Kaylyn Norville, 11, has followed in the footsteps of former Junior Girls Scouts in her troop by completing a service project that will help others, and earn her the Bronze Award.

The Bronze Award is the highest honor in Junior Girl Scouts.

Last year, five girls in St. James United Methodist Church Troop 806 prepared comfort care and activity kits filled with toiletries to benefit people that have gone through disasters.

This year, Norville decided that she wanted to do the same thing for her service project.

“It helps other people when they have fires, floods or other disasters,” Kaylyn said.

"The comfort kits the Girl Scouts have generously donated to the American Red Cross Frederick E. Turnage Chapter will be given to Edgecombe County residents that become the unfortunate victims of single family fires or other natural disasters," said Tiffany Wester, director of health and safety services for the American Red Cross.

There were specific requirements about what could go in each of the kits, so Norville reviewed the list and made sure that she had all the right items in the kits.

She filled the comfort care kits with shampoo, deodorant, soap, wash clothes and other hygiene and toiletry products.

The activity kits were filled with coloring books, stuffed toys and other recreational items for children.

These products were received through physical donations of the items or monetary donations. Norville said a majority of it was monetary, which required her to go to the store and pick out the items to include in the kits.

“I think it was a really good project for her to figure out how to spend money wisely,” said Jennifer Norville, Kaylyn’s mother.

It took her about two weeks to collect or buy the items for the kits, but meeting other requirements for the Bronze Award took longer.

Norville said she was working on earning two badges, a leadership award and a sign award over the course of a year to meet the criteria for a Bronze Award.

Earning a Bronze Award is voluntary for any Junior Girl Scout in the fourth-or fifth-grade. Scouts move up to the Cadet level when reaching the sixth-grade, and then have the option of earning the Silver Award.

“I’m proud of her for taking the initiative of completing and getting it done before moving up to the next level," said Dawn Redman, troop leader.