A Franklin-Simpson High School senior has recently earned the highest honor from the Girl Scouts of Kentuckiana.

Cameron Huggins was awarded the Girl Scout Gold Award, which is given to a high school Girl Scout who has worked to address an issue she’s passionate about in a way that produces meaningful and lasting change.

She helped solve a shortage of sleeping space at Girl Scout Camp Houchens in Bowling Green by building a 12-person covered hammock unit to increase camping options. She also created videos to teach Girl Scouts how to properly hang a hammock.

Huggins said that the unit has mulch placed underneath it, a waterproof cabinet by the unit and a fire ring with a wood box beside it.

“I began going to that camp when I was 5 and when I got to high school, I became a counselor’s aide,” she said. “We would sleep in hammocks in the pavilion there, and they really weren’t that sturdy.”

Huggins said when she went to another camp run by her mom, she noticed the hammocks were hanging from the trees.

“I really liked that idea,” she said. “There weren’t a lot of trees at the Houchens camp, so I decided to build something permanent. When I am a counselor there and when other counselors are there, we will have somewhere safe to sleep.”

She said that winning the award was something she has wanted since she was a younger Scout.

“It’s the highest level of award you can get,” she said. “I also completed a silver and bronze award. I remember going to meetings when I was younger and seeing the girls with their awards and thinking to myself, ‘I really want to do that.’ Now that it’s done, I am really proud of what I have accomplished.”

Huggins, who who plans to attend Florida College in Tampa in the fall and major in agriculture business, is currently in her 13th year with the Scouts.

“When some people think of the Girl Scouts, they think it’s just a bunch of girls selling cookies,” she said “That’s a common misconception. It’s way more than that.”

Huggins said that being in the Girl Scouts has allowed her to meet her best friends and has taught her how to camp and how to do things for herself.

“It brings you out of your shell,” she said. “I have learned public speaking skills and customer service skills. I have been involved in a lot of community service projects and have gotten involved with my community. I have also mentored and taught younger girls.”

She said it’s important to be part of a girl-led organization, especially since she is going into the predominantly male-dominated field of agriculture.

Huggins was recognized during a ribbon cutting ceremony on March 30 at the Houchens Program Center. Guests were encouraged to bring their own hammocks so they could practice hanging them up.