Chesapeake Girl Scout Recognized as a 2017 National Young Woman of Distinction

GSCCC CEO Tracy Keller, Lea and
GSCCC Board Chair Carolene Goodwyn-Harris

Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast is excited to announce that Lea Bonner, a Girl Scout Ambassador from Chesapeake, was named by Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) as a 2017 National Young Woman of Distinction, the organization’s most prestigious honor. GSUSA selects 10 National Young Women of Distinction annually among candidates who have earned their Girl Scout Gold Award®, which represents the highest achievement in Girl Scouts.

Approximately five percent of all eligible Girl Scouts earn their Gold Award each year— and just 10 girls in this already-high-achieving group receive the National Young Woman of Distinction honor. Applications are judged by GSUSA executives, previous National Young Women of Distinction, leaders from a range of fields and a representative from the Kappa Delta Foundation, which provides the honorees with college scholarships.

For her Gold Award project, Lea established a recycling program for oyster shells from local restaurants in her community. With the help of the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Lea created a sustainable system for the shells to be returned to the bay to create reefs to help the oyster population grow.

Lea joined GSCCC Board Chair Carolene Goodwyn-Harris and
CEO Tracy Keller on a visit to Rep. Scott Taylor to discuss issues
that impact girls and Girl Scouts, referencing the 2017 State of Girls
 report published by the Girl Scout Research Institute. 

To honor Girl Scouts’ National Young Women of Distinction, the Kappa Delta Foundation grants the selected girls a combined $50,000 in college scholarships, reflecting Kappa Delta’s commitment to girls’ leadership and pursuit of education. This includes $5,000 for Lea. An additional $100,000 in college scholarships, which includes $10,000 for Lea, is provided by Susan Bulkeley Butler, founder of the Susan Bulkeley Butler Institute for the Development of Women Leaders.

Lea will be honored during the Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast Volunteer Kickoff on Saturday, September 23 at Old Dominion University, where she will be featured as a keynote speaker. In addition, GSUSA will honor the National Young Women of Distinction at G.I.R.L. 2017, the largest girl-led event in the world, October 6–8 in Columbus, Ohio. In line with the theme of the event, “Experience the Power of a G.I.R.L.,” G.I.R.L. 2017 will provide every participating girl and girl supporter with amazing opportunities to celebrate achievements, build on aspirations, get inspired, and gain the tools girls need to empower themselves and create change in their communities―both locally and globally.