GSEM Bronze Award Project Catalog

BRONZE AWARD PROJECT CATALOG

WELCOME

Welcome to the Girl Scout Bronze Award, a leadership adventure for more than half a million Girl Scout Juniors across the nation. Imagine what Girl Scouts can accomplish when they team up with others and use their skills and interests to take action and make a difference in the world! This adventure is big—in fact, this award is the highest honor a Girl Scout in grades 4-5 can achieve. As Juniors plan and complete their project, they’ll develop more confidence, meet new people, and have the kind of fun that happens when they work with other Girl Scouts to make a difference. There are three key parts to the Highest Awards: sustainability, measurability, and identifying a root cause of an issue. As Girl Scouts progress through the Highest Awards, these key parts look different. The Bronze Award Project Catalog provides examples of previous projects to inspire Juniors to earn their Girl Scout Bronze Award.

• Animals • Art, Culture, Heritage • Child Wellbeing • Civic Engagement • Education • Environment & Sustainability Bronze Award Project Categories Featured In Catalog: • Health • Outdoors • Poverty • Senior Citizen Needs • STEM

HIGHEST AWARD THEMES AND CATEGORIES Need help identifying a category or theme for a Highest Award project? Here is a comprehensive list of categories based on previous projects completed over the past several years. Already have a topic in mind? No problem! Even if you don’t see your topic listed below, you can still pursue it as a Highest Award project.

Animals: animal safety, rights, adoption

Human Rights: racial justice, women’s and girl’s rights, human trafficking, immigration

Arts, Culture, Heritage: languages, historic preservation, cultural awareness, performing arts, visual arts, music

Military/Veteran Affairs: veteran’s assistance, veterans issues

Child Wellbeing: child abuse, foster care, infant care, mentoring

Outdoors: environmental stewardship, adventure opportunities

Civic Engagement: politics, community development

Poverty: hunger, homelessness, affordable housing, fair trade

Disability: disability issues, access, hearing impaired, special needs

Public Safety: traffic safety, juvenile detention, detention centers

Disaster Relief: fire, natural disasters, flooding, earthquake

Relationships: anti-bullying initiatives, domestic violence signs, sexual violence awareness

Education: literacy, career training, financial literacy

Senior Citizen Needs: elder care, senior centers, dementia

Entrepreneurship: business development, social entrepreneurship

Sports: after school programs, concussion awareness, equipment needs in underserved areas, participation barriers

Environment & Sustainability: preserving outdoor spaces, pollution, alternative energy, clean water, farming, climate change Health: fitness, nutrition, diseases, organ donation, global health, self-esteem, self-image, drug abuse, suicide prevention, mental health

STEM: science, technology, engineering, math, robotics

For any questions regarding topics or the Highest Awards, please contact Annie Miller at amiller@girlscoutsem.org .

ANIMALS

Birdhouses for the Community

Project Details: To earn the Girl Scout Bronze Award, these young leaders researched the benefits of birdhouses in the community and partnered with a local senior living facility to place their newly-built birdhouses. After working out a budget to determine cost of supplies and other needs for their project, Troop 3361 held a garage and bake sale to raise money to purchase their supplies. Once the supplies were gathered and the wood cut to size, the Juniors led the residents at the senior living facility through the assembly of the birdhouses and a bird craft. They identified locations to place the completed birdhouses at local schools after reaching out to principals for permission. In addition to those birdhouses, the troop also placed eight birdhouses around the Eureka community.

Bronze Award Team: Troop 3361

Issue: The Eureka community would benefit from having more birdhouses and creating opportunities to spend time with older adults. Root Cause: There are currently not enough birdhouses in the community to support local bird populations. Target Audience: All community members who enjoy nature and want to attract more birds to their area can benefit from this project. Increasing the number of birdhouses also supports the environment by promoting soil health and reducing pollution.

