Kate Baringer and Myette Simpson, juniors at Free State High School, have earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor offered by Girl Scouts.

Baringer and Simpson, members of Troop 7720, Service Unit 716, worked together to create a new treehouse for Hidden Valley Camp, which is in Lawrence and utilized by hundreds of youngsters each year. The girls created a timeline, researched and worked with volunteers to lay out a design plan, shopped for supplies and then organized the crew to build the new treehouse. Baringer used her artistic talent to create the building plan, shopped for the supplies, participated in all aspects of the construction and documented the project with photographs and video. Simpson completed the initial research on the project, organized the multiple volunteers needed and created a schedule for the work days.

The girls have participated in Girl Scouts for 12 years and grew in multiple leadership skills including teamwork, organization and being detail-oriented. Baringer is the daughter of Jill and Philip Baringer; and Simpson is the daughter of Evelyn Simpson.

•
Hannah Bain, Lauren Bandle, Kelsey Leinmiller-Renick, seniors at Free State High School, and Caitleen Desetti, a junior at FSHS, have earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor offered by Girl Scouts. The girls are members of Troop 7720, Service Unit 716.

Bain, Bandle, Desetti and Leinmiller-Renick worked together to enhance a special community location with an outdoor stage. The First United Methodist Church is not only open to its home congregation, but to the entire Lawrence community. The girls helped shop for supplies, create the plan for the stage and build it. The stage can now be used for plays, special events and other community activities.

Through their Gold Award project, the girls grew in their leadership skills including teamwork, goal setting and organization.

Bain, daughter of Janet Arndt and Roger Bain, has participated in Girl Scouts for eight years; Bandle, daughter of Cris and Jeff Bandle, has participated in Girl Scouts for 12 years; Desetti, daughter of Mark and Judy Desetti, has participated in Girl Scouts for 12 years; and Leinmiller-Renick, daughter of Lynne Renick and Bruce Leinmiller, has participated in Girl Scouts for 13 years.

•
John Fredrickson, 17, Lawrence, has earned the rank of Eagle Scout, the highest advancement award the Boy Scouts of America offers. A Court of Honor for Fredrickson was conducted April 19 at First Presbyterian Church.

For his Eagle project, Fredrickson cut a replacement trail, built a bridge and reclaimed the old trail at Clinton Lake.

Fredrickson began his Scouting career in 1999 as a Tiger Cub with Pack 3052 at Broken Arrow, where he advanced in ranks of Bobcat, Wolf, Bear, Webelos and Arrow of Light. He joined Troop 59 in 2003 and advanced in ranks of Tenderfoot, Second Class, First Class, Star and Life.

He has served as assistant troop leader, patrol leader, patrol quartermaster, troop quartermaster, chaplain’s aide, assistant senior patrol leader and troop guide.

Fredrickson has earned 34 merit badges: camping, citizenship in the community, citizenship in the nation, citizenship in the world, communications, cycling, emergency preparedness, environmental science, family life, first aid, personal fitness, personal management, archaeology, archery, art, aviation, basketry, bird study, climbing, fish and wildlife management, geology, Indian lore, leatherwork, mammal study, nature, painting, pottery, rifle shooting, sculpture, shotgun shooting, snow sports, space exploration, surveying and wilderness survival.

Other awards and recognition Fredrickson has earned are: Tribe of Mic-O-Say, Foxman recognition, Brave “Loud Calling Coyote,” Warrior, Fire Builder (Orange Paint), Order of the Arrow, Tamegonit Lodge and Ordeal Member.

He has also attended camping and high adventures at H. Roe Bartle Scout Reservation, Isle Royale, Green River and Philmont Scout Ranch.

Fredrickson, a junior, at Lawrence High School is a member of the soccer team, A Cappela Choir, Youth Against Drugs and Alcohol and is also in the youth group at Redeemer Lutheran Church.

He is the son of Kevin and Lisa Fredrickson.