Ten Girl Scouts who are part of a tri-state regional council have each received the Girl Scout Gold Award, the organization's highest achievement award for community service projects.
To earn a Gold Award, a Girl Scout must identify a root cause of an issue she cares about and address it in a way that has a lasting impact.
The regional council, Girl Scouts -- Diamonds of Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas, held a virtual ceremony to honor the Girl Scouts.
The recipients are:
• TyAnn Bray, Spiro, Okla. Bray provided education to her school district on proper hygiene by speaking on the matter and handing out personal hygiene products. Her personal hygiene program will continue to be implemented into the school district's curriculum. Bray, the daughter of Tammy and Jerry Bray, is a member of Troop 4097.
• Ciara Cooper, Little Rock. Through virtual conference calls, Cooper taught ways for teenagers to cope with mental health illnesses. Teens were able to reach out to others similar to their age and to professionals in the field to guide them in discussion and in obtaining resources. Cooper is the daughter of Chemeka and Thomas Cooper. She is a member of Troop 6659.
• Lexi Daniel, Rogers. Daniel started Operation Christmas Eve Gift, an annual event for local foster families in Benton County, after learning about the foster care system. Each year, families are selected by The CALL of Northwest Arkansas to receive a package of gifts and educational materials. The program offers activities to engage families amidst the new dynamics and challenges they are facing. Daniel is the daughter of Ashley and David Daniel. She is a member of Troop 5186.
• Juliana Ferrer, Conway. Ferrer wanted to teach others about how to help sea turtles, without living near the ocean. She created a documentary and spread awareness of why and how others can help sea turtles. Working with multiple organizations, Ferrer took action by coordinating socially distanced environment cleanups. Ferrer, the daughter of Karen and Gabriel Ferrer, is a member of Troop 6746.
• Charlotte Hueter, Texarkana, Texas. Hueter helped a special population of students at her school build fine motor skills. These skills will help the students become more independent and be able to accomplish tasks such as grasping small objects or chaining a door lock. She created a video on neuro busy boards to be used as a resource for families who want to help improve fine motor skills for any age and developmental level, including senior citizens and nursing home residents. Hueter, the daughter of Charlotte and John Hueter, is an individually registered Girl Scout and has been involved in Girl Scouts.
• Johanna Hueter, Texarkana, Texas. The Texas Independent School District wanted to teach special populations of students ways to become more self-sufficient when preparing meals. Johanna created a recipe book, "Small Steps Toward Big Bites," to build skills such as heating food in a microwave, slicing, spreading, combining, measuring and mixing. In addition, cleanliness, safety, and planning skills were also introduced. Hueter is the daughter of Charlotte and John Hueter. She is an individually registered Girl Scout.
• Blair King, Scott. After hearing Arkansas Children's Hospital's public announcement asking for mask donations, King started making cloth masks for children and families, free of charge. Her project helped in the effort stop to spread covid-19 and her troop will continue the project. King, the daughter of Wanda and John King, is a member of Troop 6659.
• Molly Kyles, Hooks, Texas. Kyles created a campaign that outlines how to identify and prevent sexual harassment. She created an engaging, interactive and educational website containing statistics related to sexual assault and harassment, a Q&A with a former police officer, resources to report sexual assault and harassment, how to respond to sexual assault/harassment in public places, and resources for businesses and individuals. Kyles is the daughter of Amy and Lance Kyles. She is a member of Troop 2125.
• Anna Claire Tilley, Fort Smith. Tilley -- addressing low voter turnout rates in Arkansas -- created voter registration booths targeted toward eligible high school seniors. She spread awareness to local representatives, political organizations and high school seniors on how to register online for voting. She established long-term tools for councils and clubs to have reoccurring voter registration booths for future eligible students to vote. She also worked with her local representatives to submit an online voter registration process to the Arkansas legislature. Tilley is the daughter of Angela and Michael Tilley. She is a member of Troop 4372.
• Jaden Wallace, Gillett. Studies on obesity in youth inspired Wallace to start an educational movement in her area to promote better health. She created brochures showing both the physical and mental health benefits of being physically active, along with a monthly newsletter to recipients of Lean Nutrition, a local health and wellness group. Wallace is the daughter of Shelly and Kevin Wallace. She is a member of Troop 1309.