Girl Scout Introduces Composting to Her Community
Megan Plumley from Geneseo, Illinois, has achieved the Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can earn, for developing a composting program in her community. The Gold Award Girl Scout worked with other local troops, the City of Geneseo, and the local school district to introduce composting to the community on a larger scale.
“My goal is to educate local groups about the importance of maintaining our environment through composting,” says Plumley. “Composting can be a great way to give back to the environment and reduce the amount of unhealthy chemicals released into the air. The fertilizer made from this compost bin will go to local greenhouses and community gardens where we are able to provide a healthier environment for people to enjoy.”
Plumley began her project by educating community members about composting and finding opportunities to provide compositing bins. The composting process recycles organic matter, such as yard waste and food scraps, into usable fertilizer for plants. The first compost bin was placed in a neighborhood and composting buckets were provided at Cole Cabin, a property used by local Girl Scouts for camping and outdoor programs. Plumley’s project has helped educate a new generation of Girl Scouts to continue caring for the environment.
“I want to support younger generations by teaching them the importance of keeping a sustainable environment and disposing of waste properly. There are other ways of disposing food waste than just throwing it away,” says Plumley.
As a passionate supporter of wildlife, Plumley also built and placed bird, bat, and owl houses at the Cole Cabin property as part of her project.
“I learned to have confidence in my abilities and that no matter the time constraint, I can get a project done if I put all my heart and effort into what I am doing,” the Gold Award Girl Scout explained. “It’s okay if something doesn’t go right. Usually, there is another path that works just as well, if not better.”
The Gold Award Girl Scout is grateful to the team she led to help make her project come together.
“I appreciate the community members who donated and helped contribute to my project, including Addielea Sheets, Service Unit 886, Cole Cabin Trustees, and Mikki Vrban Krantz. I am especially grateful to my Girl Scout mentor, Jennifer Nelson, my troop leader, Taunya McGee, and my parents, Marshall and Valerie Plumley. Their endless support helped me achieve my goal!”
Plumley graduated from high school in May of 2023 and is now attending the University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point, and majoring in Biology.
Gold Award Girl Scouts become innovative problem-solvers, empathetic leaders, confident public speakers, and focused project managers. They learn resourcefulness, tenacity, and decision-making skills, giving them an edge personally and professionally. As they take action to transform their communities, Gold Award Girl Scouts gain tangible skills and prove they’re the leaders our world needs.
According to recent research, Gold Award Girl Scouts are more likely to fill leadership roles at work and in their personal lives and are more civically engaged than their non-Girl Scout peers. Eighty-seven percent (87%) of Gold Award Girl Scouts agree that earning their Gold Award gave them skills that help them succeed professionally. Seventy-two percent (72%) said earning their Gold Award helped them get a scholarship. Changing the world doesn’t end when a Girl Scout earns her Gold Award. Ninety-nine percent (99%) of Gold Award Girl Scout alums take on leadership roles in their everyday lives.
