Toms River Girl Scout Earns Gold Award, Presidential Proclamation

A Toms River girl was one of 25 Girl Scouts in the Jersey Shore area to receive the Girl Scout Gold Award during a special ceremony on Monday.

Rachel Anton was the recipient.

In order to earn the Girl Scout Gold Award, girls must utilize the leadership skills learned through Girl Scouting to address and raise awareness of a specific issue or issues within her community, said Danielle Bagdzinski, public relations manager for the Monmouth and Ocean Girl Scouts.

Each recipient is required to complete at least 80 hours on a project that combines organizational leadership and networking skills with community service.

In addition to the Gold Award, each recipient received special commendations from President Barack Obama, their senate and congressional representatives, Governor Chris Christie, and in many cases, from their county and state elected officials.

Anton earned the award for her focus on fitness, which she describes below:

My endless love for dance inspired me to focus my project on fitness. Growing up I always wished for grandparents of my own ,so subsequently volunteering at a nursing home allowed me to be surrounded by history I would have never experienced. I taught chair yoga and choreographed dance routines for the residents at the local nursing home. I came to the realization that even teachers are consistently learning and that there are always reasons to be grateful. I am a senior at Toms River High School South and will be attending The College of New Jersey in the fall. I am the president of the school’s Interact Club, a student council representative and a member of the National Honor Society.