Lee County resident and Florida SouthWestern State College student Sarah Kraus has earned Girl Scouting’s highest honor – the Gold Award – with her project titled, See a Need, Take the Lead.

Kraus used her Gold Award project to inspire young people in her community to identify needs around them and take action to find solutions. Leading by example, Kraus decided to rehabilitate the outside of the Florida Baptist Children’s Home in Fort Myers.

To show others the hard work she put into her project, Kraus wrote about it on a blog. She showed that persistence and dedication to a cause can pay off.

Her goal is to encourage others to make an important, positive impact on the people in their communities.

“If you set challenging, yet reasonable, goals for yourself and are willing to put in the time and effort, no matter who you are, you can make a difference,” Kraus said.

The Girl Scout Gold Award, open to high school Girl Scouts, recognizes girls who demonstrate extraordinary leadership through take-action projects with sustainable impact in their communities. The Gold Award is so prestigious that some universities and colleges offer scholarships unique to Gold Award recipients, and girls who enlist in the U.S. Armed Forces may receive advanced rank in recognition of their achievements.

Congratulations Sarah!