Courtney - Picture This: Cooking Step by Step
Courtney recently earned her Gold Award for her
project Picture This: Cooking Step by Step.
With the help of her troop and teachers at Pelham High School, Courtney
put together a photo cookbook with step-by-step instructions for students
enrolled in the special needs program. As a result of her hard work, Courtney
will present her cookbook to state educators at the Alabama Transition
Conference in March.
Courtney is from Helena and is currently a freshman at
Huntingdon College.
Emily - Message in a Bottle/Mensaji en una Botella
For Emily's Gold Award project, she worked with Fiesta,
Inc. to bring Recycle Alabama to its annual Hispanic Event at Regions Park in
Hoover. Emily made sure bins were
available for aluminum and plastic items and handed out reusable water bottles
with messages in them about the benefits of recycling. In the Children’s
Village, Emily and her volunteers performed skits throughout the day about the
importance of recycling at home.
“Recycling plastic and aluminum is a simple and effective
way to protect our environment,” Emily said, “People just need to be better
educated about how they can participate.”
Emily is a senior at Hoover High School. Her parents are
Eddie and Teresa.
Emily - Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Family Gathering
Emily brought over 60 people together for her
Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS) Family Gathering, a genetic disorder that directly
affects her. Emily invited families affected by CdLS to join her for a day of
connecting, sharing and learning. She also invited a Family Service Coordinator
from the CdLS Foundation, Vanderbilt and University of Alabama at Birmingham
(UAB) medical doctors, and a special education teacher. Families were able to
share information and consult with the program’s presenters. In June, Emily
will speak at the CdLS National Conference about her experience with the
disease and her future plans.
“The project was hard and time-consuming,” said Emily, “but
I completed it because I pushed myself and I was determined.”
Emily is a senior at Hoover High School. Her parents are Walter and Sandra.
Susan - Renovation of the Oak Mountain Middle School Long Jump Pit
Susan, a member of the track and cross country team at
Oak Mountain High School, renovated the middle school’s long jump pit for her
Gold Award project. The old pit was inadequate and unsafe for practice. With
the help of a troop friend and two teammates, Susan removed the grass in the
old pit and dug out a trench to hold the new wooden frame. In addition to rebuilding the pit, Susan
spent many afternoons coaching the middle school students in 300- and 400-meter
hurdles, and high and long jump techniques. Susan reveals, “The most successful
part of my project was seeing the kids that I coached reach their season
goals.”
Susan is a senior at Oak Mountain High School.
Tory - Brock's Gap Survival 101
Tory hosted a workshop for incoming sixth grade
girls and Brock’s Gap Intermediate School for her Gold Award project. The idea
came to her after her younger sister and her friends expressed their concerns
about starting middle school. Tory worked with over 60 girls to share advice,
take a school tour and practice opening lockers. Tory reveals, “I’m glad I was
able to help ease the transition to middle school because it can be a scary
thing.”
Tory is a senior at Hoover High School. Her parents are
Debbie and Richard.
Caroline - Home Tweet Home
Caroline worked with Turkey Creek Nature Preserve in Pinson to
build an on-site bird haven for her Gold Award project. With her dad’s help,
Caroline built 12 houses, and her brother’s Boy Scout troop helped hammer the
bird houses to the trees. She also gave a bird presentation to a Girl Scout
troop and had them help her make pinecone bird feeders and string together
Fruit Loops. “My great, great grandfather built a cabin on Turkey Creek that we
still use,” said Caroline. “We still have his diaries from over 100 years ago
about the wildlife he enjoyed, and I hope that others can now enjoy the
wildlife too.”
Caroline is a senior at Vestavia Hills High School. Her parents are
Elizabeth and Rich.
Grace - Jag Running Club
Grace started a running club for students at
Greystone Elementary. Grace met with the students two to three times a week to
run before school. Grace said, “I wanted
the focus to be on preventing childhood obesity, not speed or ability.” As a
result, Grace incorporated healthy eating habits into her program and made the
children keep a personal fitness log. “It’s important to make running fun,”
Grace reveals, “because if they enjoy it, they will continue to do it.”
Grace is a junior at Spain Park High School. Her parents are
Susan Wilkens and Michael.
About the Gold Award
The Gold Award is highest level of Girl Scout achievement. This award recognizes the Senior & Ambassador Girl Scout’s commitment to herself, her community, and her future. 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.
The Gold Award is highest level of Girl Scout achievement. This award recognizes the Senior & Ambassador Girl Scout’s commitment to herself, her community, and her future. 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.
