Five Newtown Girl Scouts Receive Silver Awards

The Girl Scout Council of Southwestern Connecticut recently honored five Silver Award recipients from Newtown during its 2006 Awards Reception. The Silver Awardees were Meghan Barbour, Kateleen Foy, Michelle Haitz, Jennifer Tichon, and Maxx Zimmer. They were among 55 Silver Award Girl Scouts from the council’s 15 Fairfield County towns of Bethel, Brookfield, Danbury, Darien, Greenwich, New Canaan, New Fairfield, Newtown, Norwalk, Redding, Ridgefield, Stamford, Weston, Westport, and Wilton.

The Girl Scout Silver Award is the highest award a Girl Scout age 11 to 13 can earn. It recognizes a Cadette Girl Scout’s completion of specific requirements that culminate in a 40-hour community service project. The choice of service project is up to each girl and usually corresponds with her main interests and talents.

The Silver Award Projects of the five Girl Scouts from Newtown addressed a wide variety of community needs and illustrate the benefits Girl Scouts provide to the communities where they live and volunteer.

Meghan Barbour assisted with a summer school program for special needs children by developing and teaching specific activities to enhance sensory awareness. Kateleen Foy’s project involved a “make your own toy” project before the holiday season.

Michelle Haitz provided dance lessons to Brownie Girl Scouts, in addition to collecting dance supplies for a studio affected by Hurricane Katrina. Jennifer Tichon ran a back-to-school event with crafts and activities to help children get back in the school mode. Maxx Zimmer made pillows that were used to support postsurgical patients’ head, knees, or arms during recovery at Danbury Hospital.

“The Girl Scout Council of Southwestern Connecticut is very proud of these fine leaders for seeing a need in the community and taking action to help others,” said Lillian Willis, director of communications and marketing for GSCSC. “The Silver Award is part of the progressive Girl Scout Leadership Development Program that prepares girls with the skills and inspiration for them to discover, lead, and take action in matters that are important to their personal development and the world around them.”