Highest awards in Girl Scouting presented

Girl Scouts of Maine hosted the 2008 Girl Scout Silver and Gold Award ceremony on June 7 at Jewett Hall Auditorium, University of Maine at Augusta.

“This annual award ceremony recognizes a girl’s accomplishments and commitment to excellence as she develops the skills and values required to meet the present and future leadership challenges in her life,” said Joan McDonald, Girl Scouts of Maine chief executive officer. “The Silver and Gold Awards are national awards with national standards, and Girl Scouts of Maine is honored to present the awards to local Girl Scouts on behalf of Girl Scouts of the USA.”

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the most prestigious award in Girl Scouting and focuses on a 14- to 18-year-old Girl Scout’s interests and personal journey through leadership skills, career explorations, self-improvement and service.

. Kim Boyle, 16, a Senior Juliette Girl Scout, received the Girl Scout Gold Award, 10-year pin and the Silver Trefoil Award. To earn the awards, she created the project Refurbish the Church. Boyle is a member of the North Brewer Eddington United Methodist Church and fulfilled the requirements for the awards by serving a need for her church and the community. She is entering her senior year at Brewer High School where she is a member of the National Honor Society, the golf team and a recent recipient of the Climate Award. She is the daughter of William and Donna Boyle of Brewer.

. Lauren Cappuccio of Hudson received the Girl Scout Gold Award for Spring into Health, a project designed to increase students’ awareness of how to live healthy lives. Cappuccio worked with health-related organizations to set up a health fair for high school and middle school students. The students viewed exhibits and were able to talk to educators and volunteers one-on-one about making healthful lifestyle choices.

. Samantha Emery of Island Falls received the Girl Scout Gold Award for the 911 Civil Defense Project. Emery prepared for disaster relief by collecting blankets, flashlights, games, wheelchairs and walkers for use at the Island Falls Emergency Management Shelter. She arranged for food to be donated to the shelter in an emergency and distributed informational materials on the shelter to residents.

The Silver Award is the second-highest honor in Girl Scouting and symbolizes an 11- to 14-year-old Girl Scout’s accomplishments in Girl Scouting and community activities as she matures and works to better her life and lives of others.

These Girl Scouts received the Silver Award for their community service projects:

. Orrinda Appleby of Bucksport, who launched the Pet Project, which included volunteering at the local animal shelter. Appleby also conducted a pet food drive, collecting approximately 125 pounds of pet food and donating it to the shelter.

. Katelyn DeLong of Bangor, who called her project The Band Room’s New Look. Thanks to DeLong, who wanted to brighten the atmosphere, the band room at Bangor High School received a fresh coat of paint and new pictures on the walls.

. Kristin Dillon and Danielle Iverson of Exeter, who wanted to help musicians in their hometown. The middle school, high school and community bluegrass bands were in need of new stringed instruments. Dillon and Iverson organized a spaghetti supper fundraiser and the proceeds enabled them to purchase and donate two fiddles and a guitar to the bluegrass band director.

. Rachel Eugley of Greenfield, who designed her project for a soldier who had been wounded in Iraq and who was recovering at home with his family. Eugely wanted to cheer everyone up and repay them for their sacrifice, so she made a stars-and-stripes motif quilt for the soldier, a basket for his wife and knit three scarves for the couple’s daughters.

. Rebecca McLean of Birch Harbor, who called her project A Taste of Home for the Troops. It involved collecting items donated by local businesses, assembling special gift boxes and mailing them to troops serving in Iraq.

. Elizabeth Pedersen of Hampden, who trained a service dog. Through a community partnership with Golden Moments, Pedersen was given Mack to train as a service assistance dog for the disabled. Pedersen worked with the dog for 10 months and Mack serves as a companion for a woman with multiple sclerosis.

. Barbara Sprague of Bangor, whose project was Passion Play Set Construction. Sprague worked with other members of the Old Brick Church and consulted with the production manager to design, build and paint the set and props for the Easter play.

. Kapricemarie Tompkins of Lincoln, who conducted a Preemie Project. It included sewing and collecting small outfits for premature babies. The outfits were donated to the parents of premature babies.

. Map of the United States was a group project by Angela Cook, Lora-Lee Reed, Erin Simone and Leslie Theriault of Enfield, and Sarah Scofield of Howland. The Girl Scouts received their Silver Award for painting an 80-by-60-foot map of the United States on the Enfield Station School playground to provide children with a fun way to learn U.S. geography.

Girl Scouts of Maine’s New Girl Scout Leadership Experience helps girls to discover themselves, connect with others and take action to make the world a better place. For information on membership, programs and volunteer opportunities, call Girl Scouts of Maine at 888-922-4763 or visit www.girlscoutsofmaine.org.