Schaumburg Girl Scout earns Gold Award

Maggie Hartney of Schaumburg earned the Gold Award, the highest and most prestigious national honor for girls in the Girl Scout organization after completing a complex series of requirements including the implementation of a significant service project. She received her award Saturday June 2 at a ceremony held at the Hilton Hotel in Rosemont.

Maggie created a native prairie garden at Nathan Hale elementary school in Schaumburg as her Gold Award project. She removed sod, cultivated, amended the soil and mulched a 650 sq. ft. plot of ground, converting into an interactive learning environment for the school and community. She planted over four dozen native prairie plants including Prairie Dropseed, Joe Pye Weed, Wild Quinine, Butterfly Weed, Blue Indigo, Purple Coneflower, Rattlesnake Master, Catmint, Spike Blazing Star, Wild Petunia and Big Bluestem Grass.

In addition, she created pamphlets for the students that identify the plants, their care and their important role in maintaining a balanced ecosystem. In planning her project, Maggie incorporated four vital features: food, water, shelter and a place to raise young.

The National Wildlife Federation certified her garden as a Wildlife Habitat after including these vital elements to her design.

Maggie enlisted the help of community businesses, school district employees, Girl Scouts and friends to assist in completing her project. "I am so thankful to everyone who donated their goods, services and time to help me earn my Gold Award. It's so rewarding to finish my Girl Scout career with this achievement."

Maggie will be a sophomore at Tulane University in New Orleans next fall.