Local girl makes good in 'Kid Nation' finale

Bonanza City was stirred up when its citizens learned three $50,000 Gold Stars would be awarded to the town's most deserving pioneers in the show's finale.

To close out the first reality show featuring kids as the main attraction, Sophia and Morgan both won their second Gold Stars, and Downer's Grove resident Migle was astounded when the town council called her name to accept the final $50,000 star.

Migle started off as one of the laziest Bonanza citizens, but steadily improved as the 40 days went on. As she stood to accept her $50,000 Gold Star, Migle left her old reputation as the Paris Hilton of Bonanza City far behind.

Migle showcased her improvement earlier by acting as a mediator when Emily got in a raucous fight with the yellow district girls. When the snotty yellow district (headed by Taylor, of course) refused to let Emily join their sleepover, a screaming match took place between all of the girls in the street.

Migle swooped in, calming down Emily and working out a compromise between the girls. "We love you, Emily!" the girls from the yellow district continued to chorus. We love you, but you can't hang out with us? Apparently, even in a ghost town kids can't escape cliques .

And what's any budding town without a riot or two? After the town job board burned down in a dramatic fire, the kids went totally crazy. They raided the candy store, filling their pockets and mouths with sweets and leaving garbage strewn all over the town.

It was not until the next morning, hung over from their sugar rushes and sticky from the candy necklaces still tangled around their necks, that the kids realized they had destroyed all the order they had worked so hard for.

Banding together for their final challenge, the pioneers gave the town its most thorough cleanup and prepared food for "The First Annual Bonanza City Bonanza."

Mere seconds after they completed their cleanup, the kids looked up to see their parents stampeding over a hill in the distance. Cue the tear-filled reunion scene; there wasn't a dry eye in the town.

And in the end, could a group of kids from all over the country band together to form a working society? Through the tears, fights, dust storms and disgusting outhouses, the kids managed to forge lasting bonds and reach their goals of bettering Bonanza City and each other. Zach, who won the final $20,000 gold star, perhaps put it best when he said, "We really made this place a Kid Nation."

-- Megan Kirby