After being an avid member of Girl Scouts for 12 years, senior Nyssa Spector is working toward the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award in the organization. Receiving this honor requires 65 hours of community service.

Spector has been planning her project since October and got it approved in February.

For her first part of community service, she has decided to help beautify certain areas of the school. She started her project over spring break by starting up the installation of one new sidewalk with the help of the school.

“I’m going to put in new landscaping, sidewalks and bike racks in the back of the school,” said Spector. “Originally the idea was that we would put more bike racks near the Small Gym and dance studio. As it turns out, someone is doing their Eagle Scout project there.”

To take on such a big task, Spector is also working with others.

“I’m working with the Environmental Management System (EMS) club a lot because that’s kind of their forte,” said Spector. “I’m kind of the CEO of my project; I’ve got a bunch of people working under me.”

Although funds are an issue, the school has helped Spector out by donating the money to build the sidewalks and the bike racks have been contributed by Saratoga. As for the rest of the money, Spector has been selling donuts after school to earn enough money for her different projects.

Spector’s project also includes promoting National Bike Awareness Month in May.

“What’s going to happen is when people bike to school, we’re going to give them a ticket or put there names down,” said Spector. “At the end of the month, we’re going to have a big party and raffle off prizes.”

Prizes won in the raffle will promote healthy lifestyles.

“I’m going to get some bike stuff donated and eco-friendly type of things,” said Spector. “Ideally, I would try and raffle off a bike at the end of the month, but I don’t know if that’s going to happen.”

She will be handing out free breakfasts to motivate people to bike. She feels this will make the community a better place.

“I think that one of the reasons that fewer people bike is because there’s insufficient place to put bicycles so it discourages them,” said Spector. “So my goal with this project is to to try to encourage those people who normaly drive to bike, be greener, fit, and decrease traffic.”