Broward student earns Girl Scouts Gold Award for art therapy project spanning Florida and Jamaica

A South Florida student has earned one of the highest honors in Girl Scouting for a project that uses art therapy to support mental health both locally and in Jamaica.

Kana Reynolds, a Southwest Ranches resident and freshman at North Broward Preparatory School in Coconut Creek, received the 2026 Girl Scouts Gold Award for her initiative Art for the Heart: Mindful Masterpieces for Emotional Wellbeing.

Reynolds is the first member of the Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida council to earn the prestigious award as a high school freshman.

The Gold Award is considered the highest achievement in Girl Scouting, given to only a small percentage of eligible participants nationwide who design and lead large-scale service projects aimed at creating lasting community impact.

Reynolds’ project focused on making art therapy more accessible as a tool to reduce anxiety and depression, improve emotional regulation and promote overall mental wellbeing. Her goal was to remove barriers such as cost, location and limited awareness that often prevent access to mental health support.

She created a free multimedia platform that includes a website, Instagram account, YouTube channel and an illustrated instructional book. The resources feature more than 30 self-guided art therapy tutorials covering painting, drawing, sculpture, collage and mixed media, each paired with explanations of the science behind art therapy and aligned with social-emotional learning principles.

Reynolds also worked with professional artists and faculty at Florida Atlantic University to design and deliver workshops for more than 100 students in northern Broward County, along with an additional 80 students in St. Elizabeth, Kingston and Trelawny, Jamaica.

Her project was part of the 2026 Gold Award cohort of 22 young women recognized by Girl Scouts of Southeast Florida for community service initiatives spanning issues such as mental health, literacy, environmental sustainability and health awareness.

Collectively, the group contributed more than 2,500 service hours and partnered with organizations across multiple countries, including work reaching as far as Tanzania.

Girl Scouts officials said Gold Award projects are designed to build leadership, communication and project management skills, while encouraging long-term civic engagement.

“This will forever distinguish them on scholarship applications, college admission essays and resumes,” said Lisa Johnson, noting the award’s significance in shaping future opportunities for recipients.