What did you do for your Gold Award project?
In a world that is rapidly changing and developing, it can sometimes be hard to remember how we connect to other girls — especially the ones that aren’t in our immediate presence. At a young age, it is difficult to develop a sense of connection to people halfway across the world, simply because they aren’t in our local community. As a result, younger children may lack empathy and compassion for others, especially around the world. To address this, I decided to create a curriculum for Daisies and Brownies (girls from kindergarten through second grade) called “Bringing Global to Girls” (BGtG). This workshop aims to help Daisies and Brownies develop a sense of connection to the rest of the world. Through this workshop, Daisies and Brownies learned new things about themselves and things about themselves that can connect them to others. Many of the activities included were inspired and adapted from activities described in Girl Scout resources and handbooks, with publications ranging from 1926 all the way up to last year, 2019. By mixing the ideas of the past with the current knowledge and resources of today, we can gain new insight about ourselves and our Girl Scout and Girl Guide sisters around the world.
I personally ran two workshops with younger girls in Colorado over Zoom. As well as this, I ran a “how-to”workshop for older girls and leaders in Colorado. By doing this, I promoted “global thinking” to all levels in GSCO.
Access the handbook HERE!
Purchase the patch HERE!
How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience?
When I ran my workshops, I asked my target audience — Daisies and Brownies — to complete a “KWL Chart” (Know, Want to Know, and Learned) at the beginning and end of each session. Using this tool, I was able to survey what my audience knew and how much they grew throughout the workshop. My curriculum will continue to promote global thinking and citizenship through the translations of my handbook into Spanish and Mandarin Chinese, its publication on the GSCO website, and the custom patch created for this project.
How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement?
As mentioned earlier, my handbook is published on the GSCO website, as well as the translations into Spanish and Mandarin Chinese. Access the handbook HERE!
The curriculum is promoted in the GSCO Retail Shop along with the custom patch, and it will be available for anyone to purchase and participate in. Purchase the patch HERE!
A copy of my handbook and patch will be at GSCO History Center, and will be taken care of for years to come. Since I ran a “how-to” workshop for older girls and leaders, those who participated will run workshops with their own troops or groups, which will help spread the word about BGtG. As a delegate of the GSCO Global Roundtable, I shared my handbook with the Bangladesh Global Roundtable delegation, and am continuing to find other contacts for Girl Scouts/Girl Guides around the world. In order to branch out of the Girl Scout loop, I also presented about my project alongside GSCO CEO Leanna Clark to the Longmont Rotary Club.
What is your project’s global and/or national connection?
As mentioned before, my curriculum is translated into multiple languages. This will help my curriculum become more accessible to girls and leaders around the nation and world. Those who participate in the “Bringing Global to Girls” workshop may also be inspired to take action in their global and local communities to promote global thinking. Lastly, sharing my handbook with other Girl Scouts/Girl Guides around the world, such as the Girl Guides in Bangladesh, is instrumental to the global aspect of my project
What did you learn about yourself?
I learned a lot about myself during this process, but most importantly, I learned that I’m capable of more than I thought. My project’s impact and accomplishments reached far beyond what I had envisioned at first. These successes have shown me the importance of a team and communication, how to lead my team towards my desired results, and how to implement feedback and mix it with my own opinions. Along with this, my project took a lot of perseverance and effort, but I’m glad that I chose something I care about, which made all of my efforts worth it.
How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future?
Since I have learned so much by leading the BGtG team, I feel prepared to take on any leadership opportunities in my future. Although my future projects may not look as similar to BGtG, the fundamental leadership skills and values that I developed during this process make me feel like I’m ready for anything.
Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience?
Like many, I started Girl Scouts in kindergarten as a Daisy, and selling cookies was the biggest initiative I took part in. Progressing through elementary and middle school, the Bronze and Silver Awards I earned built the foundation and skills that I needed to earn my Gold Award. These experiences prepared me to take on the challenge to “make the world a better place.” The outcome of my project far exceeded my expectations, and this experience was much more valuable than I had envisioned. This process was incredibly rewarding and insightful, and I’ll never forget it.
How did earning your Gold Award help you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)?
After a global pandemic threw a wrench in my initial plans, I became an innovator. Rather than hosting my workshops in person and with local troops, I was forced to rethink and reformat my curriculum to fit into a virtual setting. I was far out of my comfort zone, but after lots of discussion and work with my team, I was able to successfully run multiple workshops online. As well as this, I created a virtual workshop mini-handbook to give others guidance on how to bring global to girls virtually.
**IMPORTANT NOTE: This blog represents only a small fraction of the hard work, dedication, and requirements that go into earning a Girl Scout Gold Award. It is simply a brief summary, which is meant to inspire Girl Scouts to Go Gold in the future. For more information on earning your Gold Award, please email highestawards@gscolorado.org.