Gold Award

Shelby Fillinger of Havre de Grace, a member of Girl Scouts of Central Maryland Troop 4111, has earned the Gold Award, the highest achievement within the Girls Scouts of the USA. Only 5.4 percent of eligible Girl Scouts successfully earn the Gold Award. Shelby designed and painted a Noah's Ark mural as well as wrote a corresponding lesson plan for the Sunday school classes at Wesleyan Chapel United Methodist Church. Her mentor was Sue Ellen North.

John Carroll junior Alex Kane, member of Girl Scout Troop 1382, was awarded the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in Girl Scouting. To receive this honor, a girl must use her organizational, leadership, project management and teamwork skills to serve her community. Alex created "Bark for a Cure. " She solicited pictures, in the form of a contest, and created a canine calendar. The proceeds from the sale of this calendar went to benefit cancer research and treatment. Alex will be formally recognized by the Girl Scout organization this spring.

SCOUTING IS more than just songs and s'mores for four western Howard Girl Scouts. The Senior Girl Scouts from Troop 1200 have earned the highest award in Girl Scouting -- the Gold Award. Adrienne Criss, Jessica Klein, Sarah McGill and Lauren Wallace received their Gold Awards at the Girl Scouts of Central Maryland Gold Award Banquet, held May 6 in Glen Burnie. The ceremony honored 61 Gold Award recipients. A Gold Award pin was presented to each Scout, along with congratulatory letters from elected officials and representatives from the armed forces.

The National Council for Marketing & Public Relations, District 1, recently awarded eight Medallion Awards to Harford Community College's Office of Marketing and Public Relations. The College received one bronze, four silver and three gold Medallion Awards for design work and publications produced by the department. Graphic designers Julie Cioccio, Meg Cotton and Cynthia Courtney received awards for their creative work. The awards, which recognized excellence in specific categories, were received for the following projects: • Gold Award - "The Power to" Marketing Campaign - Marketing Department; • Gold Award - Arena Seat Naming Print Ads - Cynthia Courtney; • Gold Award - War of 1812 Exhibit Postcard - Meg Cotton; • Silver Award - Harford Alumni Newsletter - Meg Cotton; • Silver Award - President's Annual Report to the Community - Marketing Department; • Silver Award - Employee Giving Campaign (Harford Heroes)

HAVE YOU seen beautiful little angels gracing the community? They are part of a project Allison Burns created that earned her the Gold Award, the highest in Girl Scouting.Allison, concerned about community harmony, led Troop 1046 in making and painting angels to display at day care centers, libraries, churches, schools and private businesses. Each angel carries a plaque reminding its recipient -- and all who see the angel -- to promote "community harmony to all."Allison, a 1997 graduate of Glenelg High School, received the Gold Award last month.

Eight girls in Harford County recently received the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor given in the Girl Scouts program. Allison Daniels, Melanie Houlihan, Erin Linnan, Kathleen McCaig, Ashley Mellott, Jaime Myers, Lauren Snyder and Pamela Staso were honored at a ceremony in Westminster, joining more than 3,000 young women across the country to earn the award this year. In order to be eligible for the award, a Girl Scout must be 15 to 17 years old. She must also complete a project, designed to help "a community, a school or a faith-based institution."

WHEN Kelly Barrett decided to go for the highest award in Girl Scouts, she went for it in a big way.The Liberty High School junior celebrated Girl Scouting, past and present, by throwing an 85th birthday celebration for Girl Scouts at Carrolltown Center."

Grayson Homes recently was named a 2005 National Housing Quality Award winner by the National Association of Home Builders Research Center in Upper Marlboro. The Ellicott City homebuilder was one of two applicants to receive a gold award for quality achievement in the residential construction industry. The other winner was Pulte Homes of Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Grayson, which had applied for the award the past four years, previously won a silver award and an honorable mention. "It's been four years of hard work on all the employees' parts," said Cindy McAuliffe, Grayson's president.

Among Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts receiving certificates from the county executive at his sixth annual Scouts reception tonight will be three seniors from Oakland Mills High School who were recently honored with the Girl Scouts' highest award -- the Gold Award.Columbia Girl Scout Troop 1216 members Heather Simons, 17, Allison Rachford and Erin Morrow, both 18, received the Gold Award at a ceremony April 28 in Baltimore.At 7 p.m. today at the George Howard Building in Ellicott City, County Executive Charles I. Ecker will present certificates to them, seven other Girl Scouts who have received Gold Awards and 32 Boy Scouts who have received the Boy Scout Eagle Award.

