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Gold Award Spotlight: Lindsey H
Girl Spotlight: Lindsey Huey
Gold Award Girl Scout
Age 18 | Ambassador Girl Scout | Miami Springs, FL
Bronze and Silver Award Girl Scout
What are some of your favorite hobbies?
Drawing and listening to music.
In a word, what does it mean to say, "I am a Girl Scout"?
Powerful.
As a senior, what are some of your future plans?
I plan to attend Full Sail University and major in Digital Art and Design. I've been awarded the Creative Minds Scholarship, which provides $40,000 toward my education.
What is the title of your project?
EcoBuilders: Creating a Sustainable School Garden
Tell us more about your project and how you completed it.
My Gold Award project, EcoBuilders: Creating a Sustainable School Garden, focused on creating a long-term gardening resource for students and teachers at Hialeah Gardens Senior High School. With the support of my principal, culinary teacher, and other faculty members, I transformed existing garden beds into a productive space that could provide fresh produce and educational opportunities for future students.
I manually prepared the garden by adding new soil and planting a variety of vegetables and herbs, including broccoli, carrots, oregano, and basil. To encourage pollination and support local wildlife, I also planted marigolds throughout the garden and grew butterfly pea plants in hanging containers. Throughout the project, I watered, pruned, and maintained the plants daily to ensure they remained healthy and productive.
As the garden developed, I added mulch to help retain moisture, reduce weeds, and protect plants from South Florida's heat, and installed wooden pallet trellises to support climbing crops like cucumbers and peas. To ensure the project's sustainability, the garden will be maintained by the school's Culinary Arts program — both my principal and culinary teacher have committed to continuing the garden and integrating it into future classes, so students can benefit from it for years to come.
Why is this project important to you? What gave you the inspiration to approach this topic the way that you did?
This project was inspired by my culinary teacher, who has been one of the most influential educators throughout my high school experience. Her passion for teaching inspired me to continue taking culinary classes throughout high school and helped me develop a greater appreciation for cooking and food preparation.
When I noticed that the culinary program often didn't have enough fresh produce available for classroom activities, I wanted to create a solution that would directly benefit both current and future students. Building a sustainable garden let me support a teacher who made a significant impact on my life while creating a valuable resource for the school community.
What was the biggest challenge you faced and how did you overcome it?
One of the biggest challenges I encountered was an unexpected freeze warning during the winter. Because many of the crops were vulnerable to cold temperatures, I needed to act quickly to protect the garden.
I covered the plants with plastic tarps to help insulate them from the cold and closely monitored weather conditions to make sure they remained healthy. By taking preventative measures and staying attentive to changing conditions, I was able to protect the crops and keep the garden thriving despite the unusual weather.
How does this project contribute to your future goals?
This project strengthened my leadership, organization, and problem-solving skills, all of which will benefit me in future educational and professional opportunities. Managing a long-term project required careful planning, persistence, and adaptability, and gave me valuable experience I can apply in any future career.
The gardening knowledge I gained is also something I can carry with me for life. Whether I pursue gardening as a hobby or take on future community projects, I now have the experience and confidence to build on what I learned here.
What did you learn about yourself in the process of completing your project?
Through this experience, I discovered a genuine passion for gardening and growing plants. Watching the garden transform and flourish over time was incredibly rewarding and motivated me to keep working toward my goals.
Harvesting the crops and seeing the positive impact of the garden gave me a strong sense of accomplishment and pride. The project taught me that I enjoy creating something meaningful through patience, hard work, and consistent effort.
What did you learn about your community in the process of completing your project?
I learned that my school community is incredibly supportive and encouraging. Students, teachers, and staff members consistently offered positive feedback and expressed excitement about the garden as it grew.
I was especially grateful to see how much respect everyone showed for the project. The garden remained well cared for, and many teachers went out of their way to help keep the area clean and maintained. Their support reinforced the importance of community involvement and showed me how much people value projects that benefit others.
Has your project received any previous awards or accolades?
My project hasn't received any awards or accolades beyond earning the Girl Scout Gold Award.
