Lauren Forbes of Mocksville has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award for a community service project that aimed to support children’s emotional needs with a sensory room for her local church.
In her senior year of high school, the Girl Scout Ambassador addressed the challenges kids with physical and mental disorders can face and the need for safe places to regulate their emotions, to regain physical and mental control, or to simply step away when their emotions get too high.
“Children need a place and space to calm down, defuse anger and take a break. A sensory room can help to deescalate heavy emotions before they get out of hand and prevent situations before kids get overwhelmed,” said Lauren, a Girl Scout of nine years. “The reality of today is that a lot of kids struggle with ADD, ADHD, anger issues, past trauma and trouble focusing. A room such as this would give them the special attention they need to thrive and build healthy relationships.”
Forbes renovated a room at Rescue House Church to accommodate the kids of the church who have disabilities with a sensory room that allows them to regulate their emotions in a safe place away from other kids and stress inducing situations.
The Girl Scout and her team installed a beam to hold swings, gathered sensory and fidget toys and added flexible seating options including a small tent and rugs. They painted an abstract mural with calming colors and added fabric lighting covers to block out some of the harsh LED lighting that previously existed in the room to appeal to the kids and their individual needs.
Girls in high school can earn their Gold Award by creating sustainable change on a community or world issue. They address the root cause of a problem, plan and implement innovative solutions to drive change and lead a team of people to success. Each girl must dedicate a minimum of 80 hours to planning and carrying out her project that benefits the community and has a long-lasting impact.
Gold Award Girl Scouts gain tangible skills and prove they are the leaders our community and world need, and those from the Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont council have created community gardens, addressed issues in foster care, combated bullying in schools and so much more.
Forbes said, “My project showed me how to see an issue and act on it. It taught me that problems are meant to be solved, and you are never too young to do something about it.”
Thousands of Girl Scouts across the country earn the Girl Scout Gold Award each year, which first began in 1916 as the Golden Eaglet. Earning the Gold Award opens doors to scholarships, preferred admission tracks for college and amazing career opportunities. In 2024, 40 GSCP2P Girl Scouts earned their Gold Award.
To learn more about earning a Girl Scout Gold Award, visit https://www.girlscoutsp2p.org/en/members/for-girl-scouts/badges-journeys-awards/highest-awards/gold-award.html.
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