Mokena Girl Scout Earns Gold Award

MOKENA, IL — A 19-year-old Girl Scout from Mokena has earned her Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can earn. Adeline Kolsto, a Lincoln-Way East alumna and member of Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana, earned the award, a feat only 5 to 6 percent of Girl Scouts accomplish.

According to the Girl Scout website, the Gold Award "is the mark of the truly remarkable." Those who earn the award tackle issues that "are dear to them and drive lasting change in their communities."

To earn her award, Kolsto created a YouTube channel giving advice to junior high students, called 'Junior High Survival Guide.'

"A few years ago my Girl Scout troop put together a program for girls entering high school so that they could feel more prepared for the next phase of life," Kolsto told Patch. "The program received a great response but there was a large number of people saying how they wish there was a similar program for kids in middle school."

Kolsto thought this would be a good idea for her Gold Award, so she began interviewing Girl Scouts going into junior high about what they would like to know. She also talked to girls who were in or leaving junior high about what they wish they would have known and took to social media to ask people what they wish they could tell their junior high selves.

Kolsto said the topics for her channel included surviving social media, friendships, emotions, body confidence and drama.

"I designed them with the idea that a parent, teacher or Girl Scout leader could use these as conversation starters to address these topics with middle schoolers," Kolsto said. "Girls can also benefit from watching them on their own."

Kolsto worked with a social worker and ForeverU, a youth empowerment organization, to create her project. She said she was "thrilled" to earn her Gold Award.

Kolsto was the first Girl Scout from Mokena to earn this award in over 15 years. She has also earned her Silver and Bronze awards, and received a Presidential Volunteerism award from former President Barack Obama.

"Girl Scouts has exposed me to countless opportunities and life lessons that have helped me to succeed and will continue to benefit me throughout my lifetime," Kolsto said.

You can find Kolsto's YouTube here.