The Girl Guides held their Flying Up ceremony on the grounds at Chaster House during a sunny break in otherwise stormy weather Monday.
Several Pathfinders and Senior Branch girls received medals, pins, high school credits and certification of achievement from Lions Area Commissioner, Tracy Clark.
"The Chief Commissioners Gold Award is highly recognized in the work world," Clark said. "It shows their dedication to a task."
The Canada Cord, given to several Pathfinders who are between the ages of 12 and 14, and the Chief Commissioners Gold Award, given to four young women ages 17 to 19, each received two academic credits for the work they put into earning the awards. Four credits equals one secondary course.
"They have to make a presentation to the unit to show the amount of research they did on the subject," Clark said.
Brittney Hogendoorn and Elissa English of Gibsons and Taylor Preston and Marie Bakewell of Roberts Creek all accomplished the three-year workload required to earn the Chief Commissioners Gold Award.
"This very highly regarded award considers a girl's entire history as a member of Guiding and represents her commitment to our program," said Angela Ruggles, Elphinstone District Commissioner.
Three of the girls are graduating this spring and have applied for scholarships through Girl Guides while another recently graduated. All agreed they gained leadership skills, confidence, independence and strong friendships through the program that starts with Sparks when girls are five years old and carries through adulthood.
"I coach a softball team and it helps me with the little kids," said Taylor.
Brittney has already graduated from high school and is now a LINK, the next level for young adults with Girl Guides. She said some of the highlights of her youth Guiding has been international travel to participate in Guide camps in Iceland and Sweden.
Girl Guides of Canada is the largest organization for girls and women in Canada, with 108,000 girls and 26,000 adults. Their mission is to challenge girls and women in their personal development and empower them to be responsible citizens.
