Leah Walton Installs New Camp Bridge While Working on Girl Scout Gold Award Project

Leah Walton

Leah Walton from O’Fallon dedicated a new bridge that she built at Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) Camp Torqua on Friday, July 20, 2018. Nearly 80 girls, Girl Scout volunteers and friends attended the dedication ceremony to applaud her efforts, which she committed towards earning the Girl Scout Gold Award – the highest award in Girl Scouting. Earning this prestigious award requires a suggested minimum of 80 hours of community service and helps Girl Scouts give back to the world in ways that are personally meaningful.

GSSI’s Camp Torqua is a 72 acre camp located outside of Edwardsville that is open to both Girl Scouts and outside groups. Despite a robust hiking trail system, the main link between two primary sections of the camp had been a gravel road that was also open to vehicles. To create a safer, more convenient option for foot traffic, Walton built a 40-foot suspension bridge over Sugar Creek, which cuts through the center of camp. Her construction used pressure treated wood and steel cables suspended through posts on both sides of the creek, and includes cross supports for stability. She explained that the project was meaningful to her because it allowed her to use her interests and skills to inspire the next generation. 

“My Girl Scout Gold Award project was a way for me to do my part in helping kids appreciate the outdoors,” said Walton. “I absolutely love the outdoors. I spend the majority of my time outside riding my hoses and playing sports.”

Laney B and Karly K play the outdoor games Leah created

She also created and installed a pair of outdoor game boards for campers to use. The brightly painted game boards – checkers and tic tac toe – were painted on slices from trees that previously needed removed at the camp and include natural objects such as rocks as game pieces. In addition, she developed a series of STEM activities for camp, like a challenge to build a weight-bearing pyramid using sticks in order to explore the role of structure shape in engineering. During the bridge dedication, which coincided with GSSI’s annual STEM Day Camp, she led younger girls through games and activities, as STEM fields are also among her top interests. 

“My favorite part of being a Girl Scout is being a part of my troop’s robotics team,” she shared. “We were able to compete at the state level and be competitive while representing Girl Scouts in a good light. My team learned through trial and error how to use tools better than most adults can, and I was able to apply those skills to build my bridge,” she added. 

This fall, Walton plans to attend University of Findlay to double major in animal science and English equestrian studies. After earning her undergraduate degree, she hopes to attend medical school. She believes her experiences in Girl Scouts will help her continue to be successful into the future. 

“Earning the Girl Scout Gold Award is important to me because it signifies dedication,” she explained. “It sets a good example for younger girls and shows what you can achieve if you really want to.” I would recommend being a Girl Scout because of the people that are part of the community,” she added. “It might not seem important to little girls, but so many of the leaders and friends I met are also the people giving me ‘pushes’ to be the best person I can be.” 

Leah's bridge over Sugar Creek at Camp Torqua

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is a high-capacity Girl Scout council serving approximately 11,300 girls and engaging 4,550 adult volunteers in 40 ½ counties in Southern Illinois. GSSI Mission: Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence, and character who make the world a better place. The Girl Scouts organization is the world's largest leadership development organization for girls. In partnership with committed adults, girls develop qualities that will serve them all their lives – such as strong values, social conscience, and conviction about their own potential and self-worth. Today’s Girl Scouts not only enjoy camping and crafts; 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. Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois is a not-for-profit organization supported by various United Ways throughout the region. Girl Scouts is a Proud Partner of United Way.

Gabriella Holmes from Millstadt Has Earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Gabriella Holmes from Millstadt has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive.

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called Softball Pitching Fun and Exercise, Gabriella said she wanted to take her love for the game of softball and share it with youth to get them to exercise more and eat healthier. According to Gabriella one of the root causes her project was child obesity and her Gold Award project gave kids a fun way to exercise and taught them healthy eating habits. During her Softball Pitching Camp for youth, she taught exercise and fitness and gave the children healthy eating tips and provided them with a snack each day.

Gabriella said she learned how to work with and teach younger children. “Through this project, I have learned that I enjoy helping younger people and that I can be a leader,” she said.

