Lutheran South senior Emily Etter recently earned the Girl Scout Gold award.

The Girl Scout Gold award is the highest award given to Girl Scouts who have dedicated more than 80 hours to a cause they are passionate about. 

Etter, who enjoys chess, designed and built an oversized chess board at Camp Cedarledge, a Girl Scout camp in Pevely. She partnered with the St. Louis Chess Club to organize a grand opening event to showcase her work and teach the game to younger Girl Scouts. 

After completing her project, Etter created a website with her design plans to help others build similar chess boards.

 Etter plans to pursue a degree in industrial design in college next year.

Those wanting to become a Gold Award Girl Scout must be in ninth, 10th, 11th or 12th grade; be a registered Girl Scout senior ambassador; and have completed two senior or ambassador journeys, or have earned the Girl Scout Silver Award and completed one senior or ambassador journey.