The Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting, recognizes the leadership, effort and impact that girls between the ages of 14 and 18 have on their communities.
Only about 5 percent of eligible girls take the path toward earning this award, but those who complete the journey change their lives and those around them in significant ways.
A total of 27 girls in Monmouth and Ocean counties earned the Girl Scout Gold Award this past year, including Stella Peters of Marlboro, who provided an art class for children with learning disabilities. She used the art classes for an after-school activity that built self-esteem in a safe environment.