Smith earns AHG Stars and Stripes award
News | Published on July 9, 2024 at 1:12pm EDT | Author: henningmaster
0
Above and below: Elin Smith achieved her Stars and Stripes Award through the American Heritage Girls after completing her community service project at the Cornerstone Church. Smith, along with a group of volunteers, made flower boxes and benches at the church.
Elin Smith recently achieved the Stars and Stripes Award, the highest level of the American Heritage Girls’ Club organization. The Stars and Stripes Award is equivalent to the Boy Scouts of America Eagle Scout Award.
To complete this level, Smith was responsible for developing an idea into a project that would benefit a community organization. As a Stars and Stripes candidate, Smith wanted to make benches and flowerboxes for Cornerstone Church along with completing a clean-up of the church yard.
Smith was responsible for planning and carrying out all tasks necessary for bringing the project to completion. This included meeting with the church leadership team for approval, meeting regularly with her mentor (Marlene Wahlin), fundraising, purchasing supplies, organizing work teams, and submitting initial, ongoing and final reports to representatives of the national AHG leadership team. With all participants’ help, it took 161 people power hours to complete the project.
Other components of earning the Stars and Stripes award included completing sixteen required and elective badges. These included badges on camping, the U.S. Constitution, the history of our flag, money management, emergency preparedness, outdoor skills, home care and repair, childcare, family responsibility, swimming, horticulture, fine arts, outdoor cooking, Bible basics, and more.
During the last three years of her AHG membership, Smith provided 160 hours of volunteer time to a variety of organizations including helping with church Vacation Bible School, creating a school promotion video, providing childcare assistance, and organizing a tie-blanket making event to benefit the Health Resource Center of Fergus Falls.
Smith summarized her Stars and Stripes learning with a few thoughts.
“For me, earning the Stars and Stripes Award is a privilege and a wonderful accomplishment… The skills that were used to complete this project are skills I will utilize throughout my life,” said Smith. “I am honored to be in a great group of young ladies reaching, learning, and serving God.”