Gabriella is the daughter of Rick and Tracy Holmes. She is a junior at Belleville West High School and has been 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 5 percent of eligible girls earn the prestigious Gold Award.

Hannah Grotecke from Granite City Has Earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Hannah Groetecke from Granite City has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. 

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called Old Six Mile Museum, Gabriella said she wanted to help make improvements to the Old Six Mile Museum and save part of the history of Granite City. The museum roof was damaged and needed to be replaced. Through her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Hannah was able to mobilize volunteers to help and to donate supplies needed. After the roof was repaired, Hannah helped to promote the great things the museum offered including the free library, tours, home-made honey, unique history books and its new produce stand.

"I not only learned about my hometown," said Hannah, "but also learned that there are many helpful citizens that can be brought together to get things done." 

Hannah is the daughter of Heather Groetecke and Donny Groetecke. She completed her Girl Scout Gold Award Project during her senior year of high schoo and currently is a student at Southwestern Illinois College. She was a Girl Scout for 13 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.

Jordyn Thompson from O'Fallon Has Earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Jordyn Thompson from O’Fallon has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. 

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Jordyn held a LaVerna Evans Elementary School Fall Fun Fair and Fall Book Fair in O’Fallon. She worked with her local school officials to revive the Fall Fair and design new games and activities for parents and students who attended the event. Her Girl Scout Gold Award project included planning and creating new games, organizing the event and getting volunteers to assist during the Fall Fair. Her overall goal was to bring the parents and students out to the school and engage them in activities so they could learn about La Verna Evans Elementary School and its various programs.

“In completing my project, I learned how to be a leader, and I learned organization skills and that when directing people to have good communications skills to be effective. Also I learned, to allow others to offer advice, to be flexible and have a Plan B,” Jordyn added.

Jordyn is the daughter of Curtis Thompson and JoAnn Williams-Thompson. She will graduate from O’Fallon Township High School in 2018 and has been 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 5 percent of eligible girls earn the prestigious Gold Award.

Caroline Stewart from Belleville Has Earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Caroline Stewart from Belleville has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. 

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called Washington Park Good Samaritan Center Playground, Caroline constructed an urban playground at the Good Samaritan Center in Washington Park. In the past, she assisted with Vacation Bible School and her and other volunteers noticed that the existing playground was unsafe. Through her efforts, a new playground was built from recycled materials that included a swing, a slide, a seesaw and a climbing structure. In addition, a basketball court was installed from grant money that had been received.

“I learned time management, better interpersonal communications skills, and how to ask for help when I needed it,” Caroline said of what she learned by completing her Girl Scout Gold Award project.

Caroline is the daughter of Doug and Christine Stewart. She graduated from Governor French Academy in 2017 and has been 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 5 percent of eligible girls earn the prestigious Gold Award.

Kelsey Weatherford from Columbia Has Earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Kelsey Weatherford from Columbia has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. 

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called Blooming Butterflies, Kelsey planted five butterfly gardens in Columbia. These butterfly gardens are a place where migrating butterflies can rest and eat and nest on their trip to Mexico. Kelsey said her Girl Scout Gold Award project was important because Monarch butterflies play a key role in our environment as pollinators. “Without pollinators like the Monarch butterfly, we wouldn’t have the vast variety of crops that we have today,” Kelsey shared.

“Through my Gold Award project, I learned the importance of being environmentally conscious, so that all creatures can continue to enjoy its wonders for many years to come,” Kelsey added.

Kelsey is the daughter of Gregory and Andrea Weatherford. She graduated from Columbia High School in 2017 and has been a Girl Scout for 13 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.

Josefina Pimentel from Carbondale Has Earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Josefina Pimentel from Carbondale has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. 

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called Creative Writing: Express Your Dreams, Josefina held several creative writing clinics for 55 children at Unity Point School, the Carbondale Library and the Boys and Girls Club of Carbondale. Josefina said she wanted to pass on her love of writing to other youth living in the Carbondale area. 

