What did you do for your Gold Award project?
I constructed a StoryWalk Trail with 16 signs and six rotating stories at a nature trail in Castle Rock, CO.
How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience?
I measured the impact of my project through attendance at my opening event and overall trail attendance at the location. I also distributed posters at local businesses and flyers at local elementary schools.
How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement?
My project is sustainable through the permanent nature of the signs and the rotation of the signs. I currently change the stories every two months, but after the first year the National Honor Society at Ponderosa High School will take over the rotating of the signs two or three times a year.
What is your project’s global and/or national connection?
My project is connected to the national and international StoryWalk program which has trails in all 50 states and 12 countries.
What did you learn about yourself?
Throughout this project, I learned how to be a better communicator in different situations with different types of people. I also learned how to be resilient in situations that required creative solutions.
How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future?
In my future, earning my Gold Award will make me a better leader and a better organizer. By doing this project, I have the experience to direct projects in the future that I might not have had the knowledge to direct in the past.
Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience?
To me, the Gold Award was the culmination of my Girl Scout experience as a whole. The project wrapped up every skill I have worked on since I was a Daisy, from the badges to the camps to the leadership projects I volunteered with. Without the entirety of Girl Scouts and all that it taught me I would never have been able to reach the levels I have.
How did earning your Gold Award help you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)?
Earning my Gold Award helped me learn how to be an innovator by teaching me how to dissect complex problems and come up with creative solutions that I had not originally thought of. For example, when coming up with a product to use for my signs, I used industrial cooking cutting boards in order to find a product that was both resilient and cheap enough for my budget.
**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.
