I decided to start my Gold Award project June of my Sophomore year. After a year and a half, I have finally earned this award. For those who do not know what the Gold Award is, it is the highest award a Girl Scout can earn. It is a sustained initiative that engages volunteers and takes 80 hours and over two years to complete. I chose the stress in high school students as the topic for my project. There are so many different methods that people can do in order to reduce or prevent stress. Studies have shown the many benefits that fresh air have on people. I installed an outdoor classroom at Marblehead High School, because it is, what I believe, a simple solution to stress relief. Learning outdoors allows students to continue their daily routines of learning, while enjoying stress reducing benefits. I thought that creating an outdoor classroom would be a fun way incorporate learning with going outside and gaining the benefits of fresh air at Marblehead High School.
I completed my Gold Award earlier this month. I have done over 80 hours of work to earn this award. Some of these hours came from organizing and executing a clean up of the Marblehead High School courtyard that I recently held. My fellow Girl Scouts, friends, and family removed four overflowing truck loads of branches, leaves, and grass from the courtyard. It took us about four hours to rake, weed, and trim the courtyard. There was a major transformation from before we started to when we finished. In the future, I hope that students or Girl Scouts mulch the beds and add perennials to brighten up the space. It is one thing to have a space for students and teachers to learn outside, but it is better when the space is clean and welcoming. I want to thank my family, Ali New, and Girl Scouts: Addy Moonie, Harper Moonie, Emily Ernst, Scarlett Kindle, and Molly Tapper. Also, troop leaders Ellen Ernst and Xhazzie Kindle. The cleanup was a success because we all worked together to beautify the space.
My Gold Award project has taken up a lot of my time, but it was all worth it because I was able to have an impact on my community. In class one day, my teacher asked if we wanted to do our presentations outside in the outdoor classroom, everyone was very excited with that thought. Listening to my peers’ response to going to the outdoor classroom make me realize that all my hard work and time spent on this project was worth it because I was able to make a difference at my high school, in my four years there. I am proud of myself that I was able to complete such a big project. I am thankful to everyone that has helped me along the way, including Mr. Bauer, Mr. Dutch, Jessi Robinson, my Outdoor Classroom Club peers, and the teachers and students at Marblehead High School. I also want to thank my family for always being there and supporting me as I complete this award. I have learned so much about my topic. I also learned and improved skills, including organization, communication, public speaking, and responsibility. I can take these skills me when I go to college and use them for the rest of my life.