LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION congratulating Jennifer K. Conklin upon the occa-
sion of receiving the distinguished Girl Scout Gold Award, the most
prestigious of Scouting honors

WHEREAS, Jennifer K. Conklin, through her diligence and rigorous
efforts, has achieved Scouting's highest and most prestigious honor, the
Girl Scout Gold Award; she will be honored by Girl Scouts of Western New
York's Pittsford Service Unit at a special Court of Awards ceremony on
Sunday, June 12, 2011; and
WHEREAS, A student at Pittsford Sutherland High School, Jennifer K.
Conklin is a member of Girl Scouts of America Troop 60949 in Pittsford;
and
WHEREAS, America has achieved her greatest heights of glory through
the dedication, determination and tireless efforts of the outstanding
citizens of this nation; and
WHEREAS, It is only with the continued diligence and devotion of our
youth, tomorrow's leaders, that America will maintain her glory; and
WHEREAS, Girl Scouts of America and its members are dedicated to the
development of character and leadership in the youth of this nation; and
WHEREAS, Since 1980, Senior Girl Scouts have capped their years of
achievement in Girl Scouting with the Girl Scout Gold Award; and
WHEREAS, In order to earn the Girl Scout Gold Award, a girl must
fulfill five requirements; chief among them is the design and completion
of a Gold Award Project; this project must build upon the interests of
the girl, provide a service to the community, and be of lasting benefit;
and
WHEREAS, For her Gold Award project entitled Cystic Fibrosis
Patient/Family Resource Website, Jennifer K. Conklin created a website
that could act as a resource as well as a social networking tool for
patients with cystic fibrosis (CF); and
WHEREAS, Cystic fibrosis is an inherited disease; it is one of the
most common chronic lung diseases in children and young adults and forc-
es them to follow a strict daily regimen; and
WHEREAS, Patients with cystic fibrosis are extremely sensitive to
being exposed to cold and flu germs; a simple cold could send them to
the hospital and, because of this, CF patients need to be careful of
crowds and, teens especially, often feel isolated; and
WHEREAS, Jennifer K. Conklin wanted to relieve this isolation and
provide CF patients with a ready place to connect with other peer CF
patients without having to attend a group meeting and risk catching
something; and
WHEREAS, Vital research for a cure for CF is the task of the Cystic
Fibrosis Foundation (CFF); it spends more than 90 percent of the money
it raises on research and there is no organized support group for CF as
there are for many other illnesses; and
WHEREAS, Jennifer K. Conklin believed her website would help serve
this purpose and that it could help link CF patients without having them
have to leave their homes and, though she had no idea how to make a
website, she undertook the effort for her Gold Award Project; and
WHEREAS, She contacted various people throughout the community to
discuss her project, determine what technology would be most helpful,
and tried out several pieces of software; and
WHEREAS, Jennifer K. Conklin also interviewed CF patients her own age
to find out what their needs were and what they would like to see on a
website; she worked with several student groups from Monroe Community
College who were working on a marketing project for the Cystic Fibrosis

Foundation so they could get feedback on the website from the people
they were contacting; and
WHEREAS, Finally, she then presented her project to a younger Girl
Scout troop so they could give her feedback and learn about the Gold
Award and its process; in doing all of this, she was also creating
awareness of the disease and its needs within her community, certainly
another worthy goal; and
WHEREAS, An outstanding young woman, Jennifer K. Conklin has been
involved in Scouting for years, has lived up to Scouting's ideals and
has attained all of the necessary achievements for the Girl Scout Gold
Award; and
WHEREAS, Jennifer K. Conklin is a credit to her family, her school,
her community, her State and her nation, and no doubt her future will be
filled with accomplishments of equal importance; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations, in
recognition of the significance of this meritorious achievement, to
congratulate and honor Jennifer K. Conklin upon the occasion of her
designation as the recipient of a Girl Scout Gold Award; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Jennifer K. Conklin.