West Orange Girl Scouts Earn Prestigious ‘Gold Awards’

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of a Patch West Orange community member. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

Troop 20030 Girl Scouts Sam Lewis and Laura Roth have received the prestigious Gold Award, the highest award that can be earned by a Girl Scout. Likened to the Boy Scout Eagle Scout award, the Gold Award is given to girls in grades 9-12 who have planned and executed significant Take Action projects in response to pressing community needs. Fewer than six percent of Girl Scouts receive the award annually.

To qualify, girls must be registered Senior or Ambassador Girl Scouts and must have completed the Silver Award, a Senior/Ambassador Leadership Award, or a Senior/Ambassador Journey. At least 80 hours are required for their commitment to their projects. They must select a project advisor who is an expert on their chosen project (parents, caregivers, and troop leaders are not allowed). For their projects, Food Pantry Coordinator Karen Boettinger served as Lewis’ advisor and former Redwood PTA President Susan Rey-Slattery served as Roth’s advisor.

“My Gold Award aimed to help the Holy Trinity Food Pantry, which was not receiving enough donations to support their client base or be able to extend their services to more people,” began Lewis.

“My plan was to increase awareness of the specific needs of the pantry so that more people would know both that the pantry needed donations, and what they specifically could do to help. I built a website, educated local Girl Scout Troops, and made my community more knowledgeable about the needs of the pantry.”

Website link: holytrinityfp.my.canva.site/htwo

“My project was revitalizing Redwood Elementary School’s blacktop and raising awareness of the importance of exercise to support physical and mental health,” said Roth.

“As my former elementary school, I noticed that the kids at the school would just stand around and not be active during recess and recreation time. Studies have shown that exercise and physical activity are essential for the mental and physical well-being of students.

Because of this, I worked with the PTA and multiple companies to purchase the supplies needed to spray paint a new play area for the children. I was then able to organize volunteers to successfully achieve my goals and give the children a new area to expel their pent-up energy and unlock their true academic potential, she explained.

The Troop 20030 leaders are Heather Fennell (Sam’s mother), Shawna Roth (Laura’s mother) and Caritas Ng.

"It has been a joy and honor to see Sam and Laura rise to the challenge of earning the highest Girl Scout award,” stated Ng.

“From the moment I met them as Daisies, they've consistently been the first to step forward into leadership and to speak their minds with confidence and compassion. They truly embody the very best of what Girl Scouts hopes to nurture in every girl. We are so very proud of them and all the young women in our troop!" she concluded.

For more information on the Girl Scouts click here.

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