By AMY JONES / Associate Editor

NORTH SHELBY — Two Oak Mountain High School students have been honored with the Girl Scouts’ highest award.

According to releases from the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama, Imani Anderson and Jessi Tucker, both sophomores at Oak Mountain High School, were each recently awarded the Gold Award, which recognizes Girl Scouts who demonstrate excellence through a leadership project totaling more than 65 hours.

Anderson, who is in Troop 2280, focused her Gold Award project, called “Purposeful Art,” on facilitating therapeutic painting classes at Children’s Harbor and the North Shelby Library for patients with Crohn’s disease and colitis.

Anderson, along with helpers, taught the patients different art forms, such as painting, tape painting, Japanese fans and quilting. The artwork was presented in an art show at Children’s Harbor, according to the press release.

Tucker, of Troop 423, developed the Bears for Babes program to help children in traumatic situations. She worked with the Hoover Police Department to collect and donate bears to be given to children. She also designed her own junior badge so local troops could continue to collect bears.

Hilary Perry, communications director for the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama, said the girls’ projects changed the lives of others for the better.

“Our Gold Awardees always pick projects that truly help the community. Imani and Jessi’s projects were no exception,” she said. “The art therapy that Imani’s project provided Crohn’s patients and the stuffed animals that Jessi’s project provided children in traumatic situations really had a positive impact, and the Girl Scouts of North-Central Alabama is proud of their leadership.”

Perry said the girls will be recognized by influential members of society, including President Barack Obama.

Girls who get Gold Awards receive letters of recognition from the president, as well as their state members of Congress. Also, any Girl Scout who earns a Gold Award immediately rises one rank in any of the United States military branches, Perry said.

Anderson and Tucker have both learned much from their projects, Perry said.

“Going for the Gold is a commitment, and seeing it through from inception to end result teaches a girl that she can research, plan, implement and evaluate,” she said. “It also teaches a girl how she can take action to facilitate positive change in her community.”

Anderson is the daughter of George and Tampia Anderson of Birmingham. Tucker is the daughter of Jack and Cathy Tucker of Birmingham.