Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri Silver Award Project Opens New Doors for Shelter Cats

ST. LOUIS, MO – When Brooklyn VonderHaar set out to earn the Girl Scout Silver Award, she knew she wanted to create something meaningful, something that would continue making a difference long after her project was complete.

"I wanted to do something I can be proud of," Brooklyn said. "The Silver Award gave me a chance to help cats and do a project that will keep helping them."

Brooklyn chose to partner with St. Animal Pet Adoptions after learning that the cat condo doors in the shelter's back room had become difficult to open and close. Broken locks, missing hinges, and worn paint made caring for the cats more challenging for shelter volunteers and created unnecessary obstacles in their daily work.

Determined to create a lasting solution, Brooklyn researched materials, collaborated with shelter staff, developed construction plans, secured donated supplies, and built brand-new cat condo doors. She replaced damaged plexiglass with wire screening, installed new locks and hinges, refreshed the doors with paint, and led the installation of the completed project. The improvements created a safer, more functional environment for both the cats and the volunteers who care for them every day.

"My project helped make the cat condos at the St. Animal Pet Adoptions better and safer for the cats," Brooklyn said. "The volunteers at the shelter need to be able to get to the cats easily, and the old doors made it hard for them to do that. I built new doors, took off the old doors, and put the new doors on the cat condos. The doors look nicer now, and it is easy to get the cats in and out to feed and take care of them."

Along the way, Brooklyn gained valuable leadership, planning, and technical skills while discovering the importance of perseverance.

"I learned a lot about using tools and woodworking," she said. "I also learned that things can be challenging, but you have to keep going. Even when things were difficult for me, I had to keep going because I knew the animals at the shelter needed my help. I learned that even though things don't always go the way I plan, they still turn out ok."

The project challenged Brooklyn to step outside her comfort zone and develop confidence as a leader, skills she knows will stay with her long after earning the Girl Scout Silver Award.

"I am proud of all of the hard work I put in," she said. "I am proud that I stuck with things even when they were hard. I am proud that I learned the skill of woodworking, and I will be able to build things for my home or others now."

Brooklyn credits Girl Scouts with giving her the confidence to take on ambitious goals and grow into the person she is today.

"Girl Scouts has helped me make friends, try things I haven't done before, and do things that are outside of my comfort zone."

The Girl Scout Silver Award is the highest honor a Girl Scout Cadette can earn. Through the award, girls identify a community need, develop a sustainable solution, and demonstrate leadership while creating a lasting impact. Brooklyn's project will continue benefiting St. Animal Pet Adoptions, making daily care easier for volunteers while providing a safer, more welcoming environment for cats waiting to find their forever homes.

For more information about Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri’s Highest Awards program, visit girlscoutsem.org/highestawards.