Sarah Zachas, 18, of Windham, recently received the Girl Scouts' Gold Award for her pollinator garden at Moeckel Pond. Courtesy photo

WINDHAM – Sarah Zachas, 18, of Windham, was recently recognized as the only Girl Scout in New Hampshire or Vermont to receive a $5,000 scholarship and the organization’s elite Gold Award for constructing a pollinator garden at Moeckel Pond.

“I was completely shocked, knowing how many great projects there were,” she said of winning the scholarship and Gold Award.

To fund her two-year project, Pollinators on the Pond, Zachas secured grants from the Windham Garden Club, the Monarch Watch and the Windham Endowment for Community Advancement.

“I had talked with Diane Carpenter of WECA who told me that they were looking to add a pollinator garden at Moeckel Pond,” said Zachas. “I knew a bit about the negative effect of climate change on pollinators so I was interested in creating a pollinator garden. I liked the idea of taking on a global issue at a local level. I was also aware of development in our town that was taking away habitat, so I liked the idea of adding some at Moeckel Pond.”

Zachas said climate change, habitat destruction, air pollution and pesticides have caused the butterfly and bee population to dwindle.

“They are crucial to humans,” she said. “Butterflies, bees and other pollinators help with our food supply and ecosystems by carrying pollen from plant to plant, resulting in fertilization and seed production. We depend on pollinators because they’re responsible for one out of every three bites of food we eat.”

The garden is 3,500 square feet and is home to 300 perennial plants including lupines, mums, sunflowers and tall phlox. The land is owned by the town and the garden will be maintained by a team of volunteers.

Zachas has been in the Girl Scouts for 13 years and holds the highest rank of ambassador.

She graduated from Windham High School last month as a member of the National Honor Society, the Math Honor Society and the Spanish Honor Society. She will be attending the University of Connecticut in the fall to study biology.

“We applaud you for your extraordinary leadership,” said Bonnie Barczykowski, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA in her letter to Zachas. “Your outstanding Gold Award project, Pollinators on the Pond, demonstrates measurable and sustainable impact and addresses an issue of national and/or global significance, proving that Girl Scouts of courage, confidence and character truly do make the world a better place. Your accomplishments will endure for generations to come and serve as a powerful example of Girl Scouting in action.”

Her parents, Rebecca and Lew Zachas, said their daughter was truly dedicated to bringing the garden to life.

“We are proud of the years that she spent on this project. She worked hard to plant the pollinator garden through all kinds of conditions – downpours, mosquitos, heat and humidity,” they said. “We look forward to seeing what she does next in college and are grateful that she received this scholarship. Sarah has lived in Windham her whole life. The schools, teachers, coaches, and friends have really shaped who she is. So it was great to see her get this chance to give back to the community before she heads off to college.”

By receiving the Girl Scouts’ highest accolade, Zachas joins a prestigious group of prior Gold Award recipients including actress Dakota Fanning, former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, model Tyra Banks and U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth.

Established in 1916, the Gold Award is recognized as the equivalent of the Boy Scouts top rank of Eagle Scout. Girl Scouts must hold the rank of senior or ambassador to be eligible for the Gold Award. Within that group, only five percent of the applicants are chosen to receive this honor.