LYNNWOOD — They learned about blueberries and bureaucracy.
Of the two, the blueberries were more complicated, yet fun.
Girl Scout Cadettes Lindsey Gard, 13, Penny Campbell, 13, and Inanna Liaw, 14, had to find the right species to plant in winter as part of their Silver Award project.
The Brier Terrace Middle School eighth-graders planted 40 blueberry bushes and five crabapple trees at a pavilion near the Interurban Trail and a bus stop on Alderwood Mall Boulevard and 40th Avenue W., next to Experience Momentum and across from Mor Furniture. They also installed 30 yards of padding around fitness equipment.
“We wanted to do something big that would help our community,” Lindsey said. “We wanted to focus on safety and fitness and this project achieved both of these.”
The Silver Award is between the Bronze Award and the Gold Award. It is the highest award a Cadette can earn and has a commitment of 50 hours.
The project had two parts: installing padding and choosing blueberries.
“Researching, finding and planting blueberries that could help appeal to the park’s look as well as the activities,” Inanna said. “There were requirements for the blueberries that we were struggling to find. But we finally found the perfect ones.”
Patriot and bluegold, both growing to 5 feet with large berries, got the nod.
The Scouts recruited about 15 volunteers from school, family and other members of Girl Scout Troop 41246. They got donations of coffee and doughnuts to fuel the crew.
“I understand how much work people who set up these things have to go through,” Inanna said.
Lindsey’s mom, Kristin, praised city officials involved in the planning.
“They did a really nice job sitting down with three giggly teenagers,” Kristin Gard said.
“What the kids learned was how to get on a website and look up who is the leader of a city. You pick up the telephone and you call the person and say, ‘How can I help? What can I do?’ It took a lot of steps. They learned some good things about talking to adults.”
The best part?
“I like working with my hands and working outside and hanging out with my friends,” Penny said. “And doing something for the community.”
Inanna liked the independence, and “having the freedom to design and plan all this by ourselves,” she said.
Andrea Brown: abrown@heraldnet.com; 425-339-3443. Twitter @reporterbrown.
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