Girl Scouts of Western New York is proud to announce Courtney Jung of Bemus Point, NY, as a 2019 Gold Award Girl Scout. Jung’s project was titled “Chautauqua Adult Day Care Paint and Shade Project.”

Jung explained, “For my Gold Award Project, I funded for paint and drapes for the Chautauqua Adult Day Care Taft Center, where it plans to move its activities to from Christ First United Methodist Church. I also painted the Center as well. The clients benefited from my project. My project addressed the issue of having an aesthetic area where the daycare clients can perform crafts and play games. The Taft Center previously had walls with cracks and yellowed wallpaper. Most imperatively, it did not have drapes that could adequately reflect sunlight off from the windows, thus the heat during the summer months are unbearable. I addressed this issue by buying three shades of warm-toned, rustic-colored paint from Home Depot and cream-colored drapes that accented the paint, but were still functional in reflecting sunlight from the windows. I also scraped the wallpaper before applying the paint. The paint job and window drapes will be able to maintained by the daycare staff. The clients will be able to perform their activities in a welcoming and safe environment for years to come.”

Jung added, “Girl Scouting has allowed me to challenge myself in areas of weakness and make them become stronger.”

Jung 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.