Friendswood High School students, Cristine Kristof and Erin Ash, have recently earned their Girl Scout Gold Award. This is the highest award a girl can earn in Girl Scouting. The girls are members of Friendswood Troop 864 which is part of the San Jacinto Girl Scout Council.
          Kristof designed and built a butterfly garden for the students at Bales Intermediate. She cleared an unused space, brought in topsoil and pea gravel, and planted plants attractive to butterflies. She also built an enclosed butterfly box so that the students could observe the stages of butterfly metamorphosis. Colorful posters were placed by viewing windows to educate students as to the type of butterflies found in this area and their life cycle.
          The garden was the dream of teacher Piper German.
          "When Cristine called to see if we had a project she could get involved in, I immediately thought of the butterfly garden,î German said. ìAnd, what a beautiful garden she created."
          Ash refurbished the playground at Bales painting the metal playground equipment, putting in pea gravel around the various venues and painting outlines for games such as tic tac toe and hop scotch on the cement pads thus creating a safer and varied play area for the children at Bales.
          "Safety is so important in a playground and Erin did such a great job of using safety as her top priority for renovation," German said.
          Kristof, a senior, is the daughter of Olivia and Keenan Kristof of Friendswood.
          Ash, junior, is the daughter of Susan and Bob Ash of Friendswood. Both girls attended Bales Intermediate when they were in the 4-6th grades.
          Girl Scouting builds girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place. Itís focus is developing the leadership potential in every girl.
          Friendswood Girl Scouts currently have over 350 registered girls in over 30 troops ranging in age from kindergarten to twelfth grade.
          Friendswood Girl Scouts is currently registering new girls and placing them into troops. \
          For further information view their website at www.friendswoodgirlscouts.org or email Dolores Richards at deelola@yahoo.com