Pictured: Natalia Horvers, Jane Ircha, and Beatrice Hogue, Girl Scout Silver Award Recipients, Bronxville Troop 2955

by Jane Ircha, Co-Troop Leader of Bronxville Girl Scout Troop 2955

July 1, 2026: On June 6, 2026, Girl Scouts Heart of the Hudson honored new Gold and Silver Award recipients at St. Thomas Aquinas College in Sparkill, New York. GSHH CEO, Dr. Kari L. Rockwell, recognized these award recipients, including three new Silver Award recipients from 
Bronxville Troop 2955: Natalia Horvers, Jane Ircha, and Beatrice Hogue, all rising sophomores at Bronxville High School.

The Silver Award is the highest honor a Girl Scout Cadette can earn. It challenges girls to identify an issue in their community, address its root cause, and complete a 50-hour "Take Action" project that creates lasting, meaningful change. 

For their Silver Award project, Natalia Horvers and Beatrice Hogue partnered on a project titled "Cabin Stage Glowup." Their goal was to transform the downstairs stage area of the Tuckahoe/Eastchester Girl Scouts Cabin into a welcoming space for meetings, interactive troop activities, and to preserve the cabin's history. Thanks to their efforts, the renovated space now provides valuable resources that will benefit Girl Scout troops for years to come.

Natalia reflected, “After we completed our Silver Award project, seeing the finished product was such a powerful feeling. The moment I saw all the hard work and time we put towards our project to create something that young, growing Girl Scout troops could use and enjoy was so amazing.”

Beatrice shared, “Working on my Silver Award project taught me how important teamwork is. My partner and I transformed the downstairs stage area of the Tuckahoe and Eastchester Girl Scouts Cabin, and I learned that even the best ideas become stronger when people work together. Throughout the project, we combined our strengths, solved problems as a team, and worked with others in the community to bring our vision to life. Seeing the finished space showed me that meaningful change is possible when people work together toward a shared goal.”

For Jane Ircha's Silver Award project, "Bronxville Troop 2955 Values Our Veterans," her focus was supporting U.S. Veterans, many of whom face challenges after returning from military service. Jane's goal was to help Veterans feel valued, appreciated, and cared for within their  community. To accomplish this, Jane organized fundraisers, assembled large-scale care packages, and regularly delivered them to the Westchester Veterans Agency in White Plains. She also participated in several Veterans' events, where she met with Veterans, listened to their 
stories of service, and expressed her Troop's gratitude for their sacrifices on behalf of our nation.

Jane reflected, "The most important thing I learned throughout my Silver Award project is that small acts of kindness and compassion can make a meaningful difference and are deeply appreciated. Visiting with Veterans at several Westchester County events gave me a deeper 
understanding of their sacrifices, their service to our nation, and the challenges many Veterans continue to face after serving our country. I strongly believe that our Veterans deserve our deepest respect, sincere gratitude, and ongoing support."

Jane, Beatrice, and Natalia began their Girl Scout journey as Brownies in second grade and have been active members of Troop 2955 ever since. Throughout the years, their Scouting experience has included extensive community service, including regular volunteer work with Hillside Food Outreach and the Friendly Fridge in the Bronx, along with memorable camping adventures, outdoor experiences, and cultural activities made possible by living near New York City.

Their Silver Awards reflect years of leadership, service, and dedication to making a positive difference in their communities.