Girl Scout Inspires the Next Generation of Female Golfers

Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri (GSEM) is pleased to announce that Sophia Boren, 2025 graduate of Fort Zumwalt North High School has recently earned the mark of the truly remarkable–the Girl Scout Gold Award.

The Gold Award is earned by a high-school-aged Girl Scout who has dedicated, on average more than 80 hours, to address an issue they are passionate about in a way that produces meaningful and permanent change. Whether it is on a local, national, or global level, Gold Award Girl Scouts provide innovative solutions to pressing and relevant challenges.

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 2026 Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri class are identifying issues in their communities, taking action, and finding or creating solutions to earn their Gold Awards, addressing real-life problems such as environmental sustainability, food insecurities, mental and physical well-being, emergency preparedness and veteran affairs.

Sophia Boren
Gold Award Girl Scout Sophia Boren addressed the lack of knowledge about golf opportunities for young players—especially girls—and the low number of female golfers in her community by organizing a hands-on golf workshop for elementary and middle school girls.

The event was led in partnership with local golf coach Emma Corbett, her two colleagues, and Sophia’s high school golf coach, Jason Harshman. Sophia opened the workshop by speaking about the need for more female golfers and the valuable opportunities the sport provides. Coach Harshman followed by discussing the small size of girls’ golf teams at local high schools, encouraging participants to consider golf as a long-term pursuit.

Participants then rotated through skill-based stations led by the coaching team: chipping on a synthetic turf course, putting on a flat green surface, and taking longer virtual shots indoors using drivers and irons. Each coach provided instruction and encouragement while Jason circulated among stations offering additional tips.

At the end of the event, participants shared what they learned and received t-shirts, patches, tees, and pamphlets featuring local golf camps and lesson opportunities, along with information about the benefits of participating in high school sports. Sophia also partnered with ELV8 to distribute additional resources and bracelets promoting their youth program.

Through her Gold Award project, Sophia introduced girls to the game of golf while building their confidence and awareness of how sports can empower them both on and off the course.

For more details on this event and Girl Scouts Highest Awards, visit girlscoutsem.org/highestawards.