BOYKINS—Southampton County has many historical and cultural treasures. Now Girl Scouts will be able to earn a special patch for exploring those treasures.

LeAndra Watford, a senior Girl Scout with Boykins Group 5073 and a rising junior at Southampton High School, designed the “Explore Southampton County” patch, which scouts can earn after conducting some field research and participating in several activities.

“Scouts are curious individuals, so I wanted scouts in our council to know about the history here in Southampton County,” Watford told the county’s Board of Supervisors recently. “I researched historical sites and created activities to be completed to earn the Explore Southampton County patch.”

Those activities include taking the Historic Courtland Walking Tour, doing research on the history of local Native American tribes, visiting historical sites in the county, and learning about local businesses and their contributions to the community.

Scouts in the Girl Scout Council of Colonial Coast are eligible to earn the patch.

The patch itself is a green circle with the name of the patch along its circumference in black lettering. The shape of Southampton County is superimposed in bright red on the center of the patch. To the left are the sun and a body of water, and to the right are a tree and a green field. A peanut and a sprig of cotton round out the patch along the bottom.

“The water is for the little rivers and creeks around this county,” Watford explained. “The peanut and cotton are the most popular crops that we grow. The tree and the grass field are for all of those that you find in Southampton County.”

Standing outside of the historic Rebecca Vaughan House in Courtland, Watford was asked what she learned about the history of Southampton County while creating the patch.

“I didn’t know as much then as I now know about it,” Watford said, casting a gaze over at the boarded-up house behind her. “I didn’t know that this was one of the last houses where Nat Turner was.”

The daughter of LeAndrew and Kisha Watford of Boykins, LeAndra has just completed her 10th year in Girl Scouts.

“She’s a fine, outstanding young woman and an asset to the community,” Boykins Mayor Spier Edwards said. “The girls here look up to her. She has done a lot for this community.”