For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Caitlin Der promoted healthy living by creating pamphlets and a Web site that addressed nutrition issues. She educated her community about the ability to eat healthy foods on a budget. She demonstrated how eating fast food and drinking soda can actually be more expensive in the long run. Caitlin included links to both her resources as well as other resources in both her pamphlets and her Web site.

Der, 18, is the daughter of Channing De and Kathleen Jusvi-Der of Chapel Hill and is a graduate of East Chapel Hill High School. In addition to Girl Scouts, she was involved in Habitat for Humanity, Junior Class Council, Senior Class Council, and Women's Caucus. Caitlin was a member of Girl Scout Troop 243 advised by Paige Barnett, Deborah Greene, Nancy Greene, Nancy Kueffer and Holly Mandelkehr.

Mandelkehr partnered with the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough in Orange County to showcase the town's history for her Girl Scout Gold Award project. She designed PowerPoint presentations detailing important historical locations in Hillsborough and researched historic homes, businesses and government buildings. She also photographed many of the locations herself and edited to provide visual emphasis for the presentation. The Alliance will use the presentations to educate various groups about town history.

Mandelkehr, 17, is the daughter of Larry and Holly Mandelkehr of Chapel Hill and is a graduate of Cedar Ridge High School. In addition to Girl Scouts, she was involved in marching band, wind ensemble, Beta Club, International Baccalaureate Program, Tri-M Musical Honor Society, clarinet quartet, and WUNC Radio Phone Donation as a volunteer. Heather was a member of Girl Scout Troop 243 advised by Paige Barnett, Deborah Greene, Nancy Greene, Nancy Kueffer, and Holly Mandelkehr.

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Sista educated her community about the customs, lifestyles, and needs of children Lilongwe, Malawi. While she made fellow students and community members aware of the needs, she held a collection drive in her school and neighborhoods for new and gently used school supplies to send to the children in Africa.

Sista, 16, is the daughter of Prakash and Nine Sista of Chapel Hill and is a graduate of East Chapel Hill High School. In addition to Girl Scouts, she was involved in National Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Interact Service Club, and religious/cultural organizations. Priyanka was a member of Girl Scout Troop 19 advised by Kathy Tapp and Linda Routh.

Smith designed a landscape plan for an area outside of her school's cultural arts building and theater for her Girl Scout Gold Award project. She worked with local landscape businesses to obtain the plants and mulch. After she obtained her materials, she tilled, weeded, trimmed existing bushes, and planted daffodils and ivy. She has also maintained a weekly trash pick-up.

Smith, 18, is the daughter of Tom and LuAnn Smith of Chapel Hill and is a graduate of Chapel Hill High School. In addition to Girl Scouts, she was involved in piano, Skills USA VICA Club, soccer, National Honor Society, French Club as co-president, and French Honors Society. Samantha was a member of Girl Scout Troop 1760 advised by Karen Hoffmann and Shelia Eldred.

Pisano is director of the Biomedical Research Imaging Center at UNC and is faculty member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. She pioneered research showing that digital mammograms are as reliable as film mammograms and better at finding breast cancer in young women and those with dense breast tissue.

Pisano will be honored today at the Health Breakthrough Awards Luncheon in New York City. She also will be featured in the September issue of the magazine, on sale Aug. 8.