A pair of local Girl Scouts earn top awards

In order to earn a Gold Award, a Girl Scout must plan a sustainable project that benefits the community and complete at least 80 hours of volunteer service.

Gold Award hopefuls also must complete either two Girl Scout Senior or Ambassador journeys, or one journey if they have already earned their Silver Award.

Kylie DeFord

Kylie DeFord, 18, a senior at Cedar Rapids Jefferson High School, has been involved in Girl Scouts since joined the Daisies at 5 years old. S

'I have an uncle with Down Syndrome,' DeFord said, adding for her, working with those with special needs comes naturally. She also has been involved in theater for seven years, so she decided that to earn her award, she would teach theater classes for the mentally disabled.

DeFord got in touch with the Cedar Rapids Parks and Recreation Department and was told she could run her classes at the Ambroz Center. Four people signed up, but one didn't stay for the entire course, DeFord said. Two had Down Syndrome, while the other had a different condition.

At the end of the course, the three performed skits with the help of others. About 13 people came to see the show, which took place on the stage in the Ambroz Center's gym.

'People in the class kept asking me afterward if I was continuing it because they were just so happy to be in it,' she said.

DeFord said one of her helpers was with Playtime Poppy, and said she had spoken to those in the organization to see if they would be willing to continue the classes.

'If they can't continue it, I've said that over the summer I'll see if I can come back and teach more classes through the rec again,' DeFord said.

DeFord said although she enjoys theater, she plans on majoring in mechanical engineering at Iowa State.

'I'm just glad I got to do the project,' DeFord said. 'Even if I hadn't done it (for the award) I would have felt good because I did the project.'

Brenna O'Hara

Brenna O'Hara, 16, who attends Linn-Mar High School, said she started Girl Scouts when she was 4 in Seoul, South Korea, where her parents were stationed with the Army.

'Over the years, participating in scouting has played an integral role in my personal development ... I feel as though I have not only gained courage, confidence and character through various scouting programs, but that I have also gained valuable life skills and experiences,' O'Hara said.

O'Hara spent two years on her Gold Award project, from its original conception to its completion and approval in mid-March. She said she knew that she wanted to contribute to the Indian Creek Nature Center's visitor experience by decorating the trails in some way. She experimented with multiple options, from making glass beaded birds to clay structures. Ultimately, she landed on paintings of birds.

O'Hara painted 40 birds in recognition of the Indian Creek Nature Center's 40th anniversary in 2013. About half of the paintings were completed just a month before they went up at the end of July.

'I woke up early and stayed up late, painting for hours while I marathoned TV shows in the background, watching the foreboding stack of wood diminish square by square,' O'Hara said of that final month.

Each painting was done on cedar or plywood, protected by a weather resistant, waterproof polymer. As long as they are taken down and maintained every five years, the paintings may be able to remain on the trails for decades to come.

'I think Brenna picked the perfect project to highlight her interests and skills,' said O'Hara's troop leader, Ronda Thompson.