Gold Award Spotlight: Isle of Wight County Litter Prevention Community Education Program
Girl Scout Ambassador Elise of Troop 4170 earned her Gold Award by completing a project she titled, “Isle of Wight County Litter Prevention Community Education Program.” Elise worked with DeAnna Lawrence of Isle of Wight County Solid Waste Division and Lynn Briggs of Isle of Wight County Schools to create an educational program and website for the community to educate about outdoor waste prevention. Elise said she learned environmental stewardship through Girl Scouting and wanted to make a difference.
“I found through my research that my county did not have an active litter prevention program, and I wanted to do something,” Elise said. “People do not know the true harmful impacts of littering, so they continue to throw trash on the ground and in the water.”
Her program is aimed at elementary-aged students and explains the environmental dangers of littering. In addition to the educational program, Elise also organized a clean-up day with Beta Club volunteers of Smithfield High School at four area elementary schools: Hardy Elementary School, Windsor Elementary School, Carrsville Elementary School and Carrollton Elementary School. Julie Eng of Smithfield High School pledged to continue the annual clean-up each spring as a project with her high school student volunteers.