Paws for Hearts

Project Details: Troop 884 wanted to support a local animal shelter for their Bronze Award project. The Juniors organized a donation drive where they collected laundry detergent, paper towels, and peanut butter. In addition to the donated supplies, the team made cat toys out of old socks, and toys and blankets from fleece. The Juniors donated more than 200 items of supplies and toys to the shelter. When planning their project, the Girl Scouts participated in a program focused on understanding anxiety in dogs and techniques to help calm them. Inspired by what they learned, they visited a local animal shelter to read to the dogs, helping ease the stress and anxiety many animals experience in shelter environments.

Bronze Award Team: Troop 884

Issue: Animals in shelters are often very anxious.

Root Cause: Animal shelters can be stressful and overwhelming environments for pets, with unfamiliar people, new surroundings, and many other animals. When animals experience anxiety, it can make them appear fearful or withdrawn—sometimes reducing their chances of being adopted. Target Audience: The project benefited dogs and cats at the Humane Society.

Magnificent Monarchs

Bronze Award Team: Troop 520

Issue: Monarch butterflies are now on the endangered list. Root Cause: Habitat destruction is the leading cause of endangerment.

Project Details: After learning Monarch butterflies are on the endangered species list and researching ways to help them, Troop 520 worked together to create them a safe habitat in the community. The Girl Scouts built several habitats for the butterflies to use. They partnered with the St. Peters Parks Department and two elementary schools to create a pollinator garden at a local park, providing a food source for the butterflies. They planted milkweed and placed their new butterfly homes. Finally, the Juniors wrote and published a book to help teach others how they can create a butterfly garden to help save the Monarch butterflies.

Target Audience: Monarch butterflies.

Upcycle to Help Rescues

Bronze Award Team: Troop 542

Issue: Many individuals are unaware of the possible things that they can create when they recycle/upcycle, and how they can help animals. Root Cause: There is an abundance of animals in shelters with not enough resources, along with a lot of waste that could be recycled. Target Audience: Rescued cats at a local animal rescue shelter, Fourche Valley Rescue, received the scratch posts.

Project Details: For their Bronze Award project, these young changemakers wanted to do their part to reduce waste in their community and support animals living in shelters. So, they decided to make scratch posts for cats by upcycling the leftover boxes from their Girl Scout Cookie season. The Girl Scouts collected and broke down all the cookie boxes and cut the cardboard into strips to assemble into posts. The scratching posts were then donated to Fourche Valley Rescue for the cats to use to keep their nails healthy and provide an opportunity for cats to exercise and reduce stress.

Paw-zing Pollution

Project Details: Troop 1262 wrote and published a picture book about how trash affects animals. They hosted a trash pickup event, and each Girl Scout completed additional pickups on their own or in pairs. The Juniors met with Operation Brightside and learned to apply new stickers to city dumpsters to help residents see how to sort trash from recycling properly. They applied over 120 new dumpster stickers in alleys all over the city. The result of their work was city residents being educated about how to properly sort trash into their dumpsters and Pre-K and Kindergarten students being educated about how litter can affect stray and wild animals in the environment. The Girl Scouts donated a copy of the book to each class’s library and to the school’s library.

Bronze Award Team: Troop 1262

Issue: Trash and pollution outdoors leave stray animals vulnerable to harm.

Root Cause: People do not dispose of water properly.

Target Audience: Pre-K and Kindergarten students at Mallinckrodt Academy learned from the book the troop wrote, which taught them about recycling. The Girl Scouts also helped educate city residents on what items should—and should not—be placed in recycling bins.

Support for Shelter Dogs

Bronze Award Team: Troop 1296

Issue: There are many animals in shelters, and they often appear anxious or distressed, which can make them less likely to be adopted. Root Cause: Animals can spend long periods of time in shelters before being adopted. Target Audience: The Juniors helped animals at Stray Rescue and reached potential adopters.

Project Details: After researching about animals’ long stays in shelters, these young leaders wanted to do their part to increase adoptions. The Girl Scouts sewed reusable leash covers with various phrases, such as, “adopt me,” “dog reactive,” and “ask to pet,” for Stray Rescue of St. Louis to use while taking dogs out for daily walks. The Juniors also made an activity book for the shelter to pass out to visiting kids to educate them on ways they can help shelter animals, and how to keep additional pets out of shelters. Finally, they collected commonly needed shelter supplies and made dog toys to enrich the lives of shelter animals while they are there.

