BEDFORD, NH – Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains congratulates state Rep. Cassandra Levesque on being named one of WZID’s 20 Outstanding Women for 2020. The radio station honor is awarded to those who go above and beyond to make their communities a better place to live.
Levesque, 20, of Barrington, who is also a Gold Award Girl Scout, was nominated by the Girl Scout council serving New Hampshire and Vermont for her tireless work on behalf of New Hampshire’s young women and the mentorship of our youngest citizens.
“Juliette Gordon Low once said ‘Girl Scouting is not just knowing, but doing...not doing, but being,’” said Levesque. “I have long ago taken those words to heart, and they guide me in my daily journey. Girl Scouts helped me decide who I was, how I saw the world and gave me the confidence and courage to step into the roles that I have taken on recently. We never know where the path of our lives will take us, but I am sure that I will always have my Girl Scout sisters by my side no matter where I go or what I do, and for that support, that acceptance, I am so very grateful. I am very honored and humbled to be chosen as a 2020 Outstanding Woman by WZID.”
She earned Girl Scouting’s highest honor, the Girl Scout Gold Award, in 2017 for her work to raise the minimum age for marriage in New Hampshire. She wanted to raise the age from 13 for girls and 14 for boys, to 18 but compromised to get legislation passed in 2018 to raise the age to 16 for both. Her Gold Award project, “Let a Child be a Child,” is founded on her belief that child marriage is a human rights violation.
When that legislation was signed into law, Levesque was about to enter college and was offered full four-year tuition at Southern New Hampshire University in recognition of her leadership. She now studies political science there through their online programs.
Because of that experience, Levesque was inspired to run for office, becoming one of the state’s youngest representatives, advocating for her community of Barrington and the people of New Hampshire. She is continuing her fight in the New Hampshire Legislature to raise the minimum age of marriage to 18.
She also mentors some of the youngest members of her community as a Girl Scout Brownie troop leader.
The Girl Scout Gold Award is the mark of the truly remarkable. The Gold Award is earned by girls in grades 9-12 who demonstrate extraordinary leadership in developing sustainable solutions to local, national, and global challenges. Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains offers girls throughout New Hampshire and Vermont the opportunity to change the world for the better, as Cassandra Levesque has, through Girl Scouting - the world’s largest leadership development program for girls.
Levesque’s profile and on-air interview can be found at https://wzid.com/outstanding-women/cassandra-levesque/
About Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains: Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains is recognized throughout New Hampshire and Vermont as a leading expert on girls. Our Girl Scout Leadership Experience is a one-of-a-kind leadership development program for girls with proven results. It is based on time-tested methods and research-backed programming that helps girls take the lead—in their own lives and in the world. Through our exciting and challenging programs, Girl Scouts not only participate but also take the lead in a range of activities—from kayaking, archery, and camping, to coding, robotics, financial literacy training, and beyond! Serving more than 10,000 girls throughout New Hampshire and Vermont, girls discover the fun, friendship, and power of girls together. Visit www.girlscoutsgwm.org.