Ava Scherle from Waterloo Designated a Gold Award Girl Scout
Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois congratulates Ava Scherle from Waterloo, Illinois for becoming a Gold Award Girl Scout—a designation she earned by leading a community recycling project while also enhancing the GaGa pit she installed to earn her Girl Scout Silver Award.
In 2021, Ava worked with her church, St. Paul UCC, to install a GaGa pit. Local youth have been enjoying the new game, but she realized it needed a few upgrades. She decided that she could teach her community the importance of recycling by leading a campaign to create benches for the GaGa pit from recycled bottle caps. She thought if she could show a real-life example of how they could make a difference, community members would be inspired to recycle more.
Ava set up a collection drive for the bottle caps at St. Paul UCC and other locations in town. She cleaned and prepared the lids, then had them made into benches. In addition, she attended a class to learn how recycled plastic can become new benches. When the benches were complete, she had them installed at the GaGa pit. Throughout this project, Ava also educated local youth groups and community organizations about recycling.
As they take action to transform their world, Gold Award Girl Scouts gain tangible skills and prove they are the leaders our community and world need. The Gold Award is earned by girls in grades 9–12 who demonstrate extraordinary leadership in developing sustainable solutions to local, national and global challenges. Since the highest award was established in 1916, Girl Scouts have answered the call to drive lasting, impactful change. The Gold Award is the mark of the truly remarkable.
Not only do Gold Award Girl Scouts better their communities through their projects, they often grow themselves through the process and learn skills they can take with them throughout their lives. “I learned that I am able to ask for help from my community when needed,” she said. “I also learned that public speaking is possible with preparation.”
Ava is the daughter of Alaina and Joshua Scherle. She is currently a senior at Waterloo High School and plans to attend college at OSU next year to pursue agricultural related studies. Ava is a Trifecta Girl Scout who has earned the Girl Scout Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards.
November 21, 2024