Kitty Kollection

Issue: When considering the types of donations animal shelters often request, the focus is usually on dogs—leaving cats and other animals with fewer supplies. Root Cause: Cats are often seen as more independent and less demanding, so people may assume they don’t need many supplies to meet their basic needs. Since cats are generally smaller and require less food and equipment, shelters tend to have higher expenses caring for dogs. As a result, donation requests are often focused more on the dog population. Target Audience: Humane Society of Missouri and the Animal Protection Association in St. Louis.

Bronze Award Team: Magnolia Z. of Troop 55075

Project Details: Passionate about the needs of cats in shelters, this young go-getter established donation bins around the South City PetSmart to earn her Girl Scout Bronze Award. Magnolia created an information display to go with the bins that shared awareness of needs shelter cats may have and encouraged customers to contribute. Magnolia also worked with her elementary school to collect wish list items for cats. Those collected items were then donated to the Humane Society of Missouri and Animal Protective Association of Missouri (APA).

ARTS, CULTURE, HERITAGE

Girl Scout Engagement: Meeting and Badge in a Box

Project Details: To earn the Girl Scout Bronze Award, these young leaders decided to make troop meetings as accessible as possible, by placing everything a troop could need to earn the Outdoor Art Explorer Badge in a box. The Girl Scouts used funds raised during a lemonade stand to purchase supplies for the box, including Model Magic, sketch notebooks, and wing patches. The Girl Scouts spent time researching local art and sensory gardens to prepare meeting summaries and examples of outdoor art. They then planned a meeting for a younger Girl Scout troop at Reed Elementary School. The Juniors hosted 15 Girl Scouts at Shaw Park and led them through their meeting in a box to earn the badge and perform a bridging ceremony. After ensuring their box provided everything a troop would need, the Juniors provided the box to the Girl Scout Service Center for other troops to use to complete the Outdoor Art Explorer Badge.

Bronze Award Team: Troop 4561

Issue: There is a decrease in the number of Girl Scouts as girls get older. Root Cause: Busier schedules for both Girl Scouts and their host schools results in some girls choosing other extracurriculars, and some schools are not allowing meetings to be held in their spaces after school. Target Audience: The Juniors worked with Reed School Troop 2832, as well as area Junior Troops to provide them with the resources.

Bluebirds and Kindness

Project Details: In order to help the declining bluebird population, Girl Scouts from Troop 1246 jumped into action to create safe nesting spaces for the birds for their Bronze Award project. Each Girl Scout built and painted their own bluebird house. Then, they partnered with the City of Crestwood to install the birdhouses in Whitecliff Park. In addition to the birdhouses, the Juniors added a kindness rock garden to the park. They filled the garden with rocks painted with motivational and uplifting messages. They also placed kindness rocks in the community garden at Crestwood Community Center to spread positivity.

Bronze Award Team: Troop 1246

Issue: The bluebird population continues to decline, highlighting both an environmental need and an opportunity to promote kindness within the community. Root Cause: Competition for nesting space from invasive species such as House Sparrows and European Starlings contributed to the decline in Bluebird population. In terms of emotions and feelings, some individuals feel lonely and are in need of positiveness. Target Audience: The birdhouses targeted bluebirds while the kindness rocks targeted people in their community.

Pretty Pots

Bronze Award Team: Troop 2959

Issue: Edgar Road Elementary School’s new outdoor cafeteria needed some beautification, and some students were leaving the designated areas during lunch. Root Cause: The area being used for the outdoor cafeteria was plain and kids kept leaving the area to roll down the hill. Target Audience: The pots were for Edgar Road Elementary students eating lunch.

Project Details: To earn their Girl Scout Bronze Award, Troop 2959 worked together to beautify the space around the outdoor cafeteria at Edgar Road Elementary School. The Juniors added four large planters to the space around the cafeteria. Each Girl Scout painted their own pot and planted flowers. These pots not only added decorations, but they also served as a way to ensure the students would remain in the designated eating areas.

