By completing a significant community service project, Kiersten Parkinson, of Palmyra, has earned the Gold Award, the highest achievement given by Girl Scouts of the USA (similar to the Eagle Scout Award). On January 10 at a special ceremony, Parkinson was not only awarded with the Gold Award, but her project gained a national recognition from the National Weather Service.
Camp Shenandoah officially received its National Weather Service (NWS) designation for the camp’s lightening safety plan. This NWS-approved project was due to Kiersten Parkinson’s Gold Award project. Parkinson worked with the National Weather Service to create a lightning safety plan for use by Boy Scout Camp Shenandoah in Swoope, VA. Because the camp will now be using that plan during lightning storms, the National Weather Service recognized the camp for having an NWS-approved lightning safety plan. This is the first Boy Scout camp within the nation to receive this designation.
Kiersten created a lightning-safe structure at Camp Shenandoah since they did not have one so campers and staff have safe shelter during lightning storms. She accomplished this by installing seven exterior doors to the existing screen doors on the camp dining hall, which encloses the building, making it safe shelter in lightning storms. She also provided the camp with two lightning detectors for use to alert campers and staff that it is time to seek shelter, before lightning arrives within striking distance, greatly reducing or eliminating any chance of lightning-related injuries or deaths at Camp Shenandoah.
“I learned a lot about lightening safety,” Parkinson explained of her project experience, “I knew a lot to begin with, but I had a lot more to learn.” As a member of Girl Scout Troop 9362, she received her award through Girl Scouts of Virginia Skyline Council at a ceremony held at Camp Shenandoah on January 10. She would like to thank those who donated and assisted her with this project: Robertson Electric, Domino’s Pizza, Spencer Home Center, 84 Lumber, Outdoor Technologies, T&N Printing, ALC Copies, Bule Ridge Graphics, Fluvanna ACE Hardware, Meadowbrook Hardware, Lightning Safety Alliance, Struckbylightning.org, Martin’s Food Store, The National Weather Service, The Green Adventure Project, and her friends and family.
Achieving the Gold Award takes true commitment and dedication. The Girl Scout Gold Award is earned by fulfilling requirements that recognize a Girl Scout’s commitment to excellence as she develops leadership skills and personal values to meet present and future challenges in her life. To earn the Gold Award, Parkinson had to prove her leadership abilities by designing and carrying out a plan of activities that included community service, career exploration, and specialized badge work. In addition, she had to meet the requirements for a minimum of 65 hours of volunteer community service.
Kiersten Parkinson is recent graduate of Piedmont Virginia Community College with an Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts. She plans to attend Virginia Tech this fall, majoring in Forestry. She has been a Girl Scout for 13 years. She is the daughter of Heather and Scott Parkinson. Her troop leader was Melissa Dickie, of Scottsville, and her project consultant was Dee Schartiger, southern district director of Boy Scouts of America Stonewall Jackson Area Council and summer camp director at Camp Shenandoah.
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