Three Cape seniors committed to Girl Scouts since kindergarten

Upon meeting Katie Maher, Erin Gallagher and Hannah Lowe, it is obvious that these three young ladies are impressive. Well spoken and poised, these soon-to-be Cape graduates are ready to face the future.

Each of them has a long list of accomplishments, but the one accomplishment that binds these ladies for life is the fact that they have been Girl Scouts together since they were 5 years old. From Daisy Scouts to now lifetime members, Girl Scouts has helped shape the lives of these accomplished young women.

Katie's mother Janet Maher founded Daisy Scout Troop 1485 when the girls were in kindergarten. All three girls agree that "Miss Janet" was the driving force behind their commitment to the Girl Scouts. They say she was the one who offered the troop many opportunities to travel and learn over the past 13 years. She also promised the girls a trip to Europe if they continued in Girl Scouts.

Eventually, Hannah's mother Rebecca Lowe started Troop 1482, but the three girls still did many activities and trips together.

Several years ago, Maher and Lowe decided the troops should start actively fundraising for their European adventure. The girls created many fundraisers, from filling people's yards with flamingos to selling thousands of Girl Scout cookies. Their two-week European trip took place last summer when 18 Girl Scouts from the region descended upon Europe, where they walked 100 miles, visited 10 cities in three countries, and had a fantastic time.

The girls had the opportunity to visit several Girl Scout World Centers. They went to the Pax Lodge in Hampstead Village, just 20 minutes by train from the center of London. It's an ideal base for exploring the city's rich history, tradition and culture. In the picturesque Swiss Alps, they visited Our Chalet, the very first World Center to be built. The group was able to explore the network of trails and footpaths that lead to snow-capped peaks, crystal-clear waters, alpine forests and wildflower meadows.

Hannah said, "My mom was a Girl Scout and her mom was her leader; this family history is important to me. Also, I love that Girl Scouts allows me to be surrounded by strong girls where we are all developing courage, confidence and character. My mother always says the Girl Scouts are like a harbor; I can sail away but it is always something I can come back to."

Katie said, "I am a third-generation Girl Scout, and the organization has allowed me to do really amazing things and take advantage of rare learning opportunities."

Recently, Katie received the highest award a Girl Scout can receive, the Gold Award. In order to receive this award, she had to create an 80-hour service project. She created "Be.You.tiful," a program that taught girls healthy habits for high school. This program, fully developed by Katie, was created to encourage young girls to recognize their worth and build their confidence.

Erin's family was from the Philippines, so she had no family ties to the Girl Scouts. Erin said, "At first, I just thought it seemed fun to be a Daisy Scout, but as time went on I realized that Girl Scouts was providing me with connections that I will have my whole life. We have an Odyssey of the Mind team that has won states five times, and we are going to Worlds for the fifth time in a few weeks; it is these experiences that make me love the Girl Scouts."

These three young ladies are not only defined by the Girl Scouts. Hannah will be attending William and Mary in the fall where she was accepted as a 1693 Scholar; only eight incoming freshman are offered this honor. She is an officer in GSA Club at Cape and volunteers as a graphic designer at the Lewes Public Library. She also is editor in chief of the Cape school newspaper.

Katie won the DAR Good Citizen Scholarship and is the VFW Girl Scout of the Year for Delaware. Erin and Hannah say there is no more exemplary Girl Scout than Katie. She also currently serves as the National Honor Society vice president. Katie will attend Penn State Main Campus next year; she got accepted into the prestigious Honors Program, which only accepts 300 students a year.

Erin also is an officer in the GSA Club. She is co-drum major and has had a leadership position in the band for three years. She participated in the marching band, the symphonic band and the jazz band at Cape. She recently played Juliet in Cape's performance of "Romeo and Juliet." Erin will be attending University of North Carolina School of the Arts in the fall where she will major in filmmaking with a concentration in directing. She has already snagged several scholarships.

These young women are setting the standard for future leaders with the qualities they learned early on as Girl Scouts - courage, confidence and character.