MARINE CORPS BASE QUANTICO, Va. -- Five Girl Scout Cadettes were awarded the Girl Scout Silver Award during a ceremony June 5, 2013, at the Lincoln Housing party room on Marine Corps Base Quantico.
Cadette Girl Scout Troop 6890 Marine Corps Base Quantico earned the award for their project, "Bringing Our Community Together." Bryanna, Carrie, Leslie, Sierra and Theresa decided to earn the award as a group, though it can be earned individually.
"The Girl Scout Silver award is the highest award a Girl Scout Cadette can earn and the second highest award in the Girl Scouts," said Troop Advisor Cindy Hoisington. "It gives the girls a chance to show that they are leaders who are organized determined and dedicated to improving their community."
To earn the award the girls had to complete a 50-hour service project that impacts their community.
"The project is both planned and carried out by the girls, with an adult advising and supervising," she said.
The cadettes chose their project because of the transient nature of the military community.
"We decided that we needed to bring our community together," Hoisington said.
As part of their project the girls hosted multiple events: from an Easter egg hunt to a spa day to a tea party.
"Two of our favorite events were a preschool tea party for the girls from both Russell and Ashurst Elementary Schools, and an Easter event for the international children on base to share American culture and for the children to interact with each other," said the advisor.
"I liked doing the spa day," said Sierra, who is 12 years old. "I liked getting messy and giving the facials."
"I liked the Easter Egg hunt the most," said Theresa, 14.
"I liked the Spa Day the most," said Bryanna, 13. "I like spending free time with the girls painting nails and doing their hair."
"I liked the Easter Egg hunt because we got to work with the international kids," said Carrie, 11, who is also the troop advisor's daughter.
"I liked any of them with food," said Leslie, 11. "And most of them had food."
This was Hoisington's last year with the girls as their families are all moving to other duty stations and she is leaving the military community since her husband recently retired.
Correspondent: rebekka.heite@usmc.mil