ARLINGTON — A recent Lakewood High School graduate just received one of the most prestigious Girl Scout awards.

Jessica LaPlante, 18, was awarded the Girl Scout Gold Award Sept. 2 for a video project she produced for her senior project.

The award is handed out to Girl Scouts who have completed a specific series of requirements, and involves one large-scale community project.

For LaPlante, that project was producing a documentary-style video about her difficulties paying for the removal of her wisdom teeth.

LaPlante and fellow seniors at the high school interviewed a dentist and a Washington State Department of Health and Services official.

“Because of my issues, the whole video is about me,” said LaPlante.

She said she spent approximately 85 hours shooting and editing the video, which was approximately eight minutes long.

The idea for the video came from LaPlante’s involvement with the Snohomish County Federated Health and Safety Network, which works in the community to reduce youth violence.

She was even invited to the governor’s mansion in Olympia on Sept. 17.

“Since so few people get the award, they’re inviting people from Oregon and Idaho and are (requesting) people back to 2007,” LaPlante said.

LaPlante has been a member of Girl Scouts for for the past 12 years.