What did you do for your Gold Award project?
To the senior citizens in my community, and communities around the world, the idea of technology and understanding how it works is a little harder to come by. With the invention of smartphones came the idea of making everything extremely accessible and extremely easy to use. However, if someone is struggling with adapting to the new technology and the pace of it, a smartphone is going to be frustrating and harder to use, and one would need help. The primary issue that my project addressed was that senior citizens tend to need more help with their smartphone technology to make their lives easier. I created a course and curriculum specifically for senior citizens meant to educate them on how to use their smartphone technology and gain a better understanding for it.
How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience?
I created surveys and handed them out at the end of each session, and had the seniors write down their opinions and exactly how much information they were retaining. The seniors would respond on the surveys with ways that I could improve each session and what they really wanted to learn as well. I used their feedback to adjust the curriculum and to prepare for the next class!
How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement?
I have passed on copies of my curriculum and a flyer with information on what my project was to the senior rec center that I completed my project at! They plan to have it available for senior citizens to use at their leisure.
What is your project’s global and/or national connection?
I have created a website that displays what my project was and includes the curriculum and surveys. The website can be found at https://taraseniorsconnect.wixsite.com/goldaward. The website contains all the information about my Gold Award project, including the curriculum I created and used, along with all the surveys and resources as well.
What did you learn about yourself?
I learned that I was not as well developed in the skills I thought I was, which allowed me to develop my leadership skills deeper. I learned to be flexible and how important it is to understand flexibility and that it’s an important skill to have. I also learned the skill of patience, and how important it is to have patience in everything one does. I also learned to be quick on my feet when solving issues, because I had to do that frequently throughout because not everything goes exactly as you hope!
How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future?
The skills I developed throughout the course of my Gold Award will impact my future career. I am pursuing degrees in Business Management and Technical Theatre, both which require intense organization skills and I attribute my ease at organization in part to my Gold Award. The skills I learned from doing my Gold Award allowed me to receive a scholarship at my college, and if I hadn’t been awarded the scholarship, I would not be able to attend where I do.
Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience?
It really brought together the last 11 years of Girl Scouts and what it was all about. It allowed me to grow as a person into someone who is strong, independent, and ready to take on the world and change it. My Gold Award allowed me to become someone I never imagined I would be when I first started Girl Scouts as a Brownie. My Gold Award prepared me for the real world, as I use the skills I developed every day.
How did earning your Gold Award help you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)?
Earning my Gold Award forced me to take risks. I had to do a lot of reaching out to others and that tends to be hard for me because I’m a relatively shy person when I don’t know people. As a young girl, I was very quiet and shy, and struggled with eye contact when conversing. Because I was forced to take these risks of talking to people I didn’t know throughout my Gold Award, I now converse with ease and make eye contact naturally, as it’s not something I fear anymore because I took those initial risks.
**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