HAYERN AYSOR– Girl Scoutsof America has awarded AGBU Vatche and Tamar Manoukian High School graduate Loreni Yeterian the prestigious Gold Award for her creation of a community service project that benefits the children of the Trchounyan orphanage in Gyumri.

Open only to high school students, the Gold Award is the organization’s highest achievement. To receive this illustrious honor, a girl scout must independently develop and lead a community service project and sustain it at least five years.

Loreni Yeterian chose to focus her Gold Award efforts on her native Armenia. Her project centered on her high school’s annual Armenia trip, wherein the juniors spend a day at the orphanage.

Last June, under Yeterian’s leadership and direction, the 53 students made and brought individual gift packages to every one of the nearly 80 children in the orphanage. Each gift bag included a variety of educational toys, stationary supplies, small books, art supplies, as well as dental hygiene kits.

Additionally, Yeterian has established an ongoing fund and secured enough donations to guarantee the program will continue for another five years. Yeterian’s project reminds us that even the slightest of our actions can have a touching, long-lasting effect.