Local Girl Scout Earns Highest Honor

Severna Park High School graduate and local Girl Scout Gretchen Compere recently earned the highest honor you can achieve in Girl Scouting.

Compere, now a freshman at Towson University, was awarded the Gold Award this year, which is Girl Scouts highest-ranking honor, equivalent to an Eagle Scout for boys. To earn the award, Compere had to “change her corner of the world” with a seven-step project.

“The whole process probably took a good year,” Compere said. “During the process I was doubting myself at times, and I was starting to think I wouldn’t be able to finish it. I am definitely relieved to have it done.”

For the final part of her seven-part project, Compere painted a mural in the aquatics center at the Severna Park Community Center (SPCC).

Compere said she knew the SPCC was looking for someone to paint a mural, and thought it would be the perfect project for her.

“I guess [painting] is kind of a hobby,” Compere said. “I did it in school, and for a leadership class we did murals at elementary schools. So it went hand-in-hand, and that’s what I decided to do for my gold award.”

For the mural, Compere painted the SPCC building. She said directors at the community center wanted Compere ‘s mural to serve as the centerpiece on the wall—with more paintings possibly in the future. 

The completion of the mural marked Compere‘s biggest accomplishment in Girl Scout Troop 4628 , something she has been involved in since she was in kindergarten. With the Gold Award now hers, Compere said all the hard work was definitely worth it. 

“It is something I can be proud of and put on my resume,” she said. “It’s kind of cool.”