FRAMINGDALE, NJ - Teaching children sign language and how to give back to their community, as well as knitting and sewing helped three girls from Oakhurst, Wall and Ocean earn their Girl Scout Gold Awards.
Hoping to teach children basic knitting and sewing skills, Meaghan Ranieri stitched together the fabric of generations in the community.
“I believe it is important for my generation to learn how to repair clothing, hem a pair of jeans or sew on a button,” said the 18-year-old senior at Wall High School. “It is also a great feeling of accomplishment to create a unique piece of clothing, throw pillow or pillow sham. As my project developed, the majority of people were more interested in mastering knitting and some of the parents were interested in coming, so I opened the group to all ages.”
Ranieri also worked with a group of girls at the Avon Recreational Group, many of whom she worked with individually on garments, teaching them how to lay out a pattern, cut fabric and sew a finished product. At the end of the classes, the girls put on a fashion show of their hand-made clothes.
“When I was asked to work with the Avon group I learned that I could go out into another community to share my talent for sewing,” she said.
In addition to giving lessons, Ranieri create a how-to DVD and resource book.
Also hoping to bring the community together, Cassie Shearer helped children communicate by teaching sign language. She created a matching game and bingo game to help students learn the signs for 18 different words.
“The most successful part was seeing the children learn sign language and then teach others by playing the bingo game. They were leaders in the game,” said Shearer a 20-year-old at the School for Children. She has seen some of the children from her program at other activities and they have signed to her.
Explaining to young children the importance of giving to others helped Molly Bennett get children involved in their community. At their next birthday party, Bennett asked children to ask guests to bring a donation to an organization of the guest’s choice. A website, http://thegiftdonationproject.bravehost.com, gives examples of charities to donate to and information on the project.
“By teaching children the importance of giving back and that it can be extremely simple (and fun!), I feel that I have not only given back to the community, but to the betterment of today’s youth,” said Bennett a 17-year-old at the Marine Academy of Science and Technology.
Ranieri, Shearer, and Bennett are three of 42 girls from Monmouth and Ocean counties expected to earn a Gold Award this year from the Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore. The Gold Award is the highest achievement available to a teen Girl Scout. The program is designed to help girls, ages 14-18, create a foundation for a lifetime of active citizenship.
Although it’s called an award, the Gold Award is earned, not given, and it isn’t easily achieved. Each recipient must spend at least 65 hours completing a project that combines organizational, leadership and networking skills with community service. The girl must feel passionate about the project in thought, deed and action. The project should also have an impact in the girl’s community that ideally will continue even after her involvement ends.
