Girl Scouts of Western New York is proud to announce Hilton Girl Scout Ashley Blackburn as a 2017 Gold Award recipient. Blackburn’s project was to collect donations for the Alternatives for Battered Women Shelter, recently renamed the Willow Center in Rochester.
Blackburn collected donations using drop boxes throughout the community as well as direct donations from community members. She also distributed flyers and pamphlets, and held an educational seminar for teens at her church to talk about the warning signs of domestic abuse and violence.
Blackburn stated, “Domestic abuse is a major problem, not just throughout the United States, but the entire world. It’s something that many people sadly experience. Working with the Willow Center does not stop the domestic abuse that occurs around the world, but it takes a stance against the abuse that occurs. I’m taking a stance through my project against domestic abuse.”
Donations included clothing for adults and children, personal and feminine hygiene products, and items for babies and children.
Blackburn found that working on her Gold Award project taught organization and people skills, as well as time management. She will receive her Gold Award at the Gold Award Ceremony on Saturday, June 3, at the Grapevine restaurant in Depew, New York.
The Gold Award is the highest award in Girl Scouts and is the culmination of all the work a girl puts into “going for the Gold.” A Girl Scout’s project should be something that a girl can be passionate about – in thought, deed and action that encompasses organizational, leadership, and networking skills. The project should also fulfill a need within a girl’s community (whether local or global) and create change that has the potential to be on-going or sustainable. Approximately 80 hours of community service are involved in the project. Completion of the Gold Award also qualifies the Girl Scout for special scholarship opportunities.
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.
The Gold Award requires a Girl Scout to identify an issue and investigate it to understand what can be done to address the problem. The girl then forms a team to act as a support system, including a project advisor close to the issue who is not a troop leader or family member, while she leads the project. The Girl Scout creates a plan to ensure they know what steps they must tackle while working on the project then submits a proposal for her project to her local Girl Scout council.
After acceptance, the girl begins to work through the steps of their plan utilizing the assistance of her support team where necessary. Lastly, the project is used to educate and inspire others about the cause they are addressing.
To learn more, visit gswny.org.
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