Silver Award Project

(This from the GSUSA blog December 7)

CLINTON TWP. – Township Girl Scout Troop 81285 has been busy performing an important service for the community: Cadet Scouts Elizabeth Kapral, Kathleen Hogan, Daniela Roman and Camryn Burns have been marking storm drains that direct untreated stormwater into the water supply. The girls, who are in grades 6 through 8, are working toward achieving their Silver Award, the highest a cadet can earn in the Scouting program.
In a presentation to the Township Council at its Nov. 28 meeting, Hogan explained that as part of their Silver Award project, the Scouts first had to identify a problem and then develop an action plan to correct it. They chose local stormwater pollution, which they said kills fish, wildlife, contaminates drinking water and closes beaches. “Human activity is largely responsible” for such issues, said Hogan.

“We are trying to educate the public by labeling all drains in the township that lead directly into pathways without treatment,” she said, noting this is required by state law.  To date, the Scouts have labeled more than 200 drains in Clinton Township, but more labels are needed for them to continue the program.
Councilman James Imbriaco said the Environmental Commission is planning to use its budget to purchase about 300 additional markers for the girls to use.

I think I like this project!  Why?  Because it really does meet the requirements of the Silver Award Take Action Project, if I make some assumptions about what the girls also did!

The issue:  stormwater pollution

The root cause:  ignorance or lack of care by the residents

The Project:  educate the residents and label the drains for all to see in order to reduce contamination down the line

The team:  4 girls from a troop. I am hoping that each of the four took a leadership role in this project.  Perhaps one was in charge of publicity - getting the word out.  One gathered information to hand out to residents about the need. One was a liason to the city. And one helped build the team of peers to help.

Their action:  Labeling the storm drains.  It sounds like there were actual plaques that were affixed to the drains.   It sounds like the city helped them with this.  And in order to get more, perhaps the girls took a leadership role in soliciting funds from a grant? or from another city department? to help. I hope they also had information available to the residents about this issue.  Perhaps they used the City Website to post info? or had other articles written by the girls in the newspaper?  or presented the info at school? linked to the school website?  Those actions would have given them a more direct connection to the community they were serving:  not just putting up signs.

Sustainable:  Their work goes on for as long as the plaques are there.  And hopefully, the city took over the care and maintenance of them.  Hopefully, the Environmental Commission was able to build on the girls' work and continue it as an ongoing project.

Global:  What if they could do EVERY drain in their town?  What if every city/town in their county did it?  What kind of impact could that have?  That would be one conversation I would have with the girls, to be sure they understand the global nature of this work.