Huntsville Girl Scout earns Gold Award
HUNTSVILLE – Shania Williams, a graduate of Buckhorn High School, earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest achievement within the Girl Scouts of the United States of America, for her project, “If You Can Dream, It You Can Be It.”
Her project focused on middle and high school aged girls. Williams wanted to teach girls important life skills that would help them transition between different grade levels and schools. She had seen the negative effects that social media, cyber bullying, peer pressure, and more had had on girls she went to school with.
To tackle these issues and provide support to girls in her community, she hosted a workshop at her church, Union Chapel M.B. Church on Winchester Road. Key speakers included a nurse practitioner and financial supervisor, to talk about a variety of issues such as teen pregnancy, peer pressure, financial literacy, cyber bullying, career readiness, and overall self-confidence.
“The girls were given the knowledge to make positive choices as well as learned to be self-confident in what they do,” Williams said.
Williams hopes that the girls she worked with will be able to walk not only into a new school but any unfamiliar place with confidence that they can handle any problem they encounter or seek help from an adult that might be able to help them with a particular problem.
Williams started Girl Scouts as a Daisy, the first level, and made it all the way through as an Ambassador. She is now a freshman at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. She said earning her Gold Award has taught her fortitude and discipline.
“I learned to put others’ needs before my own and to make sure that others have what they need before myself,” Williams said. “I am no longer afraid of failure and I will accept any challenge that comes my way with total confidence.”
Williams will be honored for her achievement at the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama Highest Awards Ceremony on April 4, 2020.
“By earning the Girl Scout Gold Award, Shania has become a community leader. Her accomplishments reflect leadership and citizenship skills that set her apart,” said Karen Peterlin, chief executive officer of the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama.
The girl who goes for the Gold embraces challenges, achieves excellence, and works diligently to make the world a better place, in her own unique way. Her leadership, vision, and boundless energy is an inspiration to all Girl Scouts. Each girl earning her Gold Award demonstrates excellence through a leadership project totaling more than 80 hours. Girls who earn their Gold Award are also recognized by the President of the United States, the U.S. Congress, the U.S. Armed Services, state legislatures, colleges and universities for admission and scholarship opportunities, and the American Legion. Some universities and colleges offer scholarships unique to Gold Award recipients, and Gold Award Girl Scouts are entitled to enlist at a higher pay grade when they join the military.
To learn more about the Girl Scout Gold Award, visit girlscoutsnca.org.
