Photo by Sarah Owens.
Beth Owens, a rising senior at Mountain Brook High School, stands on the new ramp she built at the Mountain Brook Girl Scout House as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project.
Beth Owens, an upcoming senior at Mountain Brook High School, is set to earn the prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award — the organization’s highest honor — for a service project that combines accessibility, leadership and community impact.
Owens, a longtime member of Girl Scout Troop 310, led the demolition and reconstruction of an accessibility ramp at the Mountain Brook Girl Scout House. The existing ramp had fallen into disrepair, and according to Owens, “it had holes in it and it was not really usable.” Recognizing the building’s frequent use for Bible studies, art classes and community meetings, Owens took on the challenge to ensure older residents and those with mobility limitations could safely enter.
“There were a lot of people that used the house that were older people who couldn’t get up the stairs very easily,” Owens said. “They couldn’t get into the house really.”
The project was a team effort involving her father, Dean Owens, her brother, Zach, and several friends. “We had a few weekends where we just went out there with hammers and crowbars and stuff and just ripped up the old ramp,” she said. They then rebuilt it using composite materials — a mix of plastic and sawdust — chosen for their durability and resistance to weather damage.
Before the build began, Owens submitted a detailed plan to the Girl Scout Council for approval. “We had to fill out a form and fill out why am I doing this? What am I helping? What am I teaching people?” she said. The proposal required revisions and a Zoom meeting with council representatives before receiving the green light. A city permit, which was provided free under a nonprofit designation, was also required.
Owens’s Gold Award follows a Silver Award project she contributed to in earlier years, helping organize a museum in the Scout House with historical uniforms, badges, books and even a Girl Scout Barbie. Both projects reflect a strong connection to Girl Scout history and values.
“She’s certainly grown in her confidence,” said her mother, Powell Owens. “She used to be kind of shy and afraid of a lot of things… but learning that she could do things and being with her friends helped.”
The friendships formed in Troop 310 have endured since second grade, supported by longtime troop leader Judy Cullinan. Owens credits those relationships, along with the program’s structure, for helping her grow. “I’ve learned how to communicate with people better. I’m just better at reaching out to people and communicating with them, rather than just kind of hoping they would reach out first,” Beth said. “It’s also helped with what [my mom] said, confidence and stuff.”
Owens has also earned badges during Girl Scout trips to Savannah, Alaska and Seattle, and traveled to London this summer to participate in the international program at Pax Lodge. After graduation, she hopes to attend the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah to study production design.
With just a few formalities left before her Gold Award is official, Owens is set to complete her Girl Scout journey next spring — leaving behind a physical structure and a legacy of leadership.
