Worthington Brownie Scouts have award ceremony

WORTHINGTON ---- Brownie Girl Scout Troop 468 in Worthington meets every Wednesday for fun and educational activities. Tuesday night they had a ceremony to recognize some of their troop participation and achievements.

After introductions, the Pledge of Allegiance, the Girl Scout Promise, the Girl Scout Law, and a couple songs, the Brownies of Troop 468 were presented their awards by troop leader Connie Howell. All 10 girls in the troop received an attendance award for having two or fewer absences first semester. They also received badges they've earned so far this year.

"So far this year, the girls have worked on a total of 20 different badges," Howell said. "Five of these are called try-it badges, which are the hardest to earn because they have to complete four different skills or activities to earn each one. And, believe me, that's a lot of work."

Howell said the first-, second- and third-grade girls earned Caring & Sharing, Animals, Arts-to-Wear, Her Story, and Around the World try-it badges. She said they also earned some badges during summer activities in which they went to the post office, had a lock-in with a scavenger hunt, had kitchen fun with cooking, and went on a nature walk.

They earned other badges visiting a horse farm and Dobb's Park, decorating pumpkins, selling nuts, with a special Christmas project, and wrapping gifts for needy children. Service unit badges earned were Christmas caroling and pizza party, and the annual movie.

To earn a badge, according to Darean Rogers, 7, the girls have to share and be friends.

The girls said they do have fun with their friends and learn a lot.

Maria Ruiz, 9, said she's learned to be a friend to nature by recycling and conserving water. That's one of the reasons she joined the troop, she said.

"I heard they help, and I really wanted to help people and nature and everything," she said.

Besides community-service and educational activities, Ruiz said the girls do crafts and play games sometimes.

"We tried to make Play-Doh, but it turned out weird," she said, wrinkling her nose.

Best friends Mikala Pierce and Maddison Hines, both 7, said they enjoy sharing their Brownie activities. They said they met in first grade, but became friends in Brownies.

"One time we spent the night at a place," Mikala said, talking about the lock-in.

"We helped make dinner," Maddison added.

Going into a little more detail, Mikala said, "We made our own pizzas."

The friends reminisced about photographing butterflies on a nature walk and searching for various items on a scavenger hunt.

Another activity the troop members got to share with their families at the award ceremony was scrapbooks they made. Ruiz, who received a second-place award for her scrapbook, said hers is mostly about animals. Her mom, Patricia, explained that it contained information on all the activities the troop had completed. The first-place scrapbook award went to Emilee Egnew "for having a perfect and complete scrapbook."

Other special awards were presented to: