Girl Scouts Awards One Of Its Highest Honors To Uvalde Victim For Her Heroism

Josephine Harvey
·2 min read
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Ameria Jo Garza, 10, was posthumously awarded one of the Girl Scouts’ highest honors for her heroism as a gunman raged in her classroom in Uvalde, Texas.

Amerie was one of the first children killed May 24 in the shooting at Robb Elementary School. Nineteen students and two teachers were killed inside the school. She was shot after trying to call 911.

Her grandmother, Berlinda Arreola, told the Daily Beast that Amerie “was shot and killed for trying to call 911, she died a hero trying to get help for her and her fellow classmates.”

The Girl Scouts of the USA said in a statement Tuesday it had awarded Amerie the rare Bronze Cross on Friday.

“The Bronze Cross is awarded for saving or attempting to save life at the risk of the Girl Scout’s own life,” the group said in a statement. “Amerie did all she could to save the lives of her classmates and teachers.”

“We will carry her story with us always and ensure her brave actions will endure for generations.”

Amerie was in her first year in the Girl Scouts. According to the group, she was “a bright and outgoing fourth-grader who loved Play-Doh, playing with friends at recess — and being a Girl Scout.”

“She was proud of the badges she earned. She completed her Girl Scout bridging ceremony last week, and Tuesday at school had received an award for making the A and B honor roll.”

Arreola told People that the family was “so proud” of Amerie for receiving the honor.

“She deserved it. Our baby gave up her life for this, but she deserved it,” she said.

“That was just the way she was. She tried to save everyone.”

She was laid to rest on Tuesday in the first funeral of many for the grieving Uvalde community.

This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated.

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