Three Hollis Brookline High School seniors have received the prestigious Gold Award for the Girl Scouts of America within the past few months– and this award really is a diamond in the ruff to grab a hold of.

Natalie Lewis, Terésa Randlett, and Michaela Pillion have spent over a decade building up to this moment, where the girls finally surpassed all other obstacles thrown at them in Girls Scouts and mounted the highest peak to the ever so rewarding, Gold Award.

The Gold Award is the highest award given to Girl Scouts and is the equivalent to the Boy Scout Eagle Award. The award can only be achieved by Girl Scouts between the ages of 14 and 18 and is anything but easy to achieve. In fact, most Girl Scouts give up and quit the association long before even being eligible for the distinguished award.

Once at the acceptable age to apply for the award, girls who are aiming to get it must commit to a project with 80+ hours of community service and a sustainable idea. That means that whatever the girls choose to create, it must continue to last long after they complete it.

Natalie Lewis chose to work with the Hollis Montessori School to restore their garden beds and replant for them. Instead of doing the norm and planting average fruits and flowers, Lewis put a twist on the school’s motto (to be hands on) and created a sensory garden for them. The garden incorporated all five senses. With this, she also built new potter’s benches for them.

Down the road at Marguerite’s Place in Nashua, Michaela Pillion worked to attain her Gold Award. The facility with which she collaborated with specifically works with aiding battered and homeless women and children. In the facility’s preschool, Pillion “built a bookshelf and a sensory table and collected books to give them.” The best part about this activity for Pillion was when “[she] brought the furniture to Marguerite’s Place”. Pillion described the furniture to be not in good shape, so when she gave them all new stuff, she said the feeling was “really rewarding”.

Lastly, the final awardee for Girl Scouts troop 12034, Terésa Randlett traveled to her church in Milford to build picnic tables in hopes of giving youth and community members the idea of getting outside more often to enjoy a healthier lifestyle. Randlett has been a Girl Scout since first grade and describes this experience as “the perfect way to complete her Girl Scout career”.

When it comes to trying to achieve this prestigious medal yourself, all three girls encourage you to do so. Lewis’ message includes that “[she] recommends that other young Girl Scouts stick with it because it makes you feel helpful and proud. Giving back feels great and it’s an awesome accomplishment”. Although the journey is a long one, it is one well worth it.

On behalf of the staff of The Cavalier Chronicle, we congratulate you girls on your wonderful achievement.