Westlake Girl Scouts earn Bronze Award

Submitted by Troop 71047
Gabi, Holly, Adrienna, Kara, Melanie, Emily, Kelley and Vanessa

Girl Scout Troop 71047 worked with the City of Westlake, the Service Department and Sign Shop staff at the City of Westlake Service Department to create a sign that is now a permanent fixture at the Westlake Bradley Road Nature Park.

The girls began by brainstorming ideas for a Bronze Award project.  They contacted the city with their ideas, and the city helped the girls develop it into a meaningful project. 

As pre-requisites to begin their Bronze Award project, the girls earned their Wildlife Badge, Pet Care Badge, Art in 3-D Badge, Looking Your Best Badge and the Junior Aide.  The girls took field trips for some, while other parts were in classrooms. 

The sign depicts animals, insects, birds and reptiles that would be seen while visiting the park.  The girls researched animals and compiled the data into a common format to be placed on the sign.  There are six panels total, one provides visitors with information about the troop and the Bronze Award, one panel gives the history of the park and land origins, and the remaining four panels show animal information and pictures.  The troop also worked together picking up trash and garbage that could have hurt animals at the park, making it nice and clean for visitors too.
 
The girls developed as leaders by accepting more responsibility, by choosing their own badge work, and the girls learned to work together as a group.  The girls were passionate about the project because it allowed them the opportunity to discover, connect and take action with a project that benefits nature and their community.
 
  

The project solved a problem in their community because the sign provides information about the kinds of animals visitors may encounter while at the park.  The sign not only shows what the animals look like, but how to react if one is confronted by a raccoon or a coyote, and also to be respectful of their homes by not destroying them or littering their habitat.
  
At a sign dedication ceremony, the Mayor of Westlake presented the troop with an official Proclamation and declared Sunday, May 15, 2011 as Troop 71047 Day in Westlake.  Following the ceremony, the troop bridged to Cadettes in a formal ceremony.