For Gold Award, Wilhide educates school communities on composting
MADISON – Julia Wilhide’s determination to improve her hometown guided her decision for her Gold Award project in Girl Scouts.
Bob Jones High School, Madison, Madison County Record, News, Schools, Unincorporated Madison County, Z - News Main
 By  John Few Published 
10:17 pm Monday, November 8, 2021

For Gold Award, Wilhide educates school communities on composting

MADISON – Julia Wilhide’s determination to improve her hometown guided her decision for her Gold Award project in Girl Scouts.

Since her time as a Daisy, Wilhide has wanted to achieve the Gold Award, the pinnacle in ranking with Girl Scouts. “Recently, I became very passionate about environmental consciousness. When I learned of the massive impact that food waste has on the environment, I wanted to make positive changes,” Wilhide said.

Her project, “Unmake Your Mark,” focused on food waste education and the solution of composting. “When food waste is disposed of in a landfill, its decomposition process produces methane, a greenhouse gas that’s harmful for the environment,” Wilhide said. When food and yard waste are composted, the decomposition is much more beneficial to let food waste break down to produce nutrient rich compost for gardens and lawns.

Wilhide’s Gold Award project dealt with schools’ significant food waste. She built a compost bin for Horizon Elementary School and a vermicomposting bin (composting with earthworms) for Bob Jones High School, along with goal-tracking posters to monitor progress.

For numerous North Alabama schools, Wilhide produced educational material in slideshow presentations, composting instructions and guidelines for acceptable contents to compost.

“I hope this project inspires others to learn more about environmental change and make a positive difference for the Earth,” Wilhide said. “It’s my hope that this project will (educate) people about food waste and composting. My project will reduce food waste produced by Madison schools.”

Her project required 138 hours for planning, designing, shopping, building and installing. Wilhide also designed a website, unmakeyourmark.wixsite.com/website, about the processes.

Wilhide belongs to Troop 10926 with leaders Jean Downs and Andrea Johnson. “I greatly appreciate the help I received from my troop leaders, as well as my project advisor, Nikole Sothers,” she said. Wilhide also thanked her family, teachers who helped, Beth Bero at Horizon and Elizabeth McFarland at Bob Jones.

In May, Wilhide graduated from Bob Jones. She was Stage Manager and Student Tech Director for theatre; Environmental Club, Vice President; National English Honors Society, Treasurer; in honor societies for academic excellence; Greenhouse Club; and Photography Club.

“I graduated with a 4.29 GPA and earned the Madison City Seal of Academic Distinction,” Wilhide said.

Her pastimes include dance, technical theatre, gardening, reading/writing and photography. Currently a freshman at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Wilhide is undecided on a major but is interested in environmental science or English.

Her parents are Brent and Susan Wilhide. He is a retired U.S. Army Colonel. She is a former teacher.

Also on The Madison Record
Tri-agency traffic enforcement targets speeders on I-565
Madison County Record, News, The Madison Recor, ...
By STAFF REPORTS 
July 16, 2025
MADISON  – In a united front to crack down on excessive speeding, the Huntsville Police Department (HPD), Madison County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) and t...
Local athletes set for North-South battles
A: Main, Madison County Record, News, ...
Bob Labbe 
July 16, 2025
MADISON - Some of the top rising senior high school athletes are about to invade the Alabama Capitol City of Montgomery July 21-25 for the 29th annual...
NASA, Orion to host Marshall’s 65th anniversary celebration this Saturday
A: Main, Events, Madison County Record, ...
Staff Reports 
July 16, 2025
HUNTSVILLE - NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center is inviting the community to help celebrate the center’s 65th anniversary during a free public event ...
Chamber needs nominations for ‘Military Family of the Year’
A: Main, Business, Events, ...
Gregg Parker 
July 16, 2025
MADISON – Madison Chamber of Commerce is encouraging residents to identify a family who has upheld a strong commitment to country and community. The c...
ADOC: Health care worker tried to smuggle meth, narcotics into correctional facility
Madison County Record, News, The Madison Recor, ...
Staff Reports 
July 16, 2025
LIMESTONE COUNTY - A health care employee was arrested Friday for allegedly attempting to transport almost 200 grams of methamphetamine and other narc...
Central Office values Becky Tucker as ‘Staff Member of the Year’
Madison County Record, News, Schools, ...
Gregg Parker 
July 16, 2025
MADISON – Becky Turner doesn’t get hung up on labels. No matter her job title, Tucker feels called to be a servant leader. Her colleagues at Central O...
Brett Burgess named ‘Teacher of the Year’ at James Clemens
Madison County Record, News, Schools, ...
Gregg Parker 
July 16, 2025
MADISON – Brett Burgess wanted to work in Madison City Schools for association with the best in his field, both academic and coaching. James Clemens H...
Olivia Skillern named James Clemens theatre department’s artistic director
Bob Jones High School, Madison, Madison County Record, ...
Gregg Parker 
July 16, 2025
MADISON – For Olivia Skillern, it’s ‘as if I never said goodbye’ (to quote a line from “Sunset Boulevard”). With her new job in the Theatre Department...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Our Latest E-edition
Latest Stories
YUM! Spicy yet savory poppers
MADISON - Your guests won’t be able to have just one of these sweet and savory poppers. With a touch of heat from the cayenne pepper, and sweetness fr...
July 16, 2025
poll