“Through my Girl Scout Gold Award Project, I had the opportunity to work with children from many different circumstances: wealthy and low income, international and local, boys and girls, etc. Working with them and getting to see their faces light up when they were proud of their writing was an amazing experience. I also learned better time management skills and how to be a leader and role model for children,” Josefina said.

Josefina is the daughter of Susan Walch-Pimentel and Ed Pimentel. She will graduate from Carbondale Community High School in 2017 and has been a Girl Scout for 11 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.

Elizabeth Burr from Collinsville Has Earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Elizabeth Burr from Collinsville has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. 

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called Camps in Motion, Elizabeth visited GSSI’s camps and filmed the camp properties and facilities as well as girls enjoying various programs and activities held at camp. Through her Girl Scout Gold Award, Elizabeth produced four promotion camp videos that GSSI can use to share information about the camp properties for girls and parents or to show potential funders who support outdoors and camping for girls. “I’ve always had a passion for film making, and I thought I would combine that with my passion for camps to complete my Girl Scout Gold Award,” Elizabeth said.

“I feel as though I learned to be a good leader and role model, as I saw many young Girl Scouts looking up to me as I filmed at camp throughout this project,” Elizabeth added.

Elizabeth is the daughter of Marvin and Allyson Burr. She will graduate from Collinsville High School in 2017 and has been a Girl Scout for 13 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.

Lauren Carter from Collinsville Has Earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Lauren Carter from Collinsville has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive.

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called Nursery Reboot, Lauren worked with her church to improve and remodel the nursery. As part of her project, she removed broken furniture and toys and replaced them with age appropriate ones. Also concerned about children’s safety, she replaced the old carpet with new carpet and a thicker pad to protect the children if they fell while playing. In addition, Lauren scheduled a CPR class which would teach nursery staff and other church members life-saving skills. And finally, she updated the church nursery policy manual and set up a check “in and out” policy for the nursery.

“I learned that you can’t let the bumps in the road get in your way while trying to get something accomplished,” Lauren said. “You will always have bumps along the way in life, but they shouldn’t stop you from getting to your goals. You have to work around them and find a way to solve the problem yourself,” she said.

Lauren is the daughter of Warren and Laurie Carter. She will graduate from Collinsville High School in 2017 and has been 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 5 percent of eligible girls earn the prestigious Gold Award.

Alexandra Waugh from Nashville Has Earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Alexandra Waugh from Nashville has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. 

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called Move for Missions, Alexandra combined her love for her grandparents with her passion for missionary support. During one part of her project, she developed and held a functional fitness class for senior citizens at three different locations in two different communities. In addition, during the functional fitness classes, she had donation collection boxes where people could donate items that were then sent overseas to missionaries in India.

“I have learned that above all that dreams can come true and that nothing is impossible with God and a lot of hard work,” Alexandra said of her Girl Scout Gold Award project.

Alexandra is the daughter of Tanya and Lee Stewart. She is a graduate of Centralia High School has been a Girl Scout for 13 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.

Kayli Worthey from Neoga Has Earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Kayli Worthey from Neoga has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. 

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called The 3 Dangerous D’s of Driving, Kayli wanted to increase awareness of the dangers of drunk, drowsy or distracted driving to save lives and make the roadways safer for everyone. She decided on this subject for her Girl Scout Gold Award after a good friend of hers was killed in a car accident due to drowsy driving. Her project included three venues: a high school presentation for students, a community meal and Truck Stop events. She presented powerpoint presentations about The 3 Dangerous D’s of Driving at her local high school and through a community meal event. Her favorite part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project was the events she hosted at local truck stops where she passed out free fruit juice and coffee to travelers during holiday weekends. “At all of these events, I had people pledge to not drink, sleep, or text and drive while operating a vehicle,” Kayli added.

“Completing my Girl Scout Gold Award taught me to be persistent and that will lead to your success. I also learned that to be a leader, knowing how to delegate is a key part of the process. As much as you would like to be independent and handle everything yourself; it’s not always possible,” Kayli added.

