Girl Scouts earn honors

The Girl Scouts of Ocean County recently recognized 15 girls for attaining the Girl Scout Silver Award, the highest award for Cadette Girl Scouts, girls in grades six through nine. Requirements for the national Silver Award build a girl’s skills, help her to explore career possibilities, increase her leadership, improve her self-esteem, and require her to work on a project using her own plan of action for helping others.

The 2003 Silver Award recipients are: Chelsea Baumann, Jackson; Brittany Coates, Manahawkin; Amelia Gajary, Jackson; Megan Gajary, Jackson; Felicia Giliberti, Jackson; Shannon Harrison, Bayville; Noel Hunter, Lakehurst; Katie Jans, Lakehurst; Arielle Palmer, Jackson; Emily Rogalsky, Jackson; Katrina Sauers, Jackson; Khiara Scott, Jackson; Cassandra Surgent, Lakehurst; Dianne Taylor, Manahawkin, and Melissa Wernoch, Manchester.

The girls each received proclamations from the state Legislature and Ocean County Board of Freeholders. In addition, the 15 Cadette Girl Scouts received certificate presentations from the Ladies Auxiliary VFW 9503 and the Scouting chairman for the American Legion and VFW.

Among the local honorees:

• Chelsea Baumann, Jackson, is an eighth grade student at St. Aloysius School in Jackson. Baumann’s Silver Award Project was "Sharing Dance." She held a two-day film festival for the residents at The Orchards in Jackson. The residents viewed old dance movies while enjoying snacks provided by Baumann. Another part of the project involved Baumann helping a Daisy troop earn a petal and a Junior troop its Dance Badge.

• Amelia Gajary, Jackson, is a ninth-grade high honor roll student at Jackson Memorial High School. Gajary’s project focused on the importance of the ecosystem and how certain products and materials affect the environment. She taught Junior Scouts about the condition of the earth, which earned them the Eco Action Badge. She also collected aluminum cans, which will be donated to the Jackson Elks’ Handicapped Children’s Organization.

• Megan Gajary, Jackson, is an eighth-grade honor roll student at the Christa McAuliffe Middle School in Jackson. To earn her Silver Award, Gajary worked with Junior Girl Scouts on the Pet Care Badge. She taught them about caring for animals, as well as how to choose a pet. Gajary also interviewed a veterinarian, as well as local zoo worker, and shared this information with the girls.

• Felicia Giliberti, Jackson, is an eighth grade high honor roll student at the Carl W. Goetz Middle School in Jackson. To earn her Silver Award, Giliberti held an encampment at Camp Amity Acres for the Brownie Girl Scouts in the Sassafras Service Unit. While enjoying the camp, the girls earned two Try-Its, took a hike, and had a party.

• Arielle Palmer, Jackson, is an eighth grade high honor roll student at the Carl W. Goetz Middle School in Jackson. For her Silver Award Project Palmer volunteered at the Howard Johnson Elementary School After Care Program and tutored students for several weeks. She was responsible for coming up with projects that were both fun and educational.

• Emily Rogalsky, Jackson, is an eighth grade high honor roll student at the Carl W. Goetz Middle School in Jackson. Rogalsky worked on a Crafts for Kids Project for her Silver Award. She prepared several crafts projects for community children to work on at the Jackson Food Pantry while their parents volunteered.

• Katrina Sauers, Jackson, is an eighth grade high honor roll student at the Carl W. Goetz Middle School in Jackson. Sauers worked on a Crafts for Kids Project for her Silver Award. She prepared several crafts projects for community children to work on at the Jackson Food Pantry while their parents volunteered.

• Khiara Scott, Jackson, is an eighth grade student at the Carl W. Goetz Middle School in Jackson. For her Silver Award Project, Scott developed and ran an Urban Youth Encampment at the Macedonia Baptist Church in Lakewood for children ages 4-7. The children learned about the basic food groups and making healthy food choices. They enjoyed games and crafts, and learned how to get themselves ready in the morning.