Hoover High Graduate Earns Gold Award with Teen Driving Safety Class Project

Elizabeth, a Hoover High School graduate who plans on attending Auburn University in the fall of 2013, recently earned the Girl Scout Gold Award. Elizabeth earned her Gold Award for her project Teen Driving Safety Awareness. Her project focused on educating teens at Hoover High School about Alabama’s graduated drivers’ license laws, and how the laws are designed to keep teens safe. Young drivers and their parents attended a presentation where Elizabeth talked about the laws, local professionals gave advice on safe driving and a mother talked about losing her child to unsafe driving. Elizabeth also created a curriculum for drivers’ education teachers at Hoover High School. She received positive feedback from a survey she gave at the end of her presentation, and one drivers’ education teacher she talked with said Elizabeth’s curriculum was helpful in educating his students about graduated license laws. The teachers who received the curriculum will continue to use it in their classrooms and will update it as laws change.

“I think that the most successful aspect of my project was relaying to teenagers that they are not invincible and that driving is a serious task,” said Elizabeth.

“By earning the Girl Scout Gold Award,” said Trish Coghlan, chief executive officer of the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama, “Elizabeth has become a community leader. Her accomplishments reflect leadership and citizenship skills that set her apart.”

The girl who goes for the Gold embraces challenges, achieves excellence, and works diligently to make the world a better place, in her own unique way. Her leadership, vision, and boundless energy is an inspiration to all Girl Scouts. Each girl earning her Gold Award demonstrates excellence through a leadership project totaling more than 65 hours. Girls who earn their Gold Award are also recognized by the President of the United States, the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Armed Services, state legislatures, colleges and universities for admission and scholarship opportunities, and the American Legion. Some universities and colleges offer scholarships unique to Gold Award recipients, and girls who enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces may receive advanced rank in recognition of their achievements.

About Girl Scout Gold Award

The Gold Award represents the highest achievement in Girl Scouting; it recognizes girls in grades 9 through 12 who demonstrate extraordinary leadership through sustainable and measurable Take Action projects. Since 1916, girls have successfully answered the call to go gold, an act that indelibly marks them as accomplished members of their communities and the world. For more information about the Gold Award, visit girlscoutsnca.org/gogold. 

Altamont Junior's Garden for Glenwood Project Earns Gold Award

Isabella, a junior at the Altamont School, recently earned the Girl Scout Gold Award. Isabella earned her Gold Award for her project A Garden for Glenwood. Her project focused on providing a garden for the children at Glenwood Autism and Behavioral Health Center. While the adults at Glenwood had access to gardening, the children did not, and Isabella wanted to provide this activity for them. After researching the therapeutic benefits of gardening and finding that gardening activities benefit children with behavioral issues, Isabella designed a garden plan and coordinated with Home Depot and Lowe’s to obtain supplies for the project. She spoke to a class at her school about her project, presenting to them an area of the community about which they knew little. A Glenwood employee and an Altamont student will sustain her project into the future.

“I believe that giving the children at Glenwood the opportunity to plant, water and harvest vegetables, herbs and fruits in a garden of their own would nurture their curiosity, confidence and sense of ownership. This project also allows the children to bond with and appreciate the wonders of Mother Nature,” said Isabella. 

“By earning the Girl Scout Gold Award,” said Trish Coghlan, chief executive officer of the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama, “Isabella has become a community leader. Her accomplishments reflect leadership and citizenship skills that set her apart.” 
The girl who goes for the Gold embraces challenges, achieves excellence, and works diligently to make the world a better place, in her own unique way. Her leadership, vision, and boundless energy is an inspiration to all Girl Scouts. Each girl earning her Gold Award demonstrates excellence through a leadership project totaling more than 65 hours. Girls who earn their Gold Award are also recognized by the President of the United States, the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Armed Services, state legislatures, colleges and universities for admission and scholarship opportunities, and the American Legion. Some universities and colleges offer scholarships unique to Gold Award recipients, and girls who enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces may receive advanced rank in recognition of their achievements. 

The Girl Scout Gold Award represents the highest achievement in Girl Scouting; it recognizes girls in grades 9 through 12 who demonstrate extraordinary leadership through sustainable and measurable Take Action projects. Since 1916, girls have successfully answered the call to go gold, an act that indelibly marks them as accomplished members of their communities and the world. For more information about the Gold Award, visit girlscoutsnca.org/gogold.

Kayleigh of Troop 30795 Earns Silver Award

Kaleigh, member of Troop 30795 and student at Hewitt-Trussville Middle School, recently earned the Girl Scout Silver Award for her project Seize the Day! Kayleigh’s sister has epilepsy, and since her family did not know what to do when she had her first seizure, Kayleigh wanted to raise awareness about the disorder. She distributed flyers to local businesses about what to do when someone has a seizure, and she made sure someone at those businesses knew those procedures. She also wrote a story for her school news station during Epilepsy Awareness Month (November) and encouraged her peers to wear purple on Epilepsy Awareness Day in March. Kayleigh says she learned how to advocate for a cause in which believes, and she will continue to educate the community about epilepsy in the future.

