Local Girl Scouts
earn Gold Awards
Ten girls from the Girl Scouts -- Diamonds of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas Council -- recently received their Gold Awards, the highest award in Girl Scouting, for their exceptional community service. The work for the awards challenge girls to identify issues about which they care deeply and excute a project that will leave a lasting impact on the community. On average, it takes a girl more than two years to earn her Gold Award.
Award recipients from the Northwest Arkansas area include:
• Johanna Berryman, Lowell. For her project,Berryman created a public area outside her church that includes a "Rosary Walk," used to help children and youth learn the rosary, and a "Peace Patch," which is an area to help promote peace, pray, think, meditate or unwind. Inspired by a close friend's suicide, and political unrest and turmoil in the world, she wanted to create a place that helps people find peace. As part of her project, she completed a suicide awareness and prevention presentation as well. Berryman is a member of the Juliette Troop and has been involved with Girl Scouts for 10 years.
• Kaitlyn De Leeuw, Springdale. For De Leeuw's project, she held an informational fair and 5K fun run to raise awareness about brain injuries, such as strokes, brain bleeding and concussions. She created a website, spoke to Scout groups before the event, gave a presentation on concussions by a University of Arkansas researcher and shared her personal brain injury story as part of the informational fair. De Leeuw is a member of Troop 5355 and has been involved with Girl Scouts for eight years.
• Haley Nelson, Springdale. For her Gold Award project, Nelson created an event at a domestic abuse shelter that prepared residents for job interviews. Participants learned how to fill out applications, create resumes and dress professionally for interviews. After they learned how to prepare themselves for the job market, participants were given the opportunity to pick out a few professional outfits and received makeup and brushes that were donated. Nelson is a member of Troop 5355 and has been involved with Girl Scouts for 12 years.
NAN Our Town on 06/22/2017