#CelebrateOthers - Girl Scout Silver Award Winner: Madelyne Triplett

A couple of weeks ago I blogged about helping out with a local Girl Scout Silver Award Project with Madelyne Triplett in making pillowcases for University of Maryland Pediatrics/Child Life (and note: almost 200 pillowcases have been made to date). I loved that a 13 year old girl was trying to make a difference in young pediatric patient lives. So, I followed up with Madelyne, and her Mom, Erin, to see what else this amazing home-schooled young teen is also involved with and what exactly makes her "tick."

An only child, Madelyne has been a Girl Scout for eight years with her Mom as troop leader. She is also a member of The Young Women's Group, which is like the Girl Scouts but with a spiritual bent under the Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints church fellowship program.

Interestingly, the idea of practical pillowcases came about in January when she went with her parents to the University of Maryland Children's Hospital to deliver memory boxes for parents who had lost newborns and infants. Madelyne, along with her parents, are also members of Chesapeake Bay Decorative Painters (CBDP). This group paints and decorates memory boxes and gives them to the parents for them to hold their children's hair clippings, booties, hair clips, or an item of clothing in remembrance of their lost child. I believe this is a significant and powerful message to each parent who receives one that there are people who truly care about them and their children, including Madelyne and her parents. 

And with Madelyne being community minded and working on her idea for the Girl Scout Silver Award, she knew she wanted to help children going through tough times. It was an easy decision when her Mom got in touch with the Child Life Department to ask what need could she/they fulfill. Clean, fresh, novelty pillowcases was the need and a perfect project for Madelyne to take on - bar none!

This teal loving young lady who loves to ride her bike after she is finished with her schoolwork, scouts, and painting, also loves watching Dr. Who and anything Star Wars. She is a whiz at math, which is a good thing since it's her favorite subject to study; and she is also an animal lover with a menagerie of three. Madelyne also is an avid maker of beaded jewelry like bracelets and necklaces, which she has given away to family and friends as gifts, but someday, has sights on selling her wares. I don't doubt this teenager is going places!

BSoleille! The bright side of celebrating others with Madelyne!
Terri

Ms. Madelyne with Squabbler the cat; Scooter the hamster and and Ada the blind dog 

Madelyne and her Dad painting memory boxes

Silver Award Pillow Case Project

Madelyne and her drawing