Several Girl Scouts from Birmingham and Huntsville recently earned several religious awards.
“These awards allow young people to explore and become more involved in their Catholic faith,” said Trish Coghlan, chief executive officer of the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama. “The programs are designed to support and complement the catechetical efforts of Catholic parishes and schools, and as a Catholic, these awards are very important to me.”
The Family of God award is the official religious recognition program of the Roman Catholic Church for children grades 2-3. Family of God is a bilingual activity series developed to complement the catechetical efforts of the parish and families with children in the second and third grades. The program helps children discover the presence of God in their daily lives as members of their family and parish. Earning the award are Abigail Allarde of Pelham, Olivia Marie Beland of Helena, Ella Donahue of Pelham, Christen McDaniel of Birmingham, Madison Nguyen of Birmingham and Ana Maria Rosato of Hoover.
The I Live My Faith program is designed to help children grades 4-6 appreciate more deeply the place that God and religion occupy in their daily life. The action-oriented activities focus on developing awareness within the individual of his/her potential as a growing person, friend, family member, citizen and a participant in the community of faith. The program is divided into three chapters, “Stretching,” “Seeking” and “Finding,” each of which blends the dimensions of discovery, prayer, service, and sacrament into a unified whole. I Live My Faith complements and supports the more formal religious education provided in Catholic schools and parish programs. Earning this award include Holly Huhlein, Alexandra Pressnell and Mary Elizabeth Soprano all of Huntsville; Anna Brunner of Hoover, Audrey Gilcrease of Chelsea, Mackenzie McCafferty of Chelsea and Elizabeth McGunn also earned this award.
The Mary, the First Disciple award is written for young Catholics, grades 7-10, to enable them to “proclaim the greatness of the Lord.” This is accomplished by actively involving the participants in an understanding of Mary as a model of openness and spirituality—a woman of the church. Through various projects, discussions and liturgical celebrations over a period of months, the participants are provided with a unique opportunity to develop new insights into their personalities, friends, parents and the world around them. Jeanne Doyle of Birmingham, Niki Franks of Birmingham, Megan Gambrel of Irondale, Lorin Marin of Leeds, Emma McLean of Pinson, Mary Margaret Nanos of Mountain Brook and Samantha Waphides of Irondale recently earned this award.
The St. Elizabeth Ann Seton recognition was inaugurated in 1980 to recognize the meritorious contributions of adults who serve Catholic youth. This medal affirms the work of those who help youth develop their spiritual lives within the context of these organizations. Karen Ann Hauer of Hoover recently earned this award.
