Last summer, Lynn Metz decided that she wanted to work with people with developmental disabilities, but she didn't know how to get started.

She reached out to the St. Louis Center, a nonprofit residential care facility in Chelsea for boys and adult men and women with intellectual and developmental disabilities. With their assistance, Metz created a program in which she taught residents table etiquette. The completion of this program recently earned Metz the Girl Scouts' highest honor, the Gold Award.

Metz said she enjoyed working with the children.

"It's amazing how positive they are all of the time, despite the situation they're in," Metz said. "Being around them brightens your day."

The program booklet for the Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan Gold Award ceremony said that someone once described the Girl Scout Gold Award as being “what you really want to be remembered for” in Girl Scouting.

The Gold Award focuses on girls 14 to 18 years old who put their interests into leadership skills, community service, career exploration and self-improvement. Going for the gold consists of girls searching to make changes within a community, changes that could become an ongoing tradition.

Eleven teenage girls from Washtenaw County set the foundation for a lifetime of active citizenship by “going for the Gold.” They were recognized for this achievement on May 17 at the Eastern Michigan University Convocation Center in Ypsilanti.

Five girls from Ann Arbor received the award for designing different projects that the community can benefit from. Those girls are, Kristie Duve, Lindsay Fisher, Lynn Metz, Polly Washabaugh and Laura Knutilla.

Similarly, five teens from Dexter — Elizabeth Aubuchon, Carly Glahn, Chantel Singer, Savannah Surfus and Louise Woolcott — earned the award for their hard work in the community.

Finally, Hailey Sheats of Whitmore Lake was also recognized for her work with teen mothers and babies at the Father Patrick Jackson House in Ann Arbor.

Char Luttrell, communications specialist for Girl Scouts Heart of Michigan, said that the Gold Award compares to becoming an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts organization. It is the result of a lot of hard work.

“The Gold Award project is the culmination of all the work a girl puts into earning the award,” Luttrell said.

Savannah Surfus of Dexter made an environmentally-focused website for children. It is a place where kids can learn about recycling and reusing household items.

Surfus has been a member of the Girl Scouts for 10 years, and said that being a part of a family like that means a lot.

“It means having friendships that last a lifetime, responsibility, community service and being part of a family that I know I’ll have my whole life.”

Surfus said she chose to do a project on the environment because it has become an important trend throughout the country.

“We’ve been hearing a lot about going green lately,” she said. “Also, my family has always been big in recycling, and I think it is important to teach kids at a young age.”

Metz of Ann Arbor has been a member of Girl Scouts for six years and said that it's a fun way to be with friends and help people in the community.

“I really had no idea what I was going to do at first. I knew I wanted to do something with mentally challenged kids, and that was all I knew,” Metz said. “My troop leader, Diane Singer, contacted the St. Louis Center and asked what I could do there to help kids.”

Surfus and Metz agreed that the honor makes them feel proud.

“It makes me feel really lucky to be in Girl Scouts, to have that opportunity,” Surfus said. “I feel really proud of myself that I worked through the 65-plus hours I needed.”

Metz said that she thinks it is really cool because all of the girls in her troop are trying to get the award.

“I think it’s great so many of us have stuck with it so far, and it is a proud feeling,” she said.

Although all of the projects were different, they all accomplished the same type of goal, helping the community. The Gold Award is a symbol of the work these girls put into their communities. Only 3 percent of girl ages 14 to 18 earn the Gold Award across the country.

Michelle Meunier is an intern for AnnArbor.com. Have a community news tip? Email community@annarbor.com.