Pearland Girl Scout conducts culture camp, earns Gold Award

Girl Scout Danielle Benn directed a two-week "Around the World" culture camp to earn the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. Gold Award.    The camp was held at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, where Benn organized volunteers for the church's Rutabega Program. Campers learned about world culture, geography, language, music and food. More than 20 children were introduced to the daily activities of people their own age, thousands of miles away.    "I chose this project because I love working with kids and have greatly enjoyed my international travels with my family," said Benn in a press release. "I wanted to share this love of travel with kids who may never be able to experience it."   The planned and completed service project is one of the last requirements for the Girl Scouts of the U.S.A. Gold Award. Candidates must complete two to three years of Girl Scout work and award requirements and more than 100 service hours to be eligible. Less than 5 percent of all Girl Scouts finish the requirements.    Benn is a graduate of St. Agnes Academy in Pearland and was a member of the school's field hockey team, campus ministry team, National Honor Society, Spanish National Honor Society, chorus and performance workshop programs. She worked with several service unit events and SIRE, a therapeutic riding program. The 12-year San Jacinto Council Girl Scout will attend college in the fall to study animal science.    For more information on the Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council, visit www.gssjc.org or call 1-800-392-4340.