Gold Award Spotlight: Sofia C
Girl Spotlight: Sofia Castillo
Gold Award Girl Scout
Age 17 | Ambassador Girl Scout | Miami, FL
Earned Silver and Bronze Awards
What are some of your favorite hobbies?
Reading, traveling, rescuing animals, and painting.
In a word, what does it mean to say, "I am a Girl Scout"?
Fulfilling.
What is the title of your project?
United by Knowledge
Tell us more about your project and how you completed it.
My Gold Award project, United by Knowledge, created a Learning Lab at His House Children's Home, giving children access to enrichment resources that support academic growth, creativity, and lifelong learning. The space includes physical books, educational games, STEM kits, and tablets preloaded with free platforms like Khan Academy.
Through a pro bono partnership with The Home Depot, we refurbished the space into a warm, engaging, and functional learning environment, and additional donations made it possible to purchase tablets and educational materials.
To keep the Learning Lab going, I built student volunteer partnerships with Our Lady of Lourdes Academy and Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart. Volunteers earn community service hours by helping maintain the space, keeping it organized, and doing digital read-alongs with the kids. The project's Instagram, @UnitedByKnowledge, connects partners, donors, and community members to its ongoing impact.
Why is this project important to you? What gave you the inspiration to approach this topic the way that you did?
I noticed that while some children have incredible educational resources and opportunities, others, through no fault of their own, don't. Every child deserves a safe, enriching environment to learn, explore, and build confidence. Creating the Learning Lab let me help close that gap for the children at His House Children's Home, giving them access to books, STEM activities, educational games, and digital tools that spark curiosity and growth.
My goal wasn't just to build a space, but to create encouragement, creativity, and opportunity for kids who might not otherwise have consistent access to these resources.
What was the biggest challenge you faced and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge was turning the idea into something achievable in the first place. Securing the funding and resources for the Learning Lab was difficult, especially while balancing school and everything else.
I spent a lot of time visiting local retailers and community partners in person to share the vision and ask for support. It was a challenging process, but it taught me perseverance, communication, and leadership.
How does this project contribute to your future goals?
This experience strengthened my interest in helping others through my future studies and career, especially in medicine, which is my goal. It taught me the importance of empathy, collaboration, and creating opportunities for people who don't always have access to the same resources.
What did you learn about yourself in the process of completing your project?
I learned so much about myself through this project. It pushed me outside my own circle and opened my eyes to the hardships many children face through no fault of their own. It gave me a deeper sense of empathy, gratitude, and responsibility to help others in meaningful ways.
Most importantly, I learned that even one person can make a difference. Creating opportunities and educational resources for children at His House Children's Home showed me that investing in children is investing in our future, and in society as a whole.
What did you learn about your community in the process of completing your project?
I learned that not all children have access to the same opportunities, resources, or support systems, and how important community involvement is in closing those gaps.
I also saw that when people and organizations come together around a shared purpose, they can create real change. The support from volunteers, donors, schools, and community partners showed me the power of a community working together for kids.
