Local Girl Scout Educates Community about Proper Rabbit Care
TARYNN BLAIS
Warwick, R.I. (July 8, 2026)—Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England is excited and proud to announce that Tarynn Blais from Smithfield, RI has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting. Tarynn’s Gold Award project is titled Hop Don’t Shop. For her Gold Award project, Tarynn addressed the lack of information about how to properly care for pet rabbits.
Every year, numerous rabbits are given as pets, especially around Easter time. Unfortunately, most people do not know how to properly care for rabbits and 80% of the rabbits that are given as gifts are abandoned within a few weeks. Most of these rabbits don’t live until their first birthday. Tarynn’s Gold Award project educated people as to what being a responsible rabbit owner entails, and how to properly care for pet rabbits.
Tarynn was able to speak with over 1,000 Ponaganset High School students and adults to educate them about what it entails to have a pet rabbit. She was able to do this through presentations to both the student body and at events for the greater community. She created three brochures about rabbit ownership, daily rabbit care, and other relevant details of having a rabbit as a pet. Her project also included digital components such as a website and an Instagram account.
Because of her Gold Award Project, The FFA (Future Farmers of America) chapter at Ponaganset High School will now have the resources to continue to educate others about rabbit ownership. They will have brochures, a display board, and other printed information Tarynn created and will be able to continue educating people about proper rabbit ownership at the annual Agricultural Open House and other events.
“This project is important to me because of my love for animals and my belief that all pets deserve proper care. As a rabbit owner myself, I understand how much responsibility they require. It was upsetting to learn how many rabbits are given as gifts and then are quickly abandoned because people don’t understand rabbits’ needs. Knowing that many don’t survive their first year inspired me to take action. This project also connects to my goal of becoming a veterinarian. I hope to help animals live healthy lives, and by teaching others about responsible rabbit ownership, I believe I have made a difference.” said Tarynn Blais, Gold Award Girl Scout.
About the Girl Scout Gold Award
Since 1916, Girl Scouts have been making meaningful, sustainable change in their communities and around the world while earning this award. The Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting, acknowledges the power behind each Gold Award Girl Scout’s dedication to not only empowering and bettering herself, but also to making the world a better place for others. These young women are courageous leaders and visionary change makers. They are our future, and it looks bright!
Tarynn will join the millions of Girl Scout alum around the world who have successfully created, developed, and executed “Take Action” projects that have positively impacted their communities and the world, earning Girl Scouts’ highest award.
Gold Award Girl Scouts become innovative problem-solvers, strong and empathetic leaders, confident public speakers, and focused project managers. They learn resourcefulness, tenacity, and decision-making skills, giving them an edge personally and professionally. As they take action to transform their communities, Gold Award Girl Scouts gain tangible skills and prove they’re the leaders our world needs. The 2026 Gold Award Girl Scout class identified issues in their communities, took action, and found or created solutions to earn their Gold Awards, addressing real-life problems such as environmental sustainability, racial justice, mental and physical well-being, and gender inequality in STEM.
According to recent research, Gold Award Girl Scouts are more likely to fill leadership roles at work and in their personal lives and are more civically engaged than their non-Girl Scout peers. Eighty-seven percent (87%) of Gold Award Girl Scouts agree that earning their Gold Award gave them skills that help them succeed professionally. Seventy-two percent (72%) said earning their Gold Award helped them get a scholarship. Changing the world doesn’t end when a Girl Scout earns her Gold Award. Ninety-nine percent (99%) of Gold Award Girl Scout alums take on leadership roles in their everyday lives.
Earning the Gold Award is just one of the amazing things girls and gender-expansive youth can do as part of Girl Scouts. To join Girl Scouts or learn more about volunteering, please visit www.gssne.org/join.
We are Girl Scouts of Southeastern New England, a nonprofit organization dedicated to building girls of courage, confidence, and character. We serve all of Rhode Island, 13 communities in Massachusetts, and one in Connecticut.
Girl Scouts discover who they are, tap into the power inside them, and build the confidence to let it shine. Through programs across Southeastern New England, girls and gender-expansive youth of all backgrounds and abilities come as they are to explore their passions, meet new challenges, and develop hands-on skills. They find their strengths in science labs and on hiking trails, at cookie booths and in front of city councils. Backed by millions of alums and a network of dedicated adult volunteers and mentors, Girl Scouts drive change to make the world a better place. Along the way, they uncover the tools they need to lead with joy, on their own terms. Join us, volunteer, reconnect, or donate.