Christine North from Belleville Designated a Gold Award Girl Scout
Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois congratulates Christine North from Belleville, Illinois for becoming a Gold Award Girl Scout—a designation she earned by educating Girl Scouts and the greater community to recognize and take action against invasive species of plants.
Christine has long been in love with nature. Through experience and research, she realized the growing problem with invasive species overtaking native plants in the area and disrupting the ecosystem. She decided to mobilize the community to help combat this issue.
First, Christine created a patch program to educate Girl Scouts on how to identify invasive species and take action. She then held two badge day events to launch the new program. Through her program, Girl Scouts can learn the ways to remove unwanted plants, and get ideas for native species to plant as replacements. By educating themselves, Girl Scouts then earn a patch, which will soon be added to the opportunities available through Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois patch programs, as well!
Next, she designed a pamphlet and website to encourage the general public to address invasive plant species. She held information booths at local farmers markets and plant nurseries to discuss the issue, helping the community learn how to research plants before adding to their yards and gardens, as well as the negative impact that invasive species have on the local environment.
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.
“I have learned what it means to be a leader,” said Christine when reflecting on her Gold Award project. “Leading a project is to be the one to think of ideas, plan what to do about that idea, and then to execute the plan you had created. You have to be the person to step up and reach out to others for help with the project. A leader has to teach the others by example.”
Breann is the daughter of Sarah North and a 2025 graduate of Belleville West High School. She is currently attending University of Missouri-Columbia. Breann is a Trifecta Girl Scout who has earned the Girl Scout Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards.
April 01, 2026
