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Girl Scouts of WNY announces Siana Jacobs as 2017 Gold Award recipient

Fri, May 5th 2017 04:55 pm

Girl Scouts of Western New York recently announced North Tonawanda Girl Scout Siana Jacobs is a 2017 Gold Award recipient. The Gold Award is the highest award in Girl Scouts. Jacobs' earned the award for a project where she organized a clothing drive and created personal hygiene kits for people in Nicaragua.

Jacobs said, "I collected mostly children and teenagers' clothing with my collection totaling over 2,700 clothing items, 200 shoes and more than 300 household items. I was also able to put together more than 400 kits each with a toothbrush, toothpaste, soap, deodorant, combs/brushes, shampoo, and a towel. My project served the Nicaraguan community, because the majority of Nicaraguans live in poverty and have no access to clothing that will last them. This project will likely help hundreds of people; 400 families will be able to benefit from the hygiene kits and numerous others will be able to benefit from the clothing."

Jacobs found that working on her Gold Award project taught her organization and communication skills, as well as money management and goal setting. She also found that her leadership abilities were enhanced by taking charge and making decisions.

"I learned that I am capable of any goal I set for myself and that if I want to make a difference in the world there will be ways I can. Each small act can bring positive results," she added.

Jacobs will receive her Gold Award at the Gold Award Ceremony on Saturday, June 3, at the Grapevine restaurant in Depew.

The Gold Award project 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 ongoing or sustainable. Approximately 80 hours of community service are involved in the project. Completion of the Gold Award also qualifies Girl Scouts for scholarship opportunities.

The Gold Award requires Girl Scouts to identify an issue and investigate it to understand what can be done to address the problem. Each Girl Scout forms 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. They must create a plan to ensure they know what steps they must tackle while working on the project. They are also required to submit a proposal to their local Girl Scout council. After acceptance, they can begin to work through the steps of her plan, utilizing the assistance of her support team. Lastly, the project is used to educate and inspire others about a cause.

For more information, visit www.gswny.org.

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