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Ahana Shah Earns Girl Scout Gold Award by Building Pathways to Tech Careers
Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey proudly recognizes Ahana Shah for earning the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor in Girl Scouting, by creating TechBridge: Building Pathways to Tech Careers, a multi-session workshop series designed to help high school students explore the many possibilities within the technology field.
Through TechBridge, Ahana introduced more than 30 students to careers in artificial intelligence, cybersecurity, UX design, software engineering, and data science. The workshops included hands-on activities and industry guest speakers, giving participants the opportunity to learn directly from professionals while discovering that tech careers are broader, more creative, and more accessible than many students may realize.
Ahana developed the project after noticing a gap in early exposure to technology careers.
“Too many students assume tech ‘isn’t for them,’ not because they lack ability, but because no one ever showed them what’s possible,” Ahana shared. “Without early exposure or relatable role models, these careers can feel out of reach. I wanted to change that.”
A key goal of TechBridge was to make technology feel real, relatable, and achievable. Ahana designed the workshops to show students that skills they already use every day — including writing, art, communication, creativity, and problem-solving — all have a place in technology. By connecting familiar school subjects and personal interests to growing career fields, TechBridge helped students see themselves in spaces they may not have previously considered.
Accessibility was also an important part of Ahana’s project. To help reach more students and families, all workshop materials were created in both English and Spanish. This allowed the program to be more inclusive and easier for partner organizations to use with future participants.
For Ahana, the project was not only about introducing students to career options, but also about creating a sustainable system that could continue beyond her direct involvement. Every lesson plan, activity, and resource was organized in a shared Google Drive folder so partner staff can independently run the workshops with future students. The model was intentionally designed to be simple, adaptable, and repeatable.
“TechBridge was built to continue without me,” Ahana said. “By designing reusable, inclusive systems, the program keeps delivering value well beyond my direct involvement.”
Throughout the process, Ahana strengthened her own leadership skills by managing a team, delegating tasks based on individual strengths, coordinating with adults and organizations, and adjusting plans when challenges arose. Leading a multi-session program over several months required planning, communication, persistence, and the confidence to keep moving forward.
“Being a Girl Scout means turning an idea into real change in my community,” Ahana shared. “To me, being a Girl Scout is about courage, confidence, and character in action: taking on something bigger than myself and following through to make a genuine difference for others.”
The Girl Scout Gold Award challenges Girl Scouts to identify an issue they care about and take action to create a sustainable solution. Through TechBridge, Ahana Shah has done exactly that — opening doors for students, expanding access to technology career exploration, and creating a lasting program that will continue helping young people discover what is possible.
June 26, 2026
