignificant, but when you look at the facts and know how important reading is to your future education and opportunities, I think it will make a difference and I hope so. “
Casey’s closet is already filled with boxes of books, but she needs more donations.
“My goal is to be ready by the end of May, and this summer I’ll be working with a librarian at Westshore Elementary to get all of these books on the shelves,” Casey says.
She shares awareness of the importance of literacy in childhood and updates her book promotion on the Library’s Instagram for Little Learners page.
“I’m very proud. Casey is a natural leader in everything she does in Boy Scouts,” says Campebll. “She is now on the CEO Advisory Board. She is our Senior Patrol Leader. She has applied to serve on the Board of Directors of our Girl Scout Council and this Gold Award that she is working on is really important to her.”
For this Girl Scout, earning the gold award is proof that not only can she make a difference, she already has.
If you know a child who deserves a pat on the back, please email Deiah Riley at or contact them on Facebook.