Fitness project earns Kessler Girl Scout Gold

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Staff report
Brandon Valley High School senior Stephanie Kessler recently earned the Girl Scout Gold Award for a communitywide fitness fest she staged in December. Jamie Hult/BV Journal

All that glitters is gold, and for Stephanie Kessler, earning the Girl Scout Gold Award – the highest award to be achieved in the program – gold is just the color she was striving for.
Kessler earned her Gold Award with her Fit ‘n Fun Fest project, which she staged in Brandon in December. In addition to creating a website, she hosted a community event that educated on the many aspects of healthy living including fitness classes, educational activities, games and vendors. The project addressed health issues such as lack of sleep, sugar intake, and unhealthy habits.
Kessler’s accomplishments reflect leadership and citizenship skills, foundational skills built through Girl Scouts. 
“I am encouraged to make a difference in the world because I know that I can make an impact with dedication and hard work,” Kessler said. “I have learned that things turn out better when you know that it is alright to ask for help, use your best skills, and do what you enjoy.”
Kessler is also a recipient of the Girl Scout Bronze and Silver Award. By earning the Girl Scout Gold Award, she has become a community leader and joins an elite group of Girl Scouts; as the Gold Award is awarded to fewer than 6 percent of Girl Scouts annually.
Since 1916, Girl Scouts have been making meaningful, sustainable change in their communities and around the world. The Girl Scout Gold Award acknowledges the power behind each Gold Award Girl Scout’s dedication to not only empowering and bettering herself, but also to making the world a better place for others through remarkable Take Action projects that have sustainable impact in their communities and beyond.  Fourteen Dakota-Horizons Council Girl Scouts are receiving the Gold Award this year.
“Earning the Girl Scout Gold Award is truly a remarkable achievement, and these young women exemplify leadership in all its forms,” said Marla Meyer, CEO. “Gold Award Girl Scouts create a sustainable solution for society’s greatest challenges. Their extraordinary dedication, perseverance, and leadership is making the world a better place, and we’re honored to present Stephanie this award.”
Some universities and colleges offer scholarships unique to Gold Award Girl Scouts, and girls who enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces may receive advanced rank in recognition of their achievements.
When compared to non-Girl Scout Alums, Gold Award Girl Scouts soar when it comes to seeing themselves as leaders, providing service to others through volunteerism, and having positive attitudes about themselves and the lives they lead. More generally, over 90 percent of Girl Scouts not only attributed their success in life to Girl Scouts, but they also said they could not have had access to the same experiences anywhere else. 
Kessler will receive her award at the council’s Honoring Excellence recognition event to be held on June 22 in Fargo, N.D. 

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