The National Council for Marketing & Public Relations, District 1, recently awarded eight Medallion Awards to Harford Community College's Office of Marketing and Public Relations. The College received one bronze, four silver and three gold Medallion Awards for design work and publications produced by the department. Graphic designers Julie Cioccio, Meg Cotton and Cynthia Courtney received awards for their creative work. The awards, which recognized excellence in specific categories, were received for the following projects: • Gold Award - "The Power to" Marketing Campaign - Marketing Department; • Gold Award - Arena Seat Naming Print Ads - Cynthia Courtney; • Gold Award - War of 1812 Exhibit Postcard - Meg Cotton; • Silver Award - Harford Alumni Newsletter - Meg Cotton; • Silver Award - President's Annual Report to the Community - Marketing Department; • Silver Award - Employee Giving Campaign (Harford Heroes)

Shelby Fillinger of Havre de Grace, a member of Girl Scouts of Central Maryland Troop 4111, has earned the Gold Award, the highest achievement within the Girls Scouts of the USA. Only 5.4 percent of eligible Girl Scouts successfully earn the Gold Award. Shelby designed and painted a Noah's Ark mural as well as wrote a corresponding lesson plan for the Sunday school classes at Wesleyan Chapel United Methodist Church. Her mentor was Sue Ellen North.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't the Orioles considered one of the worst defensive teams in baseball a few months ago? Is this the same team that headed into September leading the American League in errors and trailing the other 13 AL teams in fielding percentage? It is, of course, but the Orioles got another organizational pat on the back on Tuesday night when Adam Jones, Matt Wieters and J.J. Hardy were awarded Gold Gloves, signifying that the league's managers and coaches consider them the top fielders at their respective positions.

Heading into this season, the Orioles were known for being strong up the middle defensively. Now, with the team coming off its best season in 15 years, that strength is being acknowledged on a national stage. Shortstop J.J. Hardy, center fielder Adam Jones and catcher Matt Wieters were named American League Gold Glove winners at their positions Tuesday night. It's the first time since 1998 that three Orioles have earned baseball's annual benchmark of fielding excellence in the same season.

For the second consecutive year, the Orioles have three players that are finalists for the annual Rawlings Gold Glove Awards, which are given to the best defensive players at each position in each league. This year, catcher Matt Wieters is up for his second consecutive American League Gold Glove Award, center fielder Adam Jones will be going for the second (2009) of his career and shortstop J.J. Hardy is seeking his first. The awards will be announced on ESPN2 starting at 9:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Andy Warhol won it. So did Truman Capote, Joyce Carol Oates and acclaimed portrait photographer Richard Avedon. Now three Baltimore County high school seniors have also been honored in the national Scholastic Art & Writing Awards program, which has recognized young talent since 1923. Benjamin Guthorn of the Carver Center for Arts and Technology, Allison Hertz of Franklin High School and Towson High School's Sarah "Sam" Matsumoto will receive $10,000 as Gold Award recipients. Hertz was one of five students whose art was recognized at this level.

LaShawna Epps, Mercy SPORT TRACK AND FIELD GIRLS STATS -- A team captain for the soccer, indoor and outdoor track teams, Epps holds eight school records in track, including most points in a meet in indoor and outdoor track. An All-Baltimore City soccer defender, the senior has signed to play that sport at UMBC. SIDELINES -- A Girl Scout since the third grade, Epps has earned the Silver Award and is working toward the Gold Award (the equivalent of the Boy Scouts' Eagle Scout). A member of the National Honor Society with a 3.6 grade point average, Epps likes chemistry and plans to become a pharmacist.

Mid-Atlantic Country named magazine of yearMid-Atlantic Country magazine was named Magazine of the Year and received eight other awards recently at the International Regional Magazine Association's annual award ceremony in Stillwater, Okla.The magazine, owned by ESS Ventures Inc., received the following awards: Gold Award, Best Overall Design; Gold Award, Best Travel Feature; Gold Award, Best Illustrated Feature; Bronze Award, Best Natural History/Environment Feature; Bronze Award, Best Art Direction of a Lead Article; Award of Merit, Best Photo Essay; Award of Merit, Best Art Direction of a Cover; and Award of Merit, Best Department.

Grayson Homes recently was named a 2005 National Housing Quality Award winner by the National Association of Home Builders Research Center in Upper Marlboro. The Ellicott City homebuilder was one of two applicants to receive a gold award for quality achievement in the residential construction industry. The other winner was Pulte Homes of Bloomfield Hills, Mich. Grayson, which had applied for the award the past four years, previously won a silver award and an honorable mention. "It's been four years of hard work on all the employees' parts," said Cindy McAuliffe, Grayson's president.