Peyton’s Heart Project

Bronze Award Team: Troop 1377

Issue: Some youth experience suicidal thoughts.

Root Cause: The feeling of low self-worth is present among many young individuals. Target Audience: The hearts were handed out to children experiencing low self-esteem.

Project Details: These young changemakers wanted to raise awareness about suicide and bullying among their peers. For their Bronze Award project, Troop 1377 partnered with The Peyton Heart Project, an organization inspired by several stories, including that of a 13-year-old boy named Peyton James who died by suicide in 2014, to craft and distribute hearts. The Girl Scouts crocheted hearts using the pattern provided by The Peyton Heart Project. They also attached positive notes and Peyton’s name to each heart, spreading his legacy. The Juniors then provided school counselors in their district with the hearts to hand out to students experiencing a rough time.

CHILD WELLBEING

Welcome Neighbor Playroom

Project Details: Motivated to provide refugee children arriving in the St. Louis area with a safe and fun place to play and relax, Alice partnered with Welcome Neighbor STL to provide their facility a dedicated playroom at the new Peter and Paul Community Campus. Alice’s Bronze Award project included rehabbing the playroom space and working with her community to collect donated toys, rugs, and furniture. She created social media posts and flyers to ask for donations, as well as speaking to church members for items and progress updates. Alice also added several small drawstring bags so that when it was time for the families to leave the center to move into more permanent housing, the children would have a bag of toys to take with them.

Bronze Award Team: Alice K. of Troop 1739

Issue: Children of refugee families staying at the Peter and Paul Community Campus needed toys while living in the shelter. Root Cause: The refugee families are coming to the United States with little to no belongings, and things like toys are a luxury that they didn’t have. Target Audience: Welcome Neighbor STL Refugee Families living at the temporary housing at the Peter and Paul Community Campus.

Foster Care Awareness

Project Details: For their Bronze Award project, these young changemakers wanted to educate their peers and community about children in foster care. After researching and gathering facts, the Girl Scouts created posters with these stats and hung them around their school. Troop 3129 held two events to share their new found information and collect donations for a local foster care agency. At the first event, the troop ran a Girl Scout Cookie rally that included a station for participants to learn about foster care. They also hosted a collection drive at their school and set up a table at a school event to collect items.

Bronze Award Team: Troop 3129

Issue: There are numerous children in foster care. Root Cause: There is a shortage of individuals willing to adopt.

Target Audience: Student at their elementary school.

Saying Bye to School Stress

Bronze Award Team: Troop 774

Issue: Students often experience stress and anxiety during school. Root Cause: Things such as tests and grades places pressure on students and they don’t know coping skills.

Project Details: After experiencing first-hand how stress and anxiety can affect students in the classroom, Troop 774 wanted to relieve the pressure their peers experience. They determined the importance of learning proper coping skills at a young age and the effect it could have on a student’s academic success. For this reason, the Juniors created Calming Kits for each classroom in their school. The kits contained tools to help students that may be having a rough day. Items included glitter jars, squeeze pillows, fidgets, breathing technique cards, and much more.

Target Audience: Students at their school.

Placing an End to Bullying

Bronze Award Team: Troop 746

Issue: Bullying negatively impacts the lives of children and adults. Root Cause: Stressful life situations can cause initial bullying, but bullying can cause more bullying.

Project Details: Knowing that bullying negatively impacts the lives of children, Troop 746 decided to take a stand against bullying to earn the Bronze Award. They wrote and filmed skits that depicted real-life scenarios of bullying and the cycle it causes. The scenes show a bullying incident in the classroom, which then led to the victim bullying students in the lunchroom and on the playground. The videos also include interviews from the bullies and victims to find out why they picked on the other child and how they felt about being bullied. The Juniors submitted the video to their school principals and counselors for their use.

Target Audience: Students at a local elementary school.

