Alexandra Benc is a lifelong resident of Watchung working toward her Gold Award in Girl Scouts. A 2017 graduate of Watchung Hills, Alexandra earned her Bronze Award in scouting in elementary school and her Silver Award while a student at Valley View Middle School. The Gold Award is the highest achievement within the Girl Scout organization. The project requires a minimum of 80 hours of work in planning and completing the Scout’s vision, and the project must provide a sustainable, lasting benefit to the target community. Only 5.4% of eligible Girl Scouts successfully earn the Gold Award.
In considering many different project ideas, Alexandra decided to pursue one that would benefit the local community, combining her love of history and community service by creating a driving scavenger hunt with stops at various historical sites in Watchung. She began her project by visiting with local historians at the Texier House in the fall of 2016. While talking with members of the historical committee, Alexandra learned that the reproduction outhouse on the site of the Texier House needed a few small repairs and repainting. With the help of Michelle DeRocco, Borough Clerk, and Bob Burns, head of the Watchung Public Works Department, paint and supplies for the project were obtained and work got underway during the first week of summer vacation. A team of Boy and Girl Scouts as well as friends led by Alexandra cleaned and painted the outhouse. Repairs to the inside of the structure were made by Tim Logan, a fellow Watchung resident, who offered to lend a hand when he heard about the project. Two local businesses, Dunkin Donuts of Watchung and Dominos of Warren, generously donated food and snacks for the volunteer team.
Work is underway on the final portion of the project, the driving scavenger hunt. Once the project is complete, groups of scouts and other young people will be able to follow a pre-planned, environmentally-friendly route through Watchung that will stop at important sites including Wetumpka Falls, God’s Acre, the Arts Center, and, of course, the Texier House and outhouse. Once Alexandra’s Gold Award project is completed by the end of the summer, she will meet with the local council for a review of her final project results and report.
Alexandra has been accepted to James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, where she will major in political science. Aside from her Girl Scout activities, she and her family are also active library volunteers and supporters. She was awarded two local scholarships for community service: The L. Suzanne Kenney Memorial Scholarship provided by the Watchung Schools PTO and the Artie Jacot Family Memorial Scholarship provided by the Watchung Exempt Firemen’s Association, Inc. In addition to community service activities, Alexandra is a classically trained ballet dancer who has studied dance at Washington Rock Dance (formerly The Dance Express) for sixteen years. She is a member of the National Dance Honor Society. Academically, she is an AP Scholar and Honor Roll student.
(above) One important component of a Girl Scout’s Gold Award project is that she must lead a team of volunteers. Pictured are local community members (friends, fellow Scouts, and siblings) who were on Alexandra’s volunteer team.
(above) Alexandra “after photo
