Girl Scout encourages all to protect pollinators with Bee Project
Milena Whitney of Bedford earns Girl Scout Gold Award with her work
February 06, 2024
BEDFORD, NH – Without bees, local crops like apples, blueberries and cranberries are at risk, and the University of New Hampshire has found 14 species of bees are dramatically declining. To counteract this decline, Girl Scout Milena Whitney set out to educate the public on the problem and encourage conservation and plantings to help bees. Whitney has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest honor possible for a Girl Scout in grades 9-12 with her Bedford Bee Project.
Whitney, 17, of Bedford worked on her project over the past several years.
“We all know that pollinators around the world are in a weird situation. Some places they’re thriving, some places they’re almost nonexistent,” she said. Noting that people can have beautiful green yards that are essentially deserts to insects, “I decided that I wanted my project to not only bring some pollinators to southern New Hampshire, but also teach people in my community how to do the same thing with area-specific information.”
Whitney planted clover and wildflowers on some land her family had access to, and hopes to plant more pollinator-friendly flowers behind the Bedford Library. To educate those visiting the garden, she made an educational flyer that contained a guessing game for young children to learn about bees. She appeared on the local FM station in Bedford, where she was interviewed on air about her project and created an Instagram page to promote her work.
Whitney was caught by surprise at the initial pushback from those who were afraid that planting flowers to attract bees could create a dangerous situation.
“Lack of education is really the issue there,” she said. “I've held (bees). I have pictures of me holding them in my hands. They're not coming to get you. There are aggressive types of bees, but they're not pollinators.”
Whitney encourages everyone to help bees no matter their living situation.
“Start small!” she said. “Your backyard doesn't have to be an entire garden. You don't have to change huge things about your space. You can make changes in a little flower pot on the back of your deck.”
Through this work, Whitney learned valuable life skills, including communication, networking and persistence.
“Don't give up on something just because it doesn't go well the first time,” she said. “When I first started planting over in in Sullivan, I wasn't really sure that everything was going to work out right, because the soil was pretty dry. There wasn't a ton of shade. I was worried that that turkeys were going to come along and eat all the seeds and so there was definitely some hesitation there.”
Whitney has enjoyed Girl Scouting since she was a Daisy in kindergarten, participating in the Girl Scout Cookie Program, camping, and outings like a trip to see “The Nutcracker” in Boston. Earning the Bronze, Silver and Gold awards through her Girl Scout years kept her interested in Girl Scout leadership opportunities.
A senior at the Academy of Science and Design in Nashua, Whitney is vice president of their National Honor Society. She has submitted her application for the Congressional Award, and is a competitive swimmer who has placed fifth in 200-meter and 50-meter breast stroke at the International Senior Cup in Florida.
Whitney has been accepted to attend Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Massachusetts this fall, where she expects to study biochemistry. Following an internship with Biofab USA here in Manchester, she became interested in genetic engineering.
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Gold Award Girl Scouts don’t just change the world for the better, they change it for good. The Gold Award is earned by girls in grades 9–12 who demonstrate extraordinary leadership in developing sustainable solutions to local, national, and global challenges. Since 1912, Girl Scouts have answered the call to drive lasting, impactful change. They earn college scholarships, demonstrate high educational and career outcomes, and are active in their communities.
Milena Whitney has answered the call to drive lasting, impactful change, and her Gold Award is a testament to her remarkable dedication to improving her community and the world.
About the Girl Scout Gold Award
- Gold Award Girl Scouts on average spend one to two years on their project.
- A Gold Award project must be sustainable after the girl’s involvement ends.
- The average age of Gold Award Girl Scouts is 17.
- Since 1916, more than 1 million girls have earned the Gold Award or its equivalent.
- Gold Award Girl Scouts are entitled to enlist at a higher pay grade when they join the military.
- University research indicates that noting you are a Gold Award Girl Scout on a college application is influential in the admissions decision-making process.
- Eighteen young women from New Hampshire and Vermont earned their Gold Award in the 2022-2023 membership year as part of Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains.
- The Girl Scout Gold Award is the mark of the truly remarkable.
We Are Girl Scouts
Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs from coast to coast, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. To join us, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, visit girlscouts.org.
Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains serves girls throughout New Hampshire and Vermont through volunteer-run troops, events, and virtual programs. Visit www.girlscoutsgwm.org to learn more.
