Local Girl Scouts Earn Top Awards

By Julie Slama

West Valley - Several West Valley City Girl Scouts recently earned the top awards at their level and were honored at the Girl Scouts of Utah awards recognition on Oct. 24.

Girl Scouting’s highest award is the Gold Award and can be earned by a girl in ninth through 12th grade. Nineteen girls across the state earned their Gold Awards. The Silver Award is earned by middle school-aged girls, and 114 Scouts earned that distinction. The Bronze Award is designed for fourth- and fifth-grade students, and 374 girls earned that honor. Each award is based upon leadership, volunteer hours and a project that is sustainable that will improve the girls’ community. 

“Girls have hopes, ideas and dreams that when put into action can make an impact on society,” Girl Scouts of Utah chief executive officer Janet Frasier said. “Girl Scouting’s highest awards provide a platform for girls to make a difference.”

Nine West Valley City Girl Scouts earned their Silver Award. They include Kindi Flake, who helped with literacy centers for youth by collecting and repairing books; Kenzlee Robinson, Shambray Perkins, Melissa Peterson and Rachel Dayton, who, along with their troop, helped seniors perform tasks they needed help doing; Alexis Oligario, who educated youth about bullying issues; Ellie DeGroote, who promoted literacy through writing a book review column in the Deseret News and Connect 123 newspapers; Olivia Culley, who helped at animal shelters, made toys, assisted with donation drives and volunteered at stables; and Allison Jensen, who helped set up a website educating people about licensing pets. 

Three local Girl Scouts earned their Bronze Award. They are Mikayli Cannon, Elissa Darrington and Kaylee Flake.