Westborough Scout Earns Gold Award For 'Express Yourself' Project

WESTBOROUGH, MA—Tanya Walia, a member of Westborough troop 30633, received the Girl Scout Gold Award for her project Express Yourself: Cards for the Community.

Walia's project focused on teaching people in the community how to make homemade greeting cards and helping them to understand the sentimental value of a homemade card versus store-bought, according to the announcement.

"Walia wanted to be able to spread this art with the community and provide people with an artistic learning experience," said the release. "She organized a program in which she taught kids in elementary school how to make various types of greeting cards. The kids chose a few of their cards to share with the community and to send to local veterans and senior citizens. She filmed a video at the local television station and created a book. Tanya gained confidence in her leadership skills through teaching, interacting and cooperating with various people throughout the project. "

Walia started Girl Scouts in the 4th grade and has earned her Bronze and Silver Awards. At school, she is section leader of the Women’s Chorale, a member of the National Honor Society and Homework Helpers Club. She loves to teach Indian dance and Hindi to kids at her cultural society. She loves to dance, and has been dancing since she was eight years old. She will be attending Boston College in the fall.

The Gold Award is the highest achievement within the Girl Scouts of the USA, earned by Senior and Ambassador Girl Scouts. Only 5.4 percent of eligible Girl Scouts successfully earn the Gold Award. After completing the prerequisites girls use their vision for change to complete a service project that reaches beyond the Girl Scout organization and provides lasting benefit to the girl's larger community. It requires a minimum of 80 hours of work in planning and actually completing the project. All of these hours must be completed by the awardee, and though it is encouraged that the girl use troop members and others from the community to help her, their time spent does not count towards her 80-hour requirement. Plans must be developed with the aid of an advisor, then a project proposal must be submitted and approved by the girl's local Girl Scout council before starting the project, and a final report submitted and approved after the project's completion.

Information and photo submitted, Westborough Girl Scouts