One of the members of Girl Scout Troop 686 shot her hand up in a meeting about what to do for their next big community project.
The girl suggested that handball rules be placed on the courts at her school – Northlake Hills Elementary School.
Troop leader Trina Soto had to politely deny the original suggestion due to the lack of hours the project would entail. Instead, she suggested for the troop to implore on the idea and the idea grew.
“We really just thought about what, with the means that we had, ‘What could we do to make an impact at the school?’” said Soto.
The fifth graders of Girl Scout Troop 686 decided to paint a majority of the playground area at Northlake Hills and, yes, post the handball rules.
The entirety of the community project served as the fifth-grade troops’ way towards their bronze award.
The bronze award requires 20 hours per individual of participation in a community service project that is sustainable, has a lasting impact and has a connection to the troops.
The principal of Northlake Hills happily accepted the generosity of the project, as her daughter was a Girl Scout.
Planning for the project took a month and one week to execute the painting.
Maya Soto, Allison Taub, Joelle Endeman, Charoltte Silverlake, Presley Coe and Amelia Endeman painted in triple-digit heat, every day, for five hours. Towards the end, they called in back up from family and friends.
“It’s a learning experience for the girls, that’s really what it is,” said Soto. “It’s giving back to the community and making the girls learn for the future, for their future. Just in general, not Girl Scout wise, but we have a plan, and learn, and do and learn from what we have done in the past.”
Four hopscotches, two 4-square courts and two handball courts were painted alongside the hanging of two soon-to-be handball rules signs (once the rules are officially approved).
The project wrapped towards the end of July, just in time for the back-to-school season.
All six of the girls completed the requirements for their bronze awards. They now wait for the not so fun part – waiting for the paperwork to go through.
