Two Hilltown Scouts — Emily Purcell and Taryn Hanley — have earned the Girl Scouts’ highest honor, the Gold Award.

The Gold Award is earned by girls in grades nine through 12 who demonstrate extraordinary leadership in developing sustainable solutions to local, national, and global challenges. 

Purcell earned the designation by starting a school composting program to reduce food waste at Berne-Knox-Westerlo’s high school.

“Emily addressed an issue that’s important to her — environmental sustainability — for her Gold Award, and we congratulate her on this momentous accomplishment,” said Mary Buszuwski, chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York, in a release from GSNENY.

Hanley earned the Gold Award by starting a birthday-bag program for students at BKW’s elementary school whose families face financial insecurity. She also researched and obtained 49 children’s books for the school, focusing on themes of poverty, hunger, and homelessness to increase students’ awareness of these issues and promote a culture of compassion and understanding.

“Gold Award Girl Scouts don’t just change the world for the better, they change it for good — and Taryn embodies everything this achievement stands for,” said Buszuwski in the release.