San Diego Girl Scout Honored For Saving Classmate's Life

SAN DIEGO, CA — A San Diego area Girl Scout was honored Wednesday for saving her classmate's life.

Angela King, a 12th grader from Del Mar, received the Girl Scouts of the USA Medal of Honor for performing the Heimlich maneuver on a choking classmate during an emergency on an eighth-grade class trip. She learned first aid skills in school and through hands-on trainings from the Girl Scouts.

"It is an honor to receive this award, but I don't do anything for validation," Angela said. "It's empowering to have these skills because I know I'll be equipped and prepared for anything that could happen, and I don't have to be scared. I hope this can inspire others to know that helping people is never something to take for granted. When you have the chance to help someone, always take the opportunity, even if you don't get the Medal of Honor."

The Girl Scouts of the USA Medal of Honor is one of the highest honors in Girl Scouting. The award is given to young leaders who have shown heroism and sound judgment in an emergency to save a life without risk to their own life, according to Girl Scouts San Diego.

Angela is one of only 15 Girl Scouts nationwide to be awarded this honor so far in 2024, and the fourth from San Diego and Imperial counties in the last decade.

"Angela's responsible and courageous actions in a moment of crisis highlight the core values that we strive to instill in all our members," said Carol Dedrich, CEO of Girl Scouts San Diego. "We are proud to honor Angela with this award, celebrating her heroic deed and her ongoing commitment to making a positive impact in her community. Her story serves as a powerful example of how Girl Scouts prepares girls to lead, and a reminder of the difference one person can make."