Girl Scout Highlights New Jersey’s Good Side

Chloe Brownlie, 17, wanted everyone to share her Jersey pride during her teen art show last night at the Middletown Township Public Library.

Bruce Springsteen music played in the background, as art, created by artists ages 11 through 18, reflecting some of New Jersey’s landmarks was hung on three stand-up poster boards and a sampling of food from New Jersey was laid out on a decorated buffet table.

Brownlie, entering her senior year at Marine Academy of Science and Technology, has lived in New Jersey her entire life and wanted to portray her love for the state while working on her gold award.

“I really like New Jersey,” said Brownlie, a resident in the Oak Hill section of Middletown. “Some people when they think of New Jersey they will just think of Newark or the think of the Jersey Shore, not the actual shore but the television show. The actual Jersey Shore is beautiful and there is more to New Jersey than that.”

The young artists and their parents browsed through the artwork while looking at New Jersey history books and photo books set aside on a table including a Weird N.J. book and magazine, which Brownlie noted was one of her favorite things to browse through to look at interesting sites throughout the state.

An artist herself, Brownlie painted a watercolor rendition of the Sandy Hook lighthouse, the oldest working lighthouse in the United States, for the art show.

“I see it everyday when I go to school,” Brownlie said. “And when I paint something I don’t go out there saying this evokes this emotion rather I like to draw and paint it as I see it.”

Brownlie said she started planning for the art show in June when she reached out via a website and Facebook group asking for submissions. With help from art teacher Heather Brown and Senior Adult Librarian and Teen/tween librarian at Middletown Public Library, Ellie Strbo, Brownlie organized the teen gallery.

In order to earn the Gold Award the scouts had to "utilize their leadership skills learned through Girl Scouting to address and raise awareness of a specific issue within their community," a release from the Girl Scouts said. Recipients of the award are required to spend at least 80 hours working on their project, which "should have a lasting impact on the girl's community.

The teen artwork remain on display in the Teen Zone until August 31 and the artwork will be returned to the artists.