Girl Scouts of Western New York is proud to announce Samantha Jaeger of Lockport, NY, as a 2019 Gold Award Girl Scout. Jaeger’s project was titled “Humane Education.”

Jaeger explained, “I helped teach humane education with the help of Officer Bob, the Humane Educator at the Niagara SPCA, to school-aged children all throughout Niagara County. This project was important to me because I wanted to stress the fact that adopting a pet should be a choice people make for the life of the pet. I felt if I helped to teach humane education, I could make sure the kids understood it’s not ideal to return their pet to the SPCA, or other rescues because they no longer want their pet. I also made emergency telephone number cards for the Niagara SPCA to hand out to newly adopted pets’ owners. Phone numbers were for the SPCA, emergency veterinarians, Poison Control, etc. I made blankets that I donated to the SPCA, and I made instruction books on how to make the blankets that I handed out to all the Girl Scout Troops that invited me to do a presentation. I sent letters to every school in Niagara County inviting them to have Officer Bob give their students a presentation, and I attended whenever I could. I’m hoping the kids that attended the presentations want to adopt when they are adults, remember everything I taught them on how to care for their pet, and to keep them for the pet’s life.”

Jaeger added, “Girl Scouting has made me a more responsible and respectful person. Being a Girl Scout has taught me to always help out when I can with my family, friends and my community.”

Jaeger will receive her Gold Award at the Gold Award Ceremony on June 1, 2019. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the most prestigious award in the world for girls.

The Gold Award project is the culmination of all the work a girl puts into “going for the Gold.” A Girl Scout’s project should be something that a girl can be passionate about—in thought, deed, and action that encompasses organizational, leadership, and networking skills. The project should also fulfill a need within a girl’s community (whether local or global) and create change that has the potential to be on-going or sustainable. Approximately 80 hours of community service are involved in the project. Completion of the Gold Award also qualifies the Girl Scout for special scholarship opportunities and to enter the military a full rank higher than her peers.

The Girl Scout Gold Award, the most prestigious award in the world for girls, acknowledges the power behind each recipient’s dedication to not only empowering and bettering herself, but also to making the world a better place for others. These young women are courageous leaders and visionary change makers.

The Gold Award requires a Girl Scout to identify an issue and investigate it to understand what can be done to address the problem. The girl then forms a team to act as a support system, including a project advisor close to the issue who is not a troop leader or family member, while she leads the project. The Girl Scout creates a plan to ensure they know what steps they must tackle while working on the project. The Girl Scout submits a proposal for her project to her local Girl Scout council. After acceptance, the girl begins to work through the steps of their plan utilizing the assistance of her support team where necessary. Lastly, the project is used to educate and inspire others about the cause they are addressing.

To learn more, visit gswny.org.