A FishHawk seventh grader is making a lasting impact on wildlife conservation — one raptor at a time.
Cadette Girl Scout Kayla Farrell, 12, of Girl Scout Troop 33006, recently earned the prestigious Girl Scout Silver Award for a comprehensive community education project focused on protecting birds of prey. A student at Randall Middle School, Kayla invested nearly 70 hours into her award-winning effort, which combined hands-on education, public outreach and lasting resources for the community.
The project was inspired close to home. Kayla’s grandmother and a neighbor, both avid walkers in the FishHawk community, became fearful of their daily route due to raptors nesting along the path. Kayla’s curiosity grew after discovering a barred owl living in her own yard and meeting a local master falconer who shared his expertise during a visit to her Girl Scout cookie stand.
Motivated to educate rather than alarm, Kayla designed a project to raise awareness about the importance of birds of prey, the threats they face and how residents can safely coexist with them. She partnered with Tampa Bay Raptor Rescue to develop a seven-page educational activity booklet and an animal ambassador scavenger hunt for visitors to the organization’s raptor sanctuary at Moccasin Lake Nature Park in Clearwater.
On Sept. 13, 2025, Kayla delivered 650 customized educational booklets and bookmarks, along with a kestrel house she built, to Tampa Bay Raptor Rescue as part of her sustainability plan. She also created a ‘Nest Fest: Protecting Birds of Prey’ educational Facebook page, filmed a do-it-yourself kestrel house instructional video, and worked with local homeowners associations to share best practices for addressing raptors nesting in residential areas.
Kayla also hosted a hands-on educational table featuring live birds at Girl Scouts of West Central Florida’s STEMapalooza event in April 2025. Her exhibit earned second place in the People’s Choice Award category, reflecting strong public interest in her work.
“My favorite part was getting to interact with the birds and take pictures of them,” Kayla said.
The Girl Scout Silver Award is the second-highest honor in Girl Scouting and the highest award a middle school Girl Scout can achieve. Fewer than 10 percent of eligible Girl Scouts earn the distinction. The award requires a minimum 50-hour project in which a Girl Scout identifies a community need, addresses its root cause and leads a sustainable solution.
Kayla’s project has not only helped educate hundreds of park visitors and residents but also created lasting tools to promote understanding and protection of birds of prey throughout the Tampa Bay area.
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