Two Barrington area Girl Scouts earn Girl Scout Gold Award
Girl Scouts of Northern Illinois are pleased to announce both Katelyn Mitchell of South Barrington and Kristin Sheyka of Barrington Hills received the Girl Scout Gold Award June 12 at a ceremony held at St. Anne Parish Center, Barrington.
• Katelyn's Gold Award project, "Seeds for Fruitful Future," resulted in the planting of a fruit orchard, including apple and pear trees as well as raspberry and blackberry bushes. The fruit gleaned from the orchard will be donated to local food pantries, providing low-income families with access to fresh produce.
• Kristin earned her Gold Award by creating a children's book, "A Visit to the Hospital," to provide answers and comfort to hospitalized children. The book explains the equipment, tools, and staff a child may encounter during their stay. The book incorporates pages for coloring and drawing as well. Printed in both English and Spanish, Kristin's book is distributed through Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital and Lake Shore Pediatrics.
The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest and most prestigious award in Girl Scouting. Girls who pursue their Gold Award aspire to transform an idea and vision for change into an actionable plan with measurable, sustainable, and far-reaching results. Girl Scouts has been acknowledging the outstanding contributions of its members for 100 years. 2016 marks the centennial celebration of the Gold Award.
The event, chaired by Girl Scout volunteer Helen Sheyka of Barrington, included presentations and acknowledgments of Girl Scouts' highest awards including Barrington area troops and girls who received Girl Scout Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards.
U.S. Marine Corps League Tri-County Leathernecks Detachment 1395 contributed to the ceremonies by presenting both Katelyn and Kristin with a challenge coin. The challenge coin is used by those in the military as a special token for a job well done. It is a special honor often bestowed on scouts earning the Girl Scout Gold Award and the Boy Scout Eagle Scout Award. In keeping with Marine Corps League tradition, the Tri-County Leathernecks Detachment guests cut the ceremony cake with their swords. The oldest Girl Scout in attendance shared a piece of cake with the youngest Girl Scout in attendance as a symbolic passing of knowledge.
The Girl Scout Research Institute found that 99 percent of Gold Award recipients say belonging to Girl Scouts has positively impacted their life; 81 percent of Gold Award recipients think of themselves as a leader; 84 percent feel they have had success in leadership, and 90 percent attribute their success in life to Girl Scouts.
Since 1916, Girl Scouts have been making meaningful, sustainable change in their communities and around the world. The Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor a Girl Scout can earn, acknowledges the power behind each recipient's dedication to not only empowering and bettering herself, but also to making the world a better place for others. These young women are courageous leaders and visionary change makers. They are our future, and it looks bright!