Nature Trail Earns Teen Girl Scout Gold Award

The following message is from the Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey:

Lila Sevener of Parsippany recently completed her Girl Scout Gold Award by creating a nature trail for developmentally disabled children at Camp Hope in Livingston, a summer camp run by The ARC of Essex County.

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award a Girl Scout can earn and requires the completion of a leadership project of at least 80 hours. Each girl must discover an issue in the community, connect with experts and community members, and take action to affect positive change.

“I have volunteered and worked at this camp for more than four summers,” Lila said. “These campers deserve a chance to learn about the outdoors in a safe and educational way.”

Lila cleared the overgrown trail, and added interactive, weatherproof signs, decorative statues, and a garden to make the trail more appealing to the campers. She also led activities and lessons to teach the children about the environment.

“A lot of the campers live in cities and spend a lot of their time indoors,” Lila said. “I hoped to teach them about the outdoors and get them excited to be a part of nature and learn more about plants and animals.”

Lila has been a Girl Scout since kindergarten and is a member of Troop No. 1966. She is a 2013 graduate of Parsippany Hills High School. She plans to attend Northeastern University in the fall where she will study political science and environmental science.

“Girl Scouts has shown me that big goals are not always easy, but they are worth it in the end,” said Lila. “With enough hard work, any goal can be met.”

The Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can earn, combines leadership development, career exploration and community service. It culminates in an 80-hour leadership project that each girl plans and executes according to her own interests and passions. Within Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey, 12 percent of eligible girls earn their Girl Scout Gold Award, compared to the national average of six percent.

“Girl Scouts has truly given me the support and guidance to learn how to lead,” said Lila. “Through team work as well as independent projects, I have learned the importance and enjoyment of giving back to the community.”