Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Jessica Drewer from Highland has received the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive.
For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called Music, Reading, Healthy Eating, Jessica worked with KinderCottage in East St. Louis. Having already volunteered at the center with her church youth group, Jessica knew the needs of the center. She provided them with a bookshelf and books for a library. Jessica also created a music program using homemade instruments out of recyclable materials and a coloring book showing the instruments and their names. She also provided backpacks and school supplies for each child entering kindergarten. In addition, Jessica also worked to provide healthy snacks for the children.
“Sometimes we must be selfless and reach out to those in need, ” said Jessica.
Jessica is the daughter of Carole Drewer. She is a 2015 graduate of Highland High School and was a Girl Scout for 12 years.
The Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can earn, recognizes a Girl Scout's commitment to excellence as she develops skills and values to meet present and future challenges in her life. To earn the Girl Scout Gold Award, a Girl Scout Senior or Girl Scout Ambassador must design and carry out a project that fulfills a need within a girl’s community, creates change, and is sustainable. The project must be completed with a suggested minimum of 80 hours of work. Only about 6 percent of eligible girls earn the prestigious Gold Award.
Today, Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. is the largest voluntary organization for girls in the world. Its sole focus is to meet the needs of all girls (ages 5-17) from diverse racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Today’s Girl Scouts not only enjoy camping and crafts, but they also explore math and science and learn about diversity, good citizenship, leadership and teamwork. Girl Scouting is the place where girls experience the fun, friendship and power of girls together.
