What did you do for your Gold Award project?
The main issue I wanted to address was coping with grief around holidays. Many kids/young adults struggle with grief during the holiday season and my idea was to use art theory as a way to help people cope. Together with a team of artists, we created over sixteen coloring pages that are focused around a variety of holidays. Based on feedback given during my initial presentation, each page is geared towards either kids or teen/young adults. I partnered with an organization called Judi’s House which is in Denver. They help grieving families by providing free group therapy. After hand drawing each page, we scanned them into a PDF document and gave it to Judi’s House on a flash drive for them to use with the kids and teens who they provide services for.
How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience?
I measured the impact of my project via feedback from surveys that were sent to Judi’s House clients as well as anonymous comments from the target audience.
How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement?
Judi’s House has signed a letter of commitment saying that they will continue to use the pages. This means that they will print however many pages as long as they like. Judi’s House requested that we also make some general seasonal pages that they can use in the waiting rooms all year round. This was feedback and a request from Judi’s House that we implemented. I have also given the project to social workers at Colorado Preparatory Academy and Pikes Peak High School to use for the kids they work with.
What is your project’s global and/or national connection?
In order to establish a national/global link, I delegated the pages to be translated into Spanish to a team member who is proficient in the language. I then gave the pages that were translated to the organizations previously mentioned. Judi’s House also has a national curriculum and Colorado Preparatory Academy and Pikes Peak High School work with kids from all over nation. (Please note that all students enrolled in these two schools have a residence in Colorado, but many are from different states/countries and there are some students who temporarily live out of state as well.)
What did you learn about yourself?
The main thing I learned about myself is that if I put enough effort in something, I can make a difference. Before, this issue of grief around the holidays seemed to be one I couldn’t help. Now, I know that that is something I can do about this issue and others like it.
How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future?
The Gold Award has not only given me the confidence and leadership skills I will need for the future, but it also will help me be considered for scholarships, colleges, and any jobs I will apply for.
Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience?
After being a Girl Scout for 13 years, I feel as though this is the perfect way to end my time at Girl Scouts. It has brought me closer with my fellow sister Girl Scouts and this project allows me to use many of the skills that Girl Scouts had taught me over the years.
How did earning your Gold Award help you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)?
Earning my Gold Award has helped me become a go-getter and a leader. There were many instances of me having to go out of my comfort zone to go get what I wanted for this project and I leading a team has been an amazing experience that has helped grow my leadership skills.
**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.