A Hillsborough High School graduate was recognized by municipal officials for having obtained the Girl Scouts of America’s highest honor: The Gold Award.
At a Dec. 17 Hillsborough Township Committee meeting, municipal officials recognized Haylee Sheldon for earning her Girl Scout Gold Award as a member of Hillsborough Girl Scout Troop 60367. Sheldon is a Hillsborough High School graduate and a current freshman at Williams Woods University in Missouri. She is studying Equine Veterinary Science.
Following a proclamation reading at the December meeting to honor the Hillsborough scout’s recent achievement, then township mayor Frank DelCore commended Sheldon for efforts to the community on behalf of the municipality.
“The Hillsborough Township Committee recognizes and extends its sincere congratulations to Haylee Sheldon for having earned her Girl Scout Gold Award, an honor for both her and for those who have guided her,” DelCore said. “We wish her the best in all of her future endeavors. We are so proud that [she] was able to get her Gold Award.”
The Girl Scout Gold Award aims to tackle issues that prevalent in communities where scouts reside in as well as to implement lasting change in their communities and beyond.
Sheldon’s Gold Award project consisted of creating a children’s cooking class for the township. Sheldon developed kid-friendly and healthy recipes to teach children basic cooking skills. She was assisted and mentored by Karen Briegs and the Hillsborough Township Parks and Recreation Department as well as her fellow Girl Scouts.
The Hillsborough Department of Parks and Recreation maintains the parks of Hillsborough and Flagtown and provides recreation programs for youth, adults and seniors. Some of its youth programs include the instruction of fundamentals and skills of a variety of sports including soccer, basketball, softball, among others.
In addition to her scouting activities, Sheldon was involved with the stage crew at Hillsborough High School. She is an avid saddle-seat horseback rider and has won multiple competitions. She is now a member of the Delta Gamma sorority and holds a leadership position within the sorority.
Once Sheldon received the proclamation from the township committee, she acknowledged multiple people who helped her attain her Gold Award, which included a thanks to the Hillsborough Township Recreation Program Coordinator of the Parks and Recreation Department Jessica Gonzalez.
“I want to thank my family, Karen Briegs and Jessica Gonzalez from [the Hillsborough Township Parks and Recreation Department] for helping and guiding me through this,” Sheldon said. “I want to thank the Hillsborough girl scouts for always mentoring me and to my family for always supporting me.”
