Last month, Kaitlyn Ireland, a junior at Crescenta Valley High School, organized an astronomy night for her Gold Award, which is Girl Scout’s highest achievement.
When deciding on the theme of her Gold Award, she knew she wanted to incorporate her love of astronomy and her belief that young girls should be encouraged to reach for the stars. Although the weather was not the best, 17 fifth and sixth grade girls enjoyed an evening when they learned about the various constellations, the phases of the moon, and the tools of the trade (the parts of a telescope).
These young ladies were also able to participate in experiments, which showed the impacts left by meteor strikes and the composition of comets. To complete her award, Ireland will also be giving the local elementary schools a learning packet which will enable teachers to bring astronomy into their classrooms.