What did you do for your Gold Award project?
The root cause of my project was helping people understand what it is like to have a speech impediment and how to avoid bullying people with disabilities.
How did you measure the impact your Gold Award project made on your target audience?
I presented to high schoolers. The impact my project had on the students was they understood what myself and other people who stutter go through. I gave them a survey before and after my presentation for a total of 42 surveys. The pretest average score was 3/10-4/10 and two people got 10/10 and the after survey average score was 8/10-10/10. The teachers and students were interested and engaged during the presentation and said they learned more about stuttering. One of the teachers, Mrs. Stover, even said my presentation was a great example of how to engage an audience because I started out with a video clip of teenagers who stutter. The class also responded well to my own video of my friend at camp.
How is your project sustainable? How will your project continue to impact after your involvement?
My Loyo (Living on Your Own) teacher and my speech pathologist will continue my project. In fact, after I gave my two presentations, Mrs. Shepherd asked my fifth period teacher if I could present my project to that class. The teacher said , “Of course!,” so I will be presenting my project again. My website is up and running and I have given my PowerPoint and brochure to Mrs. Shepherd for next year’s classes. I have a letter from Mrs. Shepherd saying she will do that.
What is your project’s global and/or national connection?
I have my website up and running. My website address is Http://mrryan02.wixsite.com?stuttersupports. I am working with Camp Say to have my website listed on their website.
What did you learn about yourself?
I learned about other people’s reactions to people getting bullied because of their stutter. I learned a lot about myself. I pushed myself to find someone famous to come to my presentation. I faced my fears in making a video, reaching out in person to my assistant principal, asking my teachers if I could present, and working 80 hours on one project. I learned I have what it takes to speak in front of my classmates and follow through on a large project.
How will earning your Gold Award impact you in the future?
Earning my Gold Award has taught me to be persistent in my goals and what I want to achieve in life.
Why do you feel the Gold Award was an important part of your Girl Scout experience?
Because it made me face my fear of talking in front of the class or in front of anyone.
How did earning your Gold Award help you become a G.I.R.L. (go-getter, innovator, risk-taker, leader)?
Risk-taker because I took a risk of talking in front of the class and it turned out really well. People loved it.
**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.