Morgan Ray Schmidt of Girl Scout Troop 12021 in Catawba County has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award for a community leadership and service project that addresses mental health awareness, exercise and healthy relationships through movement and learning in response to the effects of isolation and virtual learning for students after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Girl Scout Ambassador partnered with South Newton Elementary School for her Gold Award project, “Mental Health and Movement,” to design eight interactive outdoor murals to provide physical activities and learning resources for students to practice mental health skills and have fun through art, games and exercise.
“I led discussions, designed and implemented teams of painters and helped teachers and staff look at ways to use the designs to build social skills and regulate mental health in the students,” said Schmidt, a Girl Scout of seven years. “By giving all of these kids and staff eight hands-on activities, hundreds of lives are changed to have better social interactions and skills for the future.”
Morgan collaborated with the school staff to inform them on the importance of helping kids with their mental health and self-regulation through movement. After creating the custom designs to match the school and the needs of its students, she led a team of over 20 people to paint the murals which provide hands-on spaces for students to play and address specific age level and mental health needs.
Girls in high school can earn the Girl Scout 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 Scout must dedicate a minimum of 80 hours to planning and carrying out their 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 (GSCP2P) council have created community gardens, addressed issues in foster care, combated bullying in schools and so much more.
This Gold Award is sustained past Morgan’s involvement as she was able to engage the entire student body of 450 students, their families and over 45 staff members to build better mental health experiences for years to come. The Girl Scout said, “My project brought the community together and let these kids know that their emotional and physical health matters.”
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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