When 2023 Wylie East Graduate Kylie Dunham saw that her old elementary school’s crossing guard was without shelter, she took action. For her Girl Scout Gold Award, Dunham built a crossing guard hut at Watkins Elementary School.

“I noticed that most of the crossing guards in the area had a place to go in the harsh weather, that’s when I knew what the project needed to be,” Dunham said. 

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the most prestigious award in Girl Scouting. It is awarded to Senior and Ambassadors who complete an extensive project that will “make the world a better place.”

To earn the Gold Award, a Scout must inform her community about the project, so Dunham created a poster for students that tells them how to be safe when crossing the street. She also presented her project to the Watkins staff.

Girl Scouts must complete a minimum of 80 hours working on their projects to receive the Gold Award. Twenty of those hours must be obtained through leadership.

“Thanks to the help and support of numerous volunteers, Wylie ISD and the City of Wylie, I have exceeded the 20 hours of leadership I needed,” Dunham said. “My hope is that my project will help to make a change not only at Watkins, but throughout Wylie ISD.”