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Springs Girl Scout earns top national distinction

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Contributed by: Joan Harrold on 10/13/2008

Highest national honor in Girl Scouting recognizes extraordinary leadership and community service

By Joan Harrold, Girl Scouts of Colorado

Girl Scouts of the USA has named America's top 10 Girl Scout Gold Award recipients as its 2008 National Young Women of Distinction for extraordinary leadership demonstrated through their remarkable community service projects. Among the 2008 honorees is Colorado Springs Girl Scout Shannon Anthony, 18. The Gold Award, Girl Scouting's highest achievement, is earned by only 5 to 6 percent of Girl Scouts ages 14 to 18.

For her Gold Award project, Shannon wrote, directed and edited a 30 second public service announcement video about teen suicide prevention called "Break the Silence: Don't Keep Suicide a Secret." She chose this project after losing a friend to suicide her sophomore year of high school at Liberty High School in Colorado Springs.

"This was a very personal project for me and a way to turn my grief into something productive," Shannon said. "I wanted to educate others so that they don't have to go through what I have."

Shannon also presented information at a Suicide Prevention Conference in 2007 and to local high schools. Her PSA is being used by the state of Montana as part of their statewide suicide prevention campaign. To further increase visibility of this vital message, she posted her PSA on YouTube and TeacherTube and has received over 1700 hits so far.

"The 2008 National Young Women of Distinction epitomize Girl Scouting as the world's best leadership experience for girls," said Kathy Cloninger, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA. "By discovering, connecting and taking action, these inspiring teenagers are defining what it means to be a female leader in today's global society."

Shannon, who is currently a freshman at Colorado State University, will join nine fellow Young Women of Distinction on Oct. 31 at the 2008 Girl Scout National Convention in Indianapolis where they will be honored by thousands of their Girl Scouting peers.

Girl Scouts of the USA and an external committee comprised of professional women selected the 2008 National Young Women of Distinction from a pool of a hundred applicants who had already earned the Girl Scout Gold Award. Each honoree spent one to two years on a community action project that has far-reaching effects in her community and beyond.

The Gold Award is the highest honor a girl can achieve in Girl Scouting. The completion of the Gold Award is achieved through meeting exacting requirements, including serving 30 hours in a leadership role, completing 40 hours of career-oriented work and completion of the 4B challenge (Become yourself, Belong to your community, Believe in your vision to change your community and Build a vision for change). The award culminates in a project designed by each girl that is challenging, interesting, needed within the community and requires no less than 65 hours to complete.

Girl Scouts of Colorado is where girls throughout the state gain courage, confidence and character alongside a group of girls who will be their friends for life. It's a safe place for girls to explore their world, develop an understanding and empathy for others and take action to make the world a better place. Girls are guided by committed, caring adults who make learning fun. No other activity helps each girl achieve her personal leadership pathway like Girl Scouting. Girl Scouts has been the nation's leading expert on girls for nearly 100 years. For more information, visit www.girlscoutsofcolorado.org.

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Joan Harrold

Denver , CO

Joan Harrold has posted 1 story and 0 comments since joining on 10/13/2008. Joan Harrold 's average story rating is 0.

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