Nine seventh grade girls from Girl Scout Troop 2837 recently received a Silver Award for logging more than 50 hours of service completed over the past two years.

The Deer Path Middle School students included Hannah Metzger, Olivea Simms, Jillian Moorman, Linnea Karahalios, Isabelle Hartwell, Kelly Page, Katie Neill, Vivian Hough and Helen Randolph. They worked together to research and buy seeds to propagate vegetable seedlings that they helped plant at Green Youth Farms in North Chicago.

They helped harvest the vegetable in the fall. In addition, they collected shoes to donate to Nike through SWALCO for ReUse A Shoe to provide improved park surfaces.

These girls have been together since they were Daisy Scouts at Sheridan School. Together, they have expressed an interest in the environment and the lives of other children.

"Everyone of these girls are strong, kind, considerate and respectful," said Troop Leader Sarah DeYoung Metzger. "I'm so lucky to have had the chance to spend time getting to know them.  I know they'll go on to do great things that will inspire young women for another 100 years."

Hannah Metzger's cousins, Patrick and Michael J. Metzger, were Eagle Scouts in the 1980s, and their father, Pat Metzger, was a Scout leader for the Boy Scouts for approximately 40 years. Sarah Metzger, is proud to be carrying on this family tradition.