By: Maria Allard | C&G Newspapers | Published September 20, 2024
METRO DETROIT — Two local Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan are doing what they can to benefit their communities.
They’re also finding “Gold” by earning the highest achievement in the Girl Scouts: the Gold Award.
Warren resident Uma Ludwig is in the process of earning her award with her project “Baskets for Beaches.”
Earlier this year, Eastpointe resident Sage Johnson earned her Gold Award for her “Encouraging Medical Minds of the Future” program.
Girl Scouts must complete a take-action project to earn the Gold Award. At least 80 hours are required to earn it, and recipients must be in grades nine through 12. To earn the award, the Scout must identify an issue, research the issue, create a plan, put that plan into action and submit a final report before the council for approval.
“Baskets for Beaches”
Ludwig is working to educate people about the dangers of pollution, which impacts Michigan’s Great Lakes. She is also reminding people to pick up their trash when at a beach.
“I’m really passionate that the environment is clean,” she said. “Pollution is really bad for the environment. Fish eat the pollution, or it collects in large areas.”
Ludwig held a bottle drive to help raise funds for the project. Working to earn the Gold Award takes a lot of dedication.
“I’m in the process of finishing it. It’s a goal you have to set for yourself,” Ludwig said. “People support you along the way.”
Ludwig is a senior at Center Line High School and also attends the Macomb Mathematics Science Technology Center in Warren. She is posting signs with plastic baskets attached to encourage beachgoers to clean up after themselves. They can use the basket to dispose of their trash and then return the baskets to the proper post.
She has already installed one post at Dodge No. 4 State Park in Waterford, three at William C. Sterling State Park in Monroe, and at Island Lake Recreation Center in Brighton. The posts also contain information about Ludwig’s project.
She also wants to educate the community about pollution at different events. She recently spoke to members of Boy Scout Troop No. 1402, of which she once was a member. Ludwig also is a Boy Scouts of America Eagle Scout. She earned the award after building a greenhouse for Cadillac Urban Gardens in Detroit.
Ludwig has a goal of visiting as many beaches as possible at all five of the Great Lakes.
“I like going there and having a good time,” she said.
Go to basketsforbeaches.com for more information about the project.
“Encouraging Medical Minds of the Future”
Johnson’s goal was to inspire elementary and middle schoolers about STEM-related fields. Johnson, an Eastpointe resident currently studying biology premedical at Xavier University of Louisiana, was part of Troop No. 43550 from Hartford Memorial Baptist Church in Detroit.
With her project, Johnson collaborated with volunteer medical professionals from various backgrounds to develop team-building projects for students. She researched medical experiments that were inexpensive and easily accessible to share with the students. Johnson focused on four body function experiments: a blood model, heart replica, muscle demonstration and the digestive system simulation.
Once she had a program worked out, she visited with a group of students at Paul Robeson Malcolm X Academy in Detroit to pique their interest in STEM, which stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. She also helped the group develop problem-solving skills.
“It was a lot of work, but it was worth it,” said Johnson, a 2024 graduate of Our Lady of Mercy High School in Farmington Hills. “It was just so heartwarming to do something I love and watching people get into it.”
Johnson aspires to become a neonatologist specializing in the care of newborns, especially those who are premature or have health issues. Her cousin was born six weeks early. After observing the doctors working on him, she decided on a career. Her cousin is now 9 years old and doing well.
Johnson joined the Girl Scouts at age 8.
“I wanted to do it because of the cookies,” she said. “I thought it would be fun.”
Being a Girl Scout gave Johnson the chance to “learn a lot of independent skills.”
According to a Girl Scouts of Michigan press release, when state Sen. Veronica Klinefelt, D-Eastpointe, heard about Johnson’s project, she invited her and her family to visit the state capital to receive a recognition of accomplishment.
Johnson’s project can be viewed on YouTube at youtube.com/watch?v=2v1NWDo3YKs.