Town Teen Earns Highest Honor from Girl Scouts

junior Elizabeth Anderson has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest achievement offered in the scouting program.

To achieve this designation, Elizabeth organized a project to control the invasive purple loosestrife plants in Westborough. Once an ornamental plant, purple loosestrife was introduced in the states from Europe and is now crowding out native wetland plants and animals. Elizabeth, with assistance from her mentor Annie Reid of the Westborough Community Land Trust, raised and released beneficial beetles which only eat purple loosestrife. She chose to do this project because of her interest in the environment and preserving ecological balance.

Elizabeth made presentations on the project at the and to the Environmental Club.

A Girl Scout Gold Award project must include a minimum of 65 hours, and the scout must meet prerequisites before meeting with a Gold Award committee for project approval. The scout is then assigned an advisor from the committee to guide the girl through the project.

Through her 12 years of scouting, Elizabeth has participated in a Girl Scout destination trip to Costa Rica, traveled with her troop throughout New England, traveled to New York City where she was able to go backstage at a play, and enjoyed camping programs.

Outside of scouting, she is an accomplished violinist with the Westborough High School orchestra and New England Conservatory Youth Symphony. She also teaches music.

The Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts will have an awards ceremony for all Gold Award and Silver Award recipients at the Sturbridge Host Hotel on June 12.  

Elizabeth is the daughter of Janet and Warren Anderson of Westborough.

Information on this Whiz Kid courtesy of Judy Wilchynski of the Westborough Girl Scouts.