Marley shares her inspiring journey of curating and developing a children's art gallery in partnership with the Southwest Art Gallery and Science Center. At just 16 years old, Marley embarked on this project to provide art-related opportunities for kids in her community in North Dakota, where such resources were scarce. She discusses her passion for art as a self-taught artist, the need she identified in her community, and how her collaboration with the Southwest Art Gallery, which shares her mission, facilitated the creation of this new space. Marley reflects on her experience as a volunteer and the process of curating the first exhibit, highlighting the importance of fostering creativity among youth. Tune in to learn how one young artist is making a difference in her community through art!

About Our Guest:
My name is Marly Barnett, I am a 17-year-old Girl Scout from Troop 85112 and I live in the SW region of North Dakota. My Gold Award project, titled “SW Art Gallery and Science Center’s Children’s Gallery”, was to develop a children’s art gallery for grades K-12 within the physical building of the SW Art Gallery and Science Center. I started this project at age 16 in April 2024, and as a result, I have advanced from a volunteer position to a paid role as Student Director of the SW Art Gallery and Science Center’s Children’s Gallery in October. Most recently I added Social Media Coordinator to my responsibilities. The reason I chose this as my Gold Award project was for two reasons, one to play a more active role in my community and two, as a self-taught artist, to make the arts more accessible for young artists in Region 8 of North Dakota.

Imagine a world where friendships are built one letter at a time. That’s exactly what Hannah Crawley created with her Girl Scout Gold Award project—a nationwide pen pal program connecting Girl Scouts across the U.S. and even Japan. At a time when social media dominated communication, Hannah brought back the magic of handwritten letters, fostering deeper connections and lifelong friendships.

Now serving in the military, Hannah reflects on how this project not only strengthened her communication skills but also prepared her for a future where letters remain a vital link. She shares the challenges of organizing the program, the excitement of receiving international candy swaps, and why she spent hours hand-drawing animals for each participant. Plus, we dive into her Girl Scout camp adventures, spooky camp counselor stories, and her favorite way to make s’mores.

📢 Key Takeaways:

• The power of handwritten letters in a digital world.
• How a Gold Award project can have lasting personal and global impact.
• Lessons from military life and the transition from Girl Scouts to service.
• Advice for future Gold Award Girl Scouts on planning ahead.
• A behind-the-scenes look at camp counseling, storytelling, and late-night porcupine encounters.

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Full transcription available on Substack

Cee-Cee Deslaurier-Tate about her incredible Girl Scout Gold Award project, which honors the legacy of Amanda Blake, best known as Miss Kitty from Gunsmoke. Cee-Cee dedicated over 1,000 hours to creating a documentary highlighting Amanda’s conservation work, including her efforts to save endangered cheetahs and launch the first no-kill animal shelter in Arizona.

Through extensive research, interviews, and a fundraising initiative, Cee-Cee has helped preserve Amanda’s impact on wildlife conservation. She shares how her passion for the Old West and storytelling led her to this project, the challenges she faced along the way, and how Amanda’s legacy continues to inspire her.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
✨ How Cee-Cee discovered her passion for the Old West and Amanda Blake
✨ The process of making a documentary as part of a Gold Award project
✨ The importance of preserving history and conservation efforts
✨ Insights into the Girl Scout Gold Award journey

🔗 Follow Cee-Cee’s journey: https://www.facebook.com/KittyARussell/

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More from Cee-Cee

I am currently a Freshman in college, studying theater and entrepreneurship. As a 12-year Girl Scout, I was honored to receive my Gold Award last year after dedicating over 1,000 hours to creating a Created a 2.5 hour documentary as well as designing several physical memorials in honor of actress and animal advocate Amanda Blake ("Miss Kitty Russell on the TV Western "Gunsmoke"). As a "Miss Kitty" Tribute Artist/Impersonator, during the Summer I make appearances at New Jersey's Wild West City theme park, appearing in theatrical skits. From time to time I can also be found at Goldfield Ghost Town in Apache Junction, AZ. In the future, I plan to continue work as a tribute artist, expanding my work of preserving the legacy of past generations. Eventually I plan on opening my own Old West-themed dinner theater.