Girl Scouts honored

WORCESTER — The Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts recognized 63 members of the 2024 Girl Scout Gold Award and Silver Award class who made a sustainable impact addressing causes they care about in the region during an awards ceremony at Mechanics Hall in Worcester on June 12. Sixteen earned the Gold Award and 47 earned the Silver Award.

The Gold Award is earned by girls in grades nine through 12 who demonstrate extraordinary leadership in developing sustainable solutions to local, national and global challenges. The Silver Award, the highest award that Girl Scouts ages 11 to 14 can earn, is symbolic of accomplishments in Girl Scouting and community activities, as a girl becomes her best self and builds the world around her.

Nine local students named to STCC dean’s list

SPRINGFIELD — Nine hundred and two students were named to the dean’s list at Springfield Technical Community College for the spring semester, including nine students from Franklin County. They are: Lachlan M. Higgins of Conway; Cody William Guild, Isabelle A. Senn, Mickaelah Simpson and Victoria Marin, all of Greenfield; Alina Monica Smiarowski, Cole Jonathan Royer and Kendall Lee Supple, all of Sunderland; and Tyler J. Millane of Turners Falls.

To be considered for the dean’s list, degree-seeking students must earn 12 or more college-level credits in the current semester, or a total of 12 or more combined college-level credits during the fall and spring semesters, and achieve a minimum 3.3 grade point average.

Baystate Health earns ‘LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performer’ designation

SPRINGFIELD — Four of Baystate Health’s hospitals, including Baystate Franklin Medical Center in Greenfield, were recently designated as “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performers” by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation’s Healthcare Equality Index (HEI).

Baystate Franklin Medical Center, Baystate Medical Center, Baystate Noble Hospital and Baystate Wing Hospital were among a record 1,065 health care facilities that actively participated in the HEI 2024 survey and scoring process. Of those participants, 462 received the “LGBTQ+ Healthcare Equality High Performer” designation.

“Baystate Health is proud to be recognized as a high performer on the 2024 Health Equality Index (HEI) Survey by the Human Rights Campaign,” Tyonne D. Hinson, senior vice president and chief diversity, health equity and inclusion officer, said in a statement. “This recognition supports Baystate’s commitment to safety, provision of gender-affirming care for the LGBTQ+ community, and our unwavering focus on quality and health equity for all. Baystate Health is dedicated to elevating the dignity of all people, as we continue our journey in advancing care and enhancing the lives of our LGBTQ+ patients, families and employees.”

The Human Rights Campaign Foundation is the educational arm of the Human Rights Campaign, a civil rights organization working to achieve equality for LGBTQ people.

HEI survey participants are scored on criteria that includes: foundational elements of non-discrimination policy implementation and training, patient services and support, employee benefits and policies, patient and community engagement, and responsible citizenship.