Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Emily Ripperda from Breese has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive.
For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called Project Pirouette – Building Confidence in Young Girls through Dance, Emily wanted to address the lack of self-confidence and self-esteem that she saw in today’s young girls, something she herself experienced. Emily helped girls build confidence by teaching them dance skills and encouraging them to try something new. She had guest speakers who discussed how their confidence built over time and how they were able to overcome esteem issues. Each girl also received books with inspiring quotes and messages for them to keep. The girls then learned a dance routine that they performed for their parents and guests.
Through her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Emily gained valuable leadership skills that she’ll be able to use throughout her life. “This project helped me learn the skills needed to be a leader. I also learned the importance of planning ahead, clear communication and being flexible when things don’t go as planned,” said Emily.
Emily is the daughter of Dennis Ripperda and Linda Loepker. She is currently a sophomore at Central Community High School. Emily has been a Girl Scout for 10 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 5 percent of eligible girls earn the prestigious Gold Award.
