16 Valley Girl Scouts earn highest honor

AKRON — The Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor in Girl Scouting, recognizes the leadership, effort and impact girls 14-18 have had on their communities.

This year, 16 Valley Girl Scouts will receive that honor at a ceremony June 14 in Akron.

Only about five percent of eligible girls take the rigorous path toward earning this prestigious award, which requires completion of a project that solves community issues and improve lives.

A successful Gold Award project has five characteristics:

UVision — Vision is about seeing a need in the community.

UPassion — Passion is the difference between doing a project just to get it done and doing one that comes from the heart.

ULongevity — Projects should have ongoing efforts or be able to be continued or repeated after their completion.

UConnection — Connecting to those being served and to those who volunteer.

UCommunity Impact — All stellar projects go beyond Girl Scouts to affect a larger community.

Those who will have earned the Gold Award follow.

Warren

UAmber Ackerman, Charleigh Paukovich and Tiffany Lucik,Champion High School, Troop 275.

Project: Constructed benches for the Champion community to provide a resting place for the elderly, student athletes and community members.

USarah Lightbody, Howland High School, Troop 122.

Project: Designed a safety booklet, “Healing Through Horses,” for the Camelot Therapeutic Riding Center.

UCarolyn Averback, JFK High School, Troop 122.

Project: Created “Books for Babies” early learning program.

UEmily Morrison, Warren G. Harding High School, Troop 399.

Project: Flag Ceremonies in a Box. Set up box kits for troops to borrow, including booklets explaining how to perform different flag ceremonies.

UMonica Neuman, Western Reserve Academy, Troop 122.

Project: Galapagos Groove. Presented a program and slide show about her trip to the Galapagos Islands to teach children about science and nature.

UElena Pipino, JFK, Troop 122.

Project: Set up Girls Learning About Themselves Day, a daylong workshop where girls 12-18 took classes and participated in activities pertaining to self-defense, fitness, nutrition, yoga, computer safety, health, finances, beauty and aromatherapy.

UHannah Prokop, Harding, Troop 122.

Project: Hosted Reward Parties for T.E.A.M. Mentoring program.

UGabrielle Sebben, Harding, Troop 122.

Project: Created children’s activity books for the National Packard Museum.

YOUNGSTOWN

UElaine Miller, Cardinal Mooney High School, Troop 182.

Project: Cuddle Up. Worked with residents of Omni Manor Health Care Center and Purple Cat Adult Day Care to make fleece blankets.

Newton Falls

UTrillion McCarty, freshman at Youngstown State University, Troop 324.

Project: Organized the St. Pius X School library.

Cortland

UHannah Croft, Lakeview High School, Troop 184.

Project: Set up Youth Soccer Enrichment (weeklong soccer camp).

UNicole Bevilacqua, Lakeview, Troop 399.

Project: Set up Youth Soccer Enrichment (weeklong soccer camp).

UArielle Ambrosy, JFK, Troop 122.

Project: Devised Exercise Enrichment program.

Southington

USarah Motz, Mooney, Troop 97.

Project: Developed “Pocket of Colors” program for kids with special needs.