Ashley Ragon From Girl Scouts to Aerospace Engineering

As a member of Girl Scouts for ten years, Ashley Ragon, 18, has grown as an individual and a leader. “Girl Scouts has aided tremendously in my growth as an individual over the last ten years. I have learned numerous things about leadership, finances, independence, respect and integrity. I’ve enjoyed going on many trips and activities and created many friendships. I believe that Girl Scouts is one of the most beneficial programs a young girl can be a part of.”

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Ashley worked with the Sailing Science Center, Bay Area, California, to construct a museum exhibit for their collection. “In this exhibit, I focused on the impacts of plastic pollution on our oceans, including marine life and humans,” she explained. “The exhibit is interactive and is taken with the organization to many community centers, including the Exploratorium. This project would not have been possible without the help of Mike Little and M&L Molding, Stockton, California, who helped construct the exhibit.

“I chose this project because I wanted to incorporate my love for science and sustainability with my passion for sailing,” Ashley continued. “I’ve been coaching the youth Learn to Sail program at the Stockton Sailing Club for the past three years and working with the Sailing Science Center was the greatest opportunity I could have asked for. I wanted to especially highlight the impacts of global warming because they are increasingly affecting our world. By 2030, it is estimated that 90 percent of coral reefs will die unless we take action.”

From this project, Ashley says she learned more about leadership than she could have otherwise. “I learned that leadership relies on collaborating, growing and learning from others and yourself, not just leading by example. I learned a lot about the impacts of global warming and enhanced my communication and collaboration skills,” she affirmed. “All of the skills I learned throughout this project will be immensely beneficial as I continue into college and beyond.”

Ashley graduated from Tokay High School in May 2024 and will be attending UCLA in the fall. “In the future, I hope to continue to combine sustainability with a career in STEM. At UCLA, I am majoring in aerospace engineering and I hope to work more closely with researchers to incorporate more sustainable fuel alternatives into the industry. I want to continue to participate in clubs, groups, and research that target big impact issues in our world,” she concluded.