Monmouth Council of Girl Scouts announced that 18 Senior Girl Scouts have earned the highest achievement in Girl Scouting — the Gold Award. These Gold Award recipients — currently students in high school or college — were unveiled at Monmouth Council of Girl Scouts’ Gold Award Dinner on May 21 at Freehold Gardens, Freehold Township.
According to a press release, the Gold Award is achieved by an extremely small percentage of Senior Girl Scouts nationwide. This is true at Monmouth Council of Girl Scouts, where 22 of the organization’s 417 Senior Girl Scouts are working on their Gold Award (approximately 5 percent).
As the highest earned achievement in Girl Scouting, the Gold Award encompasses five components which demand efficient organizational, time management and leadership skills. Senior Girl Scouts who complete the Gold Award are eligible for a variety of educational scholarships, including a scholarship from Monmouth Council of Girl Scouts.
To earn the Gold Award, Senior Girl Scouts must complete the following requirements:
• Earn four Cadette and Senior Girl Scout interest project awards on topics related to the Gold Award project. For example, if her Gold Award project involves a special event, a Girl Scout may develop interest projects related to emergency preparedness or public relations.
• Earn the Career Exploration Pin. This program introduces Girl Scouts to potential career choices and the importance of leadership, delegation and follow-through.
• Earn the Senior Girl Scout Leadership Award. Girl Scouts become well equipped to identify a community’s need, design a course of action, delegate work and assure completion.
• Earn the Senior Girl Scout Challenge Pin. Girl Scouts set realistic goals, enhance their communication skills and consider various types of community service.
• Plan and implement a Girl Scout Gold Award project. The Gold Award project demands at least 50 hours of community service and must meet an expressed need in the community, serve people beyond Girl Scouting, have a discernible result that will continue beyond the completion of the project and adhere to all Girl Scout safety guidelines.
During the Gold Award Dinner on May 21, the Honorable Susan Wigenton, United States Magistrate Judge, served as the guest speaker. Wigenton recently was honored by Monmouth Council of Girl Scouts as a Woman of Distinction. She encouraged the Gold Award recipients to "dream big" and not be discouraged by others who might try to sway them from their chosen path.
Local honorees included:
• Patricia Chang, senior, Marlboro High School, of Marlboro, Taylor Naughton, senior, Marlboro High School, of Marlboro, Yasmeen Salhuddin, senior, Marlboro High School, of Marlboro, and Ashley Smith, senior, Marlboro High School, of Marlboro.
According to the press release, these four Girl Scouts completed their "Foot Fables" Gold Award project as a group. The focus of the project was illiteracy. The girls created their own books and characters to inspire young children to read more. Each girl developed her own piece of literature. The girls offered their books to children who, in turn, gave feedback to the girls. In addition to editing the books based on the children’s suggestions, Patricia, Taylor, Yasmeen and Ashley created sock puppets to help their stories come to life.
• Anna-Karina Monteiro, senior, Freehold Borough High School, of Freehold.
"Helping Women for a New Start" consisted of two parts: creating fun-filled theme days for special needs students at Freehold Borough High School and running a clothing drive. Anna-Karina had served as a small group leader for the special education class at school and sensed a need for these students to feel more accepted among their peers in general classes. She also wanted to address the needs of women and children trying to rebuild their lives after life-altering events. Through her Gold Award project, Anna-Karina planned, prepared and implemented three sessions of after-school enrichment activities and directed the clothing drive.
• Kelly Reed, senior, Freehold Township High School, of Freehold.
When Kelly started high school, she was fortunate enough to meet someone who helped her find herself. By completing her Gold Award project, "I Guess This Is Growing Up," Kelly helped girls feel more comfortable with themselves, increase their self-esteem, take care of their bodies and develop self-respect, according to the press release.
• Maribeth Rubin, senior, High Technology High School, of Freehold.
Maribeth’s Gold Award project, "Promoting Tolerance From the Beginning," was an assembly program for grammar school children on tolerance. It consisted of an on-stage puppet show, "Make Way for Ducky," about accepting people who are different, as well as two hands-on activities. Maribeth successfully introduced young children to the concepts of tolerance and diversity.
• Tina Zagha, graduated senior, current student at Rutgers University, of Manalapan.
Having known sign language since she was young and finding it a beautiful way to communicate, Tina felt compelled to do "Signing in Scouts" as her Gold Award project. Tina introduced younger Girl Scouts to American Sign Language by teaching them the alphabet, simple conversation, the Girl Scout Promise and special songs. Using their new language, Tina and the younger girls donated a videotape of the Girl Scout Promise and Law to the Girl Scout Council. Tina further expanded her project by developing a coloring book and curriculum for summer camp, according to a press release.