Pictured from left are Dianne Leubert, recycling director; Mayor Sam Fugate, Hannah Peterson, and Susan Ivy, Parks and Recreation Department director. Hannah Peterson, currently a senior at H.M. King High School, recently earned her Girl Scout Gold Award.

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest and most prestigious award a girl can earn in Girl Scouting.

Peterson was honored for her achievement on Nov. 18 at the First Christian Church in Kingsville.

To earn a Gold Award, a girl must be between the ages of 14 and 18 and complete a project that includes at least 65 hours of work, and fulfills a need in their community.

Several prerequisites must be completed also before the

the project can begin.

Peterson earned her Gold Award by planning and organizing “Recycle Kingsville Day,” held on May 30.

This was a way for her to reach out to the community and show people where the Recycling Center is and the wonderful benefits of it.

She worked with Mayor Fugate to get a proclamation, coordinated 36 volunteers to work at 12 separate craft and game stations, and developed a patch that children could earn as they went through the stations.

To get the word out to people in the community she designed flyers, posters, signs, press releases and had several speaking engagements in order to promote the event.

Her efforts paid off when over 300 people attended the event!

The Girl Scout Gold Award demands that a girl refines her skills and learns how to put them into action.

Peterson learned to be flexible when the first date planned had to be rescheduled due to the Swine Flu concerns.

Her leadership skills improved immensely when she had to organize and supervise 36 teenage and adult volunteers.