East Islip High School senior Sophia Aurrecoechea has been awarded the prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award – the highest honor a Girl Scout can achieve – through a project that gives back to her roots in a deeply personal way. Inspired by her own journey with dyslexia, Aurrecoechea created family resource kits for Connetquot and RCK students who have recently been diagnosed with the learning difference. The kits are filled with books, tools and practice materials that Aurrecoechea personally found helpful throughout her own educational journey.

“At eight years old, I was diagnosed with dyslexia,” Aurrecoechea said. “For most people, reading and writing are easy tasks. For me, they were mountains I had to tackle every day. I remember watching my classmates grasp things quickly while I struggled to catch up.”

Recognizing the lack of readily available resources, Aurrecoechea set out to change that for others. Each kit contains high-interest books, skill-building worksheets and tools like reading guides strips. QR codes link families directly to online retailers so they can easily order items to continue learning at home. One additional kit was donated to a local Girl Scout troop, where it will continue to be passed along to those in need.

“I wanted to give back to the district that supported me,” Aurrecoechea said. “I’m proud that something so personal to me can now help other students feel less alone.”
Aurrecoechea was the goalkeeper for East Islip’s varsity soccer team, and is currently the captain of the varsity flag football team. She will be attending Nazareth University in Rochester this fall, playing goalkeeper on the school’s soccer team, and was admitted into Nazareth’s six-year direct-entry doctor of physical therapy program.