Kayli is the daughter of Kyle and Angie Worthey. She will graduate from Neoga High School in 2017 and has been a Girl Scout for 13 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.

Cecelia Cowell from Red Bud Has Earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Cecelia Cowell from Red Bud has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. 

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called Got Safety?, Cecelia addressed the issue of safety in her community, but more importantly increased community members’ knowledge of what to do in emergency situations. As part of her project, she helped implement information on the Yellow Dot Program for Red Bud. Cecelia helped to educate citizens and make them more aware of safety responses by speaking to various groups and distributing safety information at various community events. “Even if one person is saved by my Girl Scout Gold Award project, then I know I have made a major difference,” Cecelia said.

Cecelia is the daughter of Sandra Cowell and the late Harold Cowell. She is a 2016 graduate of Red Bud High School and has been a Girl Scout for 13 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.

Johannah Comish has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Johannah Comish from Highland has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. 

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called Bridges to a Better Tomorrow, Johannah updated and repaired the waterfall area of Silver Lake. During her project, she stabilized a small footbridge, added a safety railing to a larger bridge, sanded and stained a picnic table and fixed the hand rail for the rock stair case. In addition, she added a trash can for the clearing.

Through her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Johannah hoped to positively impact the community and younger Girl Scouts and promote spending more time outdoors. Johannah included a clean-up day as part of her project as well. Thanks to her Girl Scout Gold Award project, she helped to keep the park well-maintained and improved park guests’ safety and comfort. “I care deeply about the conservation of our national parks, and although Silver Lake is no Yellowstone, I believe change starts at home and I am proud to have completed this project to help my city,” Johanna said.

Johanna is the daughter of Brian and Kathryn Comish. She is a senior Highland High School and has been a Girl Scout for 13 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.

Shelby Tingley from Granite City Has Earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Shelby Tingley from Granite City has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. 

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called "Homing the Homeless Birds," Shelby wanted to help birds that had their nests destroyed. She noticed that nests being built on or around people’s homes were often knocked down by the residents, so she decided to build houses in trees to provide a safe place for the birds. Shelby researched and built five bird houses and also taught other Girl Scouts how to make bird houses. She then enlisted the help of other Girl Scouts to monitor the bird houses and keep seeds nearby. Her hope is that the birds will find the safe haven she built next spring.

Shelby credits Girl Scouts and her Gold Award experience with providing her great leadership skills. “The most important thing I have learned through Girl Scouts is to not be afraid to try new ideas to achieve my goals,” said Shelby. “It has taught me how to be a great leader and an empowering woman,” she added.

Shelby is the daughter of Penny Tingley. She was a Girl Scout for 10 years and completed her Girl Scout Gold Award project her Senior Year.  She was a 2016 graduate of Granite City High School and currently attends Hickey Vet Tech Institute. 

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.

Emily Baima from Collinsville Has Earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

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

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called Mammal Enclosure, Emily built an enclosure to aid in the rehabilitation of small mammals at TreeHouse Wildlife Center. Based on the needs of the center at any given time, the enclosure could also be used to accommodate temporary or permanent residents. Emily knew how TreeHouse Wildlife Center relied on volunteers for projects, and her project would be a worthwhile contribution that would benefit the facility for years to come.

Through her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Emily learned the importance of following through with a project to achieve the end result. “I learned that persistence pays off,” said Emily. “Projects don’t always go as planned, but if you take initiative to solve a problem, the end result is worth it,” she added.

Emily is the daughter of Scott and Tammy Baima. She is currently a senior at Collinsville High School. Upon graduation, she plans to pursue a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Emily has been a Girl Scout for 13 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.

Caitlin Lloyd from O'Fallon has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Caitlin Lloyd from O’Fallon has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive.

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called Suite Dreams, Caitlin worked with The Women’s Safe House in St. Louis. She repainted two rooms at the facility in bright colors to make the atmosphere cheerful and hopeful. She also organized groups to make fleece blankets and held a book drive that collected 500 books for the organization. Last, Caitlin built a bookcase so that the books that were donated were easily accessible for the residents.

