GIRL SCOUTS EARN GOLD AWARD

Twelve Otahki Council Senior Girl Scouts have earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can earn. The young women have completed the requirements and received their awards at the Older Girl Ceremony held at St. Mary's of the Barrens in Perryville. Elks Lodge 639 of Cape Girardeau sponsored the Gold and Silver award pins.

Recipients of this year's Gold Award are Nichole Best, Melissa Brown, Laurie Kirn, Kelly Guth, Megan Kutz of Girl Scout Troop 82 of Perryville; Lillian Dean, Troop 39, Elizabeth Green, Troop 121, Radha Rahatgi, Elizabeth Shivelbine, and Vicky Ventrella, Troop 280, all of Cape Girardeau; and Amanda May and Sara Emerson, Troop 151 of Scott City.

Twenty-six Girl Scouts received the Silver Award, Girl Scouting's second highest award, and 31 were honored as graduating Senior Girl Scouts.

Earning the Girl Scout Gold Award requires completion of interest projects involving skill development in a variety of subjects, participation in career exploration activities, commitment and service to local communities, and development completion of a final Gold Award project to benefit others and be ongoing. These projects are reviewed by the Gold Award Support Team.