A group of Arlington Girl Scouts has received high honors for adding new “see me” flags to two Wilson Blvd intersections.
Twenty fifth graders from Ashlawn Elementary School saved funds from cookie sales to add baskets of bright red flags to N. Livingston and N. Liberty streets in February. Last month, Girl Scouts of the USA recognized their efforts with a Bronze Award — the highest honor a junior Scout can earn for community service.
“They worked really hard,” Troop Co-leader Erin Wentzell told ARLnow. “They’re very proud of themselves, and it’s wonderful to be able to share it with the community.”
Many students use the intersections near Ashlawn Elementary to walk to school, Erin Wentzell’s daughter, Lyda, said. The crosswalks also connect the Dominion Hills neighborhood to several businesses, Arlington Community Church, and the Powhatan Springs Skate Park and soccer field.
“Wilson is a very busy street,” Lyda told ARLnow. “We thought the flags would make it safer for everyone to crosswalk.”
The scouts from Troop 60195 used money earned during the past Girl Scout cookie season to purchase and install six visibility flags at each crossing. The troop also spoke to several businesses around the area and wrote a letter to Arlington County to inform them of the project.
Pedestrians can now carry the bright red flags to signal their presence to oncoming motorists.
“We had quite a few neighbors tell us that they were really happy that the flags were there,” Erin Wentzell said. “As we were putting up the different bins, we watched people take a flag and walk across the street to get to the bus stop.”
The Scouts will celebrate their award when they transition from the junior scout to cadet rank at a bridging ceremony this spring.
Reflecting on the process, Lyda said “it feels good to help our community and be able to help keep people safe.”
The Girl Scouts who received the Bronze Award are listed below.
Lyda Wentzell, Elizabeth Grace Denlinger Reaves, Madison Wade, Rachel Proser, Maria Moses, Quinn Clark, Mae Murphy, Annabelle McElroy, Emma Messner, Cecilia Bomba, Julia Kosseff, Adalynne Randolph, Cosette Schrum, Belen Yalcin, Nico Pineau, Averie Solomon, Eva Morch, Harper Blue, Joanie Krainik and Claudia Kaczor.