Through her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Caitlin learned valuable life skills that she will be able to use throughout her life. “I definitely learned the importance of persistence and dedication,” said Caitlin. “There were times when I felt the project was overwhelming and I might not finish. However, I took each part one step at a time to stay on schedule,” she added.

Caitlin is the daughter of Matt and Kristen Lloyd. She is a junior at O’Fallon Township High School. Caitlin has been 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 5 percent of eligible girls earn the prestigious Gold Award.

Kaitlyn Barnett from Troy has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Kaitlyn Barnett from Troy has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. 

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called Camp for Everyone, Kaitlyn wanted all Girl Scouts and other members of her community to have the opportunity able to fully enjoy camping and outdoor activities. Kaitlyn took on several projects to make Camp Torqua in Edwardsville more accessible. She added a rock trail and sidewalk that connected the lodge to the restrooms. In addition, Kaitlyn installed a concrete ramp to the campfire ring and a threshold for the restrooms at the area known as Pumpkin Patch at the camp.

Through her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Kaitlyn learned valuable life skills that she will be able to use throughout her life. “Through this project, I have learned that I am filled with an abundance of patience and determination,” said Kaitlyn.

Kaitlyn is the daughter of Thomas and Melissa Barnett. She is a junior at Triad High School. Kaitlyn has been a Girl Scout for 11 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.

Sarah Eversman from Swansea Has Earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Sarah Eversman from Swansea has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. 

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called Plastic Caps, Sarah wanted to improve her school’s landscaping and show the importance of recycling to the environment. According to Sarah, she collected over 400 pounds of recycled plastic bottle caps and had a bench made for her school. She and her dad built an additional wood bench for extra seating. Finally, she created two new flower beds at her school to finish off the new and fresh look. 

This Girl Scout Gold Award project was a rewarding experience for Sarah. “Through my Girl Scout Gold Award project, I learned that anyone can make a difference in their community.”

Sarah is the daughter of Edward and Claire Eversman. She is currently a Senior at Belleville East Township High School. Sarah has been a Girl Scout for 7 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.

Sarah Goldacker from Glen Carbon Has Earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Sarah Goldacker from Glen Carbon has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. 

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called An Old Spin on a New Trick: Teaching Art to Senior Citizens, Sarah wanted to share her love of art with others in the community in a way that would benefit their well-being. Having a desire to help the elderly, Sarah learned that art classes can help to cope with the onset of dementia. In the hope of relieving boredom and increasing cognitive ability by learning new skills, she knew that teaching art classes at nursing homes is what she wanted to do for her project. 

Through her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Sarah learned that giving back to others benefits all those involved. “Through this project I not only found a way to give my art back to people, but I really grew as a person,” said Sarah. “My people skills are far better now that I’ve done this project, and I like to think I’ve made an impact on each person I taught,” she added.

Sarah is the daughter of Don and Debra Goldacker. She is a senior at Edwardsville High School. Upon graduation, she plans to pursue a degree in Art and Design. Sarah has been a Girl Scout for 13 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.

Dakota Smallie from Granite City Has Earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Dakota Smallie from Granite City has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. 

The idea for Dakota’s Girl Scout Gold Award project, called Pontoon Beach Patchwork Garden, was sparked from a brainstorming session she had with a group of Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. The group discussed the issues of hunger and nutrition, and Dakota thought a community garden would be a great way to address both issues. In addition to starting and maintaining the garden, Dakota provided education on the topic to elementary school students as well as other Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. 

Through her Girl Scout Gold Award project, Dakota learned important life skills that she will be able to use throughout her life. “The most important thing I have learned through Girl Scouting is that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to,” said Dakota.

Dakota is the daughter of Scott and Nancy Smallie. She is currently senior at Granite City High School and, upon graduation, plans to pursue a degree in Chemical Engineering. Dakota has been 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 5 percent of eligible girls earn the prestigious Gold Award.