Girl Scout Gold Awardees Emily Fuhler, Alexandra Lloyd and Tera Sparks Nominated As National Young Women of Distinction

 

GSSI has nominated three Girl Scouts from Southern Illinois as National Young Women of Distinction: Emily Fuhler from Trenton, Alexandra Lloyd from O’Fallon and Tera Sparks from O’Fallon. Girl Scouts’ National Young Women of Distinction award recognizes exceptional Girl Scout Gold Award recipients who have demonstrated remarkable leadership skills and a dedicated effort to activate change and make the world a better place. Up to three nominees for the honor are accepted from councils across the nation, with 10 finalists selected by Girl Scouts of the USA. Girls selected as National Young Women of Distinction receive college scholarships and opportunities to be involved in various national Girl Scouts and leadership events.

Emily Fuhler earned her Girl Scout Gold Award for working with The Covering House, a St. Louis based nonprofit that serves young female victims of sexual trafficking. Alexandra Lloyd earned her Girl Scout Gold Award working with MindsEye to produce radio shows for blind teens. Tera Sparks earned her Girl Scout Gold Award by creating an electronic database and map of O’Fallon Cemetary.  The girls were selected by a panel for their outstanding project, leadership skills, committment to community service and dedication to the ideals of Girl Scouting.

Watch for more news about GSSI’s National Young Women of Distinction nominees!

Emily Fuhler from Trenton Earns the Girl Scout Gold Award

 

 

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Emily Fuhler from Trenton has received the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. 

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Emily worked with The Covering House, a St. Louis based organization that helps girls who have experience sexual exploitation or sexual trafficking.  She had helped raise money for The Covering House through her high school youth group and wanted to continue to help.

“I wanted to impact the girls by letting them know that I, an eighteen year old girl that they’ve never met, care about them and there are people all over the world that will help them when they need it,” she said.  

Emily helped The Covering House prepare to open a residential facility to provide long-term therapeutic care. First, she helped inventory and organize supplies.  Next, she collected additional items to supplement the existing resources.  Last, she created a disaster kit for the facility in case of emergencies.  She also discussed human trafficking at her high school and put an article in the local newspaper to spread awareness about the issue.

“Through my project, I learned about the reality of the world around me and my true passions for helping others,” said Emily.  “I learned what I really believe in and am willing to stand up for.”

Emily is the daughter of Michael and Lynn Fuhler.  She completed her Girl Scout Gold Award project during her senior year at Trenton Wesclin High School in 2014.  She is currently a freshman at Southeast Missouri State University where she is studying Biomedical Sciences and Spanish.

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.