Ashley Andrews receives the Girl Scout Gold Award… the highest individual achievement in Girl Scouting
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[The Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Ashley Andrews of Chester has received the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive.
For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, named "Recycling: Preserving the Land for Future Generations," Ashley expanded recycling opportunities to the athletic fields at the Cohen Complex and Cole Park in Chester. She had noticed that enormous amounts of plastic was being thrown away at these popular recreation sites and wanted to do her part to prevent the recyclable items from ending up in landfills. To combat this issue, she first formally addressed the Chester City Council to get approval for the recycling project. Next, she secured donations from Menards for plastic barrels to distribute throughout the park. Once she had placed the new recycling bins, she took responsibility for empting the bins on a regular schedule. "I chose recycling because of my love for nature and the outdoors," Ashley explained. "My project allowed me to show my appreciation for the environment and my community." To continue the recycling program, she has extended the opportunity to other Girl Scouts in the area as a community service option.
Ashley also explained that she hopes her dedication to earning the prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award will inspire others. "This project took organization, commitment, hard work and responsibility," she said. "I hope it will give courage to other individuals to make a difference by taking a stand on a matter that they believe in."
Ashley is the daughter of Glenn and Tammy Andrews. She is part of Girl Scout Troop #8234 and is currently a senior at Chester High School. After graduation, she plans to pursue a degree in Nursing and specialize in Pediatrics.
The Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can earn, recognizes a Girl Scout's commitment to excellence as she develops skills and values to meet present and future challenges in her life. To earn the Girl Scout Gold Award, a Girl Scout Senior or Girl Scout Ambassador must design and carry out a project that fulfills a need within a girl's community, creates change, and is sustainable. The project must be completed with a suggested minimum of 80 hours of work. Only about 6 percent of eligible girls earn the prestigious Gold Award.
Today, Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. is the largest voluntary organization for girls in the world. Its sole focus is to meet the needs of all girls (ages 5-17) from diverse racial, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds. Today's Girl Scouts not only enjoy camping and crafts, but they also explore math and science and learn about diversity, good citizenship, leadership and teamwork. Girl Scouting is the place where girls experience the fun, friendship and power of girls together.
The Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois is a not-for-profit organization supported by various United Ways throughout the region. The Girl Scouts is a Proud Partner of United Way. For more information, please call Jay Strobel or Erin Johnson at 618.692.0692.