Spring girl scout renovates nursery to earn Gold Award

by Matt Russell | May 28, 2012 7:20 am

Claire Tyrrell, a member of the Spring Girl Scouts of America chapter, earned the Girl Scouts of the USA's Gold Award for her work renovating the nursery at Hosanna Lutheran Church.

A local girl scout has earned the organization's highest award.

Claire Tyrrell, a member of the Spring Girl Scouts of America chapter, earned the Girl Scouts of the USA's Gold Award for her work renovating the nursery at Hosanna Lutheran Church. Less than 5 percent of girls who join the Girl Scouts achieve this national recognition.

"I learned a lot of renovating skills, such as painting, sanding, using power tools, how to put in flooring and how to take care of all the tools needed," said Tyrrell, a junior at Klein Collins High School, in a press release. "I also learned that if I divide a large task into smaller parts, I can get a lot done without getting overstressed."

Earning the Gold Award is a significant honor that requires recipients to demonstrate outstanding leadership skills, career planning, community involvement and personal development. More than 100 service hours and two to three years of intensive work are required to earn the award.

For her project, Tyrrell led volunteers in painting rooms, constructing cabinets, replacing flooring and more to renovate Hosanna Lutheran Church's nursery. She also collected used toys and books donated to the church for the nursery. The project took 11 days to complete.

"Claire has always been a good leader, but this experience made her even better," said Maria Tyrrell, Claire's mother, in the release. "She is even more determined to get things done and is making long-term goals and plans. This project gave her the confidence to do anything. She is now more sure of herself and her abilities."

Tyrrell has been a Girl Scout for 11 years. At Klein Collins High School she is a member of choir and Spanish National Honor Society. Following graduation she plans to attend the University of North Texas to study psychology and Rice University for graduate school.