What did you do for your Gold Award project?

For my Gold Award project, I partnered with my school’s chapter of National Honor Society to create dental care packets for kids in need. It included collecting recycled materials to make the actual bags, receiving donations containing toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, and mouthwash from the students of Prospect Ridge Academy, teaching the members of National Honor Society sewing skills, creating an instruction graphic, and presenting the project’s result in front of the entire student body for my school.

How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience?

We will soon see how much impact this project made once we repeat the project. The main goal of the project was to create awareness, so if more people assist National Honor Society to repeat the project (which we have already had a lot of interest), it will show that more people were influenced and inspired by the project. Excitement for the project is already growing, because the day after I presented my project to my school, a girl I didn’t even know came up to me to tell me her excitement. She told me how she was willing to help, and her father was even a dentist willing to assist and donate more materials and spread more awareness.

How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement?

The project is sustainable because National Honor Society at Prospect Ridge Academy will repeat the project annually. In addition to that, other interested parties outside of PRA could replicate or improve the project at https://sites.google.com/view/spreading-smiles

What is your project’s global and/or national connection?

The website I created for this project links the community in Colorado to other inspired people across the country and around the world.

What did you learn about yourself?

This project was a wonderful experience and  journey of self-discovery. At the beginning of the project, I was nervous presenting projects to a small group of people. By the end, I presented my project in front of the entire student body of Prospect Ridge Academy during an assembly. My leadership skills improved immensely. I learned how to work with a large team, coordinate logistical information across different organizations, and how to not stress about things as much as I did.

How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future?

Earning my Gold Award has changed my life. I am a more confident, caring, and strong girl. This also showed me I reached a goal I set for myself 12 years ago, and if I can do that, I can do anything.

Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience?

The Gold Award was an important part of my Girl Scout experience because it showed me how I could change the world. A lot of times people don’t contribute or help other people because they figure someone else will do it. The Gold Award allowed me to not only become the “someone” to do it, but to inspire others to do the same.

How did earning your Gold Award help you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)? 

I am a go-getter because, despite the many barriers both mentally and physically, I reached my goal after hours of hard work and determination.

I am an innovator because, even though my completed project was a different version of the one I initially planned on doing, I “rolled with the punches” and improved my project, so I could finish it to help kids in need.

I am a risk-taker because I did things I never thought I could do before, like presenting in front of hundreds of peers about something I am truly passionate about.

I am a leader because I have learned how to be confident, courageous, caring, kind, smart, honest, fair, friendly, helpful, and all of the qualities of a Girl Scout. Being a Girl Scout has given me all of the resources I need to be the best leader I can be.

**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.