AHG Stars & Stripes Award winner contributes service project to local Cincinnati school

April 4, 2022

CINCINNATI, Ohio —American Heritage Girls (AHG, www.americanheritagegirls.org), the premier faith-based, scout-type leadership development program for girls ages five to 18, offers unique leadership opportunities such as the Stars & Stripes Award, the highest recognition available to an American Heritage Girl. Those who earn this award put months of work into a leadership-building service project, which they plan, direct, and implement. Candidates gain a key understanding of the servant’s heart required to lead others with wisdom and humility— preparing them well for the responsibilities of adulthood.

Says AHG’s Founder and Executive Director Patti Garibay, “Our goal is to equip young women with the tools they need to grow from godly girls to women of integrity—and the Stars & Stripes Award is a prime example of that goal. It teaches girls perseverance, self-respect, and a strong sense of satisfaction.”

Butler Tech Natural Science Center senior Emiliana Bohrer recently earned her Stars & Stripes Award by designing, fundraising, planning, and supervising the building of an Outdoor Classroom Garden that was donated to Butler Tech Natural Science Center. Her project included the construction of six garden boxes made of cedar, two standing salad tower boxes made from repurposed pallets, 7.5’ fencing, with a gated entrance around a 19’x29’ area able to deter deer, rabbits, and rodents. Her fundraising efforts afforded her to not only be able to complete her plan; but also, to add extra components such as water hoses and reel, compost bin, greenhouse, rain barrel, and garden tools. Her Stars & Stripes project logged a total of 490.75 hours, with 27 hours being supervisory over groups of youth volunteers.

“Emiliana is a wonderful example of what girls can achieve with determination and dedication,” stated Garibay. “After months of hard work, girls who earn this Award are able to see the tangible results of their labor and leave a lasting impact on their communities.”

AHG’s Stars & Stripes Award allows young women the opportunity to: identify a need in their community and create a plan to achieve it; lean into God through prayer, seeking Him for strength, insight, and passion; show what it means to create a worthy experience for their peers; and put their time, hard work, organizational skills, and determined commitment to use for an outcome for which they and their families can be proud of for many years to come. Achieving this Award consists of earning a minimum of 16 badges, holding a Girl Leadership Position, earning a Faith Award, and completing a life ambition essay and resume, all in addition to the major service project.

American Heritage Girls was founded in 1995 by a group of parents who wanted this faith-based, scout-type character development program for their daughters. At AHG, girls ages five to 18 meet together as a single Troop at the same time and then break out into Units by Levels. This gives AHG girls the important social experience of interacting with friends and godly mentors of various ages; members also learn leadership skills within a group setting. AHG Troops are located in local communities across the nation. If none exists in a given area, families can bring the AHG Program to their own area. An American Heritage Girls Troop Development Coach is available to provide resources to potential Charter Organizations and other families to form a new Troop. To hear more about the purpose, mission, and vision of AHG from Founder and Executive Director Patti Garibay, click here.

Today, there are Troops in all 50 states and girls being served in 15 countries around the globe. Girls can join a Troop at any time; if a Troop is not available nearby, they can become a Trailblazer and enjoy the AHG program alongside their parent. A variety of Christian denominations are also represented as Charter Organizations for Troops. Thousands of volunteer members across the country are helping girls grow in their faith, cultivate a heart for service, enjoy the great outdoors, and have more fun than they can imagine. 

The “Raising Godly Girls” radio feature and Raising Godly Girls blog shares guidance and biblically based advice on many key topics affecting girls today—from bullying and identity to anxiety and body image issues. It gives parents, educators, and faith community leaders a set of tools, resources, and Scripture-based advice to assist in raising girls after God’s own heart. The “Raising Godly Girls Minute” with Patti Garibay airs on 900+ Christian radio stations across the country. 

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