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Quakertown student earns Good Citizenship Award

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Julia Henry, a Quakertown Community High School junior, has been selected to receive the 2022 Girl Scouts Union League Good Citizenship Award.
She is one of approximately 250 students nominated from nearly 50 youth-serving organizations throughout the Greater Philadelphia region, and one of only 16 from the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania.
To receive this award, a Girl Scout must have attributes of honesty, courage, tolerance, curiosity, and loyalty, as well as endeavor to follow and uphold the principles of American patriotism. From the Union League’s perspective, nominees must show high personal standards of behavior and leadership. Award winners are eligible to apply for a college scholarship provided by the Union League worth at least $5,000 a year.
“I was totally shocked when I found out,” Henry said. “Now that it’s sunk in, I am honored, humbled, and excited.”
Henry was nominated by Erica Henry, her school counselor, and math teacher Audrey Waddell.
“I admire Julia greatly,” said Erica Henry (no relation to Julia). “She is always striving to do more for others and make a positive difference. She does not let obstacles deter her but thinks outside the box to creatively maneuver and work through them. Julia always has a smile on her face and a bright and infectious energy.”
A high-achieving student with a wealth of leadership skills, Julia Henry is involved in several QCHS activities. She is a member of the Student Council, Class of 2023 Council, National Honor Society, Marching Band, Wind Symphony, Choir, and plays on the high school basketball and softball teams. She has received the highest award in Girl Scouting, the Gold Award. Her project was to create two personalized video tributes to the Classes of 2020 and 2021 by asking 9th-, 10th-, and 11th-grade students to submit short videos.

From an early age, Henry’s parents encouraged her to work hard in school and get involved in a variety of activities. She followed their advice. “They instilled that in me and it’s helped me build a toolkit of skills,” she said.
Waddell, the assistant athletic director and Henry’s AP Calculus teacher, has seen the results, whether it be on the athletic venue, in the classroom or inspiring fellow students in community service pursuits.
“Julia is an amazing person,” Waddell said. “She is ultra-responsible in everything she does. Watching her on the basketball court for the last four years, she consistently demonstrates perseverance, leads by example, shows empathy to all players, and skillfully works to make the entire team better. In the classroom, Julia is always engaged. She asks tremendous questions to clarify her understanding in a difficult course of AP Calculus. Her broad interests from history to sports and communication allow her to connect in many ways with students and adults. She is always the first to report any breaking news from the sports world. Always a huge smile on her face she immediately brings energy and positivity to any room. I foresee amazing accomplishments in Julia’s future.”
An aspiring sports broadcast journalist, the Good Citizenship Award is not the first honor Henry has claimed in high school. As a sophomore, she was one of two QCHS students nominated by school counselors for the Hugh O’Brian Youth Leadership scholarship. The award, which goes to sophomores that have shown leadership skills, comes with an invitation to attend a two-day leadership seminar with the organization, designed to give students the tools they need to turn their ideas into action and achieve their goals.
Unfortunately, because of COVID, that event was done virtually. The Good Citizenship Award, however, comes with an invitation to attend Good Citizen Day on April 6 at the Union League building in Philadelphia, where she and the other awardees will participate in workshops and small group discussions on the responsibilities of citizenship.
“I’m really looking forward to that,” Henry said. “It’s going to be great to talk to people from so many different organizations and learn about their backgrounds.”
Gary Weckselblatt is the director of communications for Quakertown Community School District.


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