BUTLER TWP — For several years, 16-year-old Amy Cloud has worked to earn that one piece of jewelry popular with her sisters and friends.

Acquiring the gold medallion and chain, however, took more than a saved allowance or birthday wish.

The necklace is a symbol of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Young Womanhood Recognition, presented to youths who complete the church's Personal Progress program.

Designed for females ages 12 to 18, the program requires participants to complete tasks and service projects in seven value areas including faith, divine nature, individual worth, knowledge, choice and accountability, good works and integrity.

Chelsea Benoit, the Personal Progress specialist at the Butler Township church, said the process teaches youths the values they will need to one day be wives, mothers and witnesses to God.

"Those values are to help the girls understand who they are," she said.

Upon beginning the program, each participant receives her own Personal Progress workbook.

The book outlines the meaning behind each value and offers tasks called value experiences to help the participants grasp the concept.

For each of the seven values, participants must complete six value experiences and a value project.

Value experiences might include readings of religious texts or changing a behavior such as establishing a daily prayer time.

"Because of the way the goals are integrated in their lifestyles, they are almost constantly working on it," said Benoit.

In addition to checking off each task in their workbook, Benoit encourages participants to write about their progress in a journal, where they have space to elaborate on what they've learned.

After completing six value experiences in a category, each female then chooses a value project relating to that value.

Young women in the group may work together on their value projects, but each participant must give at least 10 hours of her time for each project.

During her time in the Personal Progress program, Amy joined the Butler High School Marching Band, demonstrating the value of integrity through her commitment to the group. She also planted and cared for a garden, which symbolized caring for her faith.

"I learned a lot about plants and not being afraid to try new things," she said. Amy has continued to plant a yearly garden to make salsa for friends and family.

For the value of knowledge, Amy joined her mother Peggy in an effort to track their family's genealogy.

Peggy noted the family can now trace some branches of its family tree back 17 generations.

"(Personal Progress) builds ties between you and your parents," said Amy, who enjoyed the collaborative project.

In addition to reinforcing the relationship with her immediate family, Amy's service projects helped her connect with 99-year-old Sunnyview Home resident Helen Cousins, a close friend of the family.

Amy and her family have for years made weekly visits to see Cousins at Sunnyview , helping her write letters, make Christmas gifts or simply get out for a meal or some fresh air.

It was through these visits that Amy was inspired to do another value project, visiting with other Sunnyview residents, providing companionship, entertainment and a listening ear.

"Most of them have stories to tell," she said. "They've lived through a lot of history, so you can learn a lot."

Though she has already received her recognition award, Amy and other participants who finish in less than six years continue to attend the program's monthly meetings.

"We encouraged her to start over and finish it again," said Benoit. "They're going to see life in a whole different way," she said of participants who try the program a second time.

Though the young womanhood program ends at age 18, Mormon women continue setting goals through the Relief Society. In addition to serving others in their community, the Relief Society program offers experiences related to adult life, such as caring for a home and family.

Benoit has worked as a Personal Progress specialist for five years and still enjoys seeing the benefit each girl receives through their years of effort.

"The goals aren't hard," she said. "They're fun, they're motivating, they're spiritually uplifting."