The award for those in grades 9–12 is one of the most prestigious award Girl Scouts can receive, according to a news release from the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio It is for those who exemplify “extraordinary leadership in developing sustainable solutions to local, national, and global challenges” The girls tackle issues that are important to them in a seven-step project that includes at least 80 service hours over one to two years.
Each project must consist of the following: “community involvement, an innovative approach, project sustainability, and educating and inspiring others,” the press release said.
Claire Schwabe, a high school student from Centerville, focused on stress management and health mental awareness in school-age children with an emphasis on meditation, the release said. Some of the examples from Schwabe’s project include making slide shows for students, a meditation club at Schwabe’s high school, different types of meditation lessons via Zoom and posting slides into videos via YouTube for people to experience, according to the release.
Olivia Beller, a senior at Kenton Ridge High School in Springfield, was concerned about lack of socialization opportunities for residents in assisted living facilities, the press release said, so Beller focused on creating and building a “fire pit and a seating area to encourage movement” for those at Oakwood Village Assisted Living. In addition, Beller created a binder with maintenance best practices, fire safety guidelines and recipes for the facility’s space, the release said. She shared the project on social media to inspire “other communities to create similar outdoor spaces.”
Beller said the best part of her project was watching the residents and staff enjoy being together around the fire, laughing and eating, according to the release.
Allison Palmer, a senior at Monroe High School, has been a Girl Scout for 13 years. Her project focused on building students’ knowledge and experience with healthy foods after noticing that many students did not eat fruits and vegetables during lunch, according to the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio website. Palmer created lessons that highlighted growing produce, the science involved with hands-on experience, instructions for volunteers on how to help with gardening lessons and for students on how to cultivate their own sustainable organic gardens, the website said.
More information about the award can be found online here.
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