19 Co Kildare girls were among 137 Girl Guides who received the Trail Blazer National Guide Award – Irish Girl Guides’ highest award – at a special ceremony in Croke Park recently. The girls are from Guide units in Newbridge, Naas, Maynooth and Prosperous.
The 137 Girl Guides, aged 14-15, travelled from all corners of the country to receive the award and, with their families, celebrated reaching the pinnacle of Guiding.
Each girl received a Trail Blazer gold pin from Irish Girl Guides (IGG) President Maureen Murphy and a National Guide Award certificate from IGG Assistant Chief Commissioner Áine Divilly.
Congratulating the recipients, IGG President Maureen Murphy said: “You have been committed and worked hard to gain the Award and gained valuable life-skills in the process. Everyone has put her own stamp on the challenges, which is inspiring. Everyone here has the skills to make a positive contribution to her community and society going forward.”
Carina Egan, Chair of IGG Guide Branch, said that, without the hard work and commitment of the 137 girls, there would be no celebrations. She said: “This award is made in recognition of the successful completion of a series of challenges, including teamwork activities, outdoor survival skills, community service, global awareness and working with younger members of Irish Girl Guides to help them develop confidence, independence and essential life-skills."
Ms Egan said:“We are delighted for you all and we all know that you have worked to your fullest potential to receive this award and hope you continue to use many of the life-skills you have achieved wherever life takes you in the future.”
Award-winning teen entrepreneurs, Kate and Annie Madden of Fenuhealth, who are IGG’s current ambassadors, encouraged the girls to pursue their ambitions and never give up. They cited as an example the fact that it took 152 attempts before they devised their winning formula for equine feed that they now export all over the world.
“Great minds don’t think alike,” said Kate. She said: “They all think differently. We would encourage you to think outside the box and in the future, when you’re applying for jobs, to use all the skills you have learned through Guiding on your CVs.”
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