The Girl Scout Silver Award is the highest award a Girl Scout Cadette (grades 6-8) can earn. This award symbolizes a Girl Scout Cadette's accomplishments in Girl Scouting and community activities as she matures and works to better her life and the lives of others.

Birmingham Girl Scouts Earn Bronze Award

Tameah, Victoria, Britney, Jamia, Kristian, Taylor, Jade, Iman, Tiana, Mekayla, students at W.J. Christian K-8 School, and Myah, Kayla and Taniya, students at Phillips Academy and members of Girl Scout Troop 368, recently earned the Girl Scout Bronze Award for their project Furry Fun! The girls visited the Greater Birmingham Humane Society and made dog toys out of recycled materials.

The Girl Scout Bronze Award is the highest award a Girl Scout Junior (fourth and fifth grades) can earn. This award recognizes that a Girl Scout Junior has gained the leadership and planning skills required to follow through with a project that makes a positive difference in her community.

Girl Scouts Donate Cookies, Food to Local Charity

Girl Scout Junior Troop 287 of Thompson Intermediate School in Alabaster did more than just sell cookies during cookie season. They chose Manna Ministry as their charity for their Gift of Caring project, and they donated several cases of Girl Scout cookies to the ministry.

The girls also held a community food drive to benefit the charity. During their booth sale, Abbie, Molly, Alyssa, Shelby, Jessie, Gillian and Isabelle promoted the event with flyers that they passed out to individuals and local businesses. At the event, they collected three shopping carts full of food. The event was part of the girls' Take Action project to complete the Agent of Change Journey.

Girl Scouts Sponsor Morgan County Day Camp

Service unit 14 of the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama is sponsoring Camp Luau! Morgan County Day Camp, an opportunity for girls to experience camp without having to stay overnight. Camp Luau will take place June 6–7 from 9 a.m.–3 p.m. at Sparkman Park.

The cost is $20 for registered Girl Scouts, $32 for non-Girl Scouts and $10 for Tagalongs. Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors will serve as day camp aides for $15, and Cadettes have the option of participating as day camp aides for $15, or with younger Girl Scouts at the regular registration prices. Older girls can camp overnight after Luau for an additional $8.

The deadline for registration is May 17, 2013, or when the capacity of 50 campers is reached. For more information, contact Brantley Kirk, community development manager, at bkirk@girlscoutsnca.org or 800-410-8338 x1233.

Girl Scouts Elect New Board Members

The Girl Scouts North-Central Alabama elected the following officers at the annual meeting held April 27: President – Rachel Russell of Shelby County, retired, AT&T (pictured); First Vice President – Dawn Stanley of Huntsville, space launch systems system engineering and integration technical manager, NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center; Second Vice President – Sarah Edwards of St. Clair County, retired registered pharmacist; Third Vice-President – Mary Edna Wuertenberger of Calhoun County, retired, GSUSA; Secretary – Tina Waggoner of Shelby County, community volunteer; and Treasurer – Cindi Vice of Jefferson County, chief financial officer, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama. 

Directors elected to the board include Peter Bosworth of Shelby County, assistant director, UAB Comprehensive Center for Healthy Aging; Marlene Brown of Jefferson County, accountant, Vulcan Materials; Pam Callaway of North Carolina, community volunteer; Diane Dunning of St. Clair County, assistant attorney general, State of Alabama DHR; Steven Hobbs of Tuscaloosa County, law professor, University of Alabama; Barbara Johnson of Shelby County, retired pediatric nurse practitioner, Elaine Kwarcinski of Shelby County, substation construction manager, Alabama Power Company; Rachel Poovey of Morgan County, principal, Decatur City Schools; Kathleen Rose-Byington of Jefferson County, artist; Dr. Sally Smith of Talladega County, owner, Sleeping Giant Veterinary Clinic; Aaron Tews of Shelby County, senior estimator, Honeywell International; and Ruth Ellen Yeager of Jefferson County, certified women's health nurse practitioner.

Troop 268 Earns Bronze Award

Troop 268 members Abby, Alex, Alyssa, Alyssa, Jordan, Kelsey, Kirsten, Laura, Lily, Olivia, Olivia, Saigely, Samantha, Sara Bess, students at Helena Intermediate School, Abrianna, student at Oak Mountain Intermediate School and Barrett, student at Southminster Day School, recently earned the Girl Scout Bronze Award for their project Painting Benches at KPC. The girls loved using paint and glitter to decorate benches and a dragon for one of Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama’s camps, Kanawahala Program Center. 

The Girl Scout Bronze Award is the highest award a Girl Scout Junior (fourth and fifth grades) can earn. This award recognizes that a Girl Scout Junior has gained the leadership and planning skills required to follow through with a project that makes a positive difference in her community.