What a Take Action Project should NOT look like!

"Pennsylvania's South Whitehall Patch reports that Meredith-Ann Beam, 18, has been awarded the Girl Scout Gold Award.  Beam's project included crocheting five baby blankets, knitting another five baby blankets, making 40 regular-sized blankets and making 70 bears for children at various local organizations.


“I taught the younger scouts how to knit and crochet the baby blankets and teddy bears for children to cuddle with," she said. "They were given to Bayada Pediatrics, Catholic Charities, Turning Point, Sacred Heart Hospital and Lehigh Valley Hospital.”  from the GSUSA blog 6-1-12

Did this project meet the current Gold Award Project requirements?  In a word, NO!  This was a nice service project.  Kudos that it involved teaching younger girls, and that it was a great output of product that was donated to the local hospitals.  But did it make a lasting change?  NO!  How was this sustainable?  

These are the questions we ask the girls when we talk with them about their projects.  What is the issue?  A need for blankets is NOT an issue, it's the result of something else.  Lack of funding?  Lack of an organized group to collect and make blankets? Or what?  

What could have made this a Gold Award standard project?  

Identifying the need.  

Discovering the root cause.

Connecting to the need and issue and developing a plan that attacks them!  Finding a Project Advisor.

Taking Action by putting together a project plan, gathering a team, educating others and working the plan.

Making a sustainable difference in the community.

Could the collection piece be included?  ABSOLUTELY!  But it can't be the whole project!  It should  be a small piece of the overall project. As one of our Gold girls said, "people like to give around Christmas, so I have a collection piece as part of my overall program, just for December."  She had a point!  Her club at school really connected with the students at school, by soliciting donations AS THEY GAVE OUT INFORMATION about the charity.  And the charity benefited from the service project.  

As we say in training, Girl Scouts has RAISED THE BAR on what a Gold Award Project looks like!  Here in Orange County, we are truly trying to hold the girls to the higher standard.

(On a separate note...my apologies for a lack of posts the end of the month!  I'll be getting back on track, starting today!  I think life just got in my way.  You know, visiting relatives, work, Mom, other GS events.... Speaking of, hope to see you all at the Adult Recognition Event on Sunday!  Bling it!)