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT

Gaga Ball Building

Project Details: After enjoying their time playing Gaga Ball at Girl Scout Camp in the summer, Troop 387 decided to share their love of the game with their peers at Jefferson Intermediate to earn the Bronze Award. The Girl Scouts developed a plan and presented their idea to the principal and parents. Once approved, they created a building blueprint, a budget and a supply list. The Juniors worked for two days building the Gaga Ball pit and installing it at Jefferson Intermediate. The game is now an area for students to socialize and reconnect outside of the classroom.

Bronze Award Team: Troop 387

Issue: Students at Jefferson Intermediate needed to be able to gather and socialize with others in the grade(s).

Root Cause: Students entering into Jefferson Intermediate come from several

elementary schools and do not always have a chance to see each other outside of academic time.

Target Audience: All students in Jefferson Intermediate.

Troop Organizer: Redevelopment of Claymont Elementary Girl Scout Community

Project Details: For their Bronze Award project, Troop 472 addressed the issue of disconnection among Girl Scouts at Claymont Elementary School due to the unfilled position of Troop Organizer. Members of the troop were approved by council to serve as Claymont Troop Organizer for the 2022-23 school year. Their focus was to organize and reinstate three main all-troop events throughout the year to build the community between troops. Troop 472 successfully organized Pajamarama, Me & My Girl Dance, and the End of the Year Ceremony with flag ceremony & bridging. These events included service projects that benefited foster children and future Girl Scouts. Serving as Troop Organizer also gave them the opportunity to act as mentors to the younger troops at Claymont Elementary by teaching traditions of the Claymont Girl Scout community. At the end of the school year, the Juniors shared their experience & the importance of the Troop Organizer position with the remaining Claymont Elementary Troop Leaders with hope that there would not be another lapse in the position.

Bronze Award Team: Troop 472

Issue: Since the winter of 2020, the Girl Scout community Claymont Elementary had not participated in any troop events. Root Cause: The school was without a Troop Organizer since the schools closed with the pandemic in March 2020. Target Audience: Claymont Elementary girls learned more about the position.

The Ultimate Troop Meet Up

Bronze Award Team: Troop 3383

Issue: Different troops attending the same school had not met since the COVID-19 pandemic, and many of those troops have never gone camping. Root Cause: The COVID-19 pandemic ended all troop events at the school, including events led by older troops to encourage younger ones to stay in Girl Scouting.

Project Details: Due to the isolation from the COVID-19 pandemic, members from Girl Scout Troop 3383 recognized that many of their peers have not had the chance to go camping. So, they decided to host a camping style event for all Girl Scouts enrolled at Kehrs Mill Elementary School to earn the Bronze Award. The Girl Scouts spent four months planning the event, selecting a venue, and ensuring that all Girl Scouts would enjoy age-appropriate activities. To promote their event, the Juniors created a flyer and distributed to troop leaders within their school. On the day of the event, Troop 3383 led 50 Girl Scouts through camp-related swaps, songs, campfire skits, and taught fire-building skills at Babler State Park.

Target Audience: Girl Scouts enrolled at Kehrs Mill Elementary School.

Blessing Our First Responders

Issue: First responders are often on the go and may need quick access to snacks or hand sanitizer while on a call or driving. Root Cause: First responders have extremely busy schedules, and it is difficult to have time to replenish needed items. Target Audience: First responders, including EMS, Firefighters, and Police received the bags.

Bronze Award Team: Paulina P., Juliette Girl Scout

Project Details: Recognizing that first responders often have chaotic schedules when they are on long shifts, this young leader decided to do her part to provide comfort and appreciation to these individuals. Paulina made kits that included hand sanitizer, hand wipes, candy and mints, travel tissues, Gatorade, car air freshener, pens, band-aids, protein snacks, and instant coffee. The bags are intended to provide first responders with daily needs and comforts to help reduce some stress while on the job. After assembling all of the bags, Paulina delivered them to several first responder and law enforcement departments.

Teaching Trees

Project Details: To earn their Girl Scout Bronze Award, members of Troop 967 created a patch program to increase involvement in local community events, specifically the Kirkwood Greentree Festival. The Girl Scouts researched activities from past festivals, reviewed an old Greentree patch program, and interviewed festival committee members in order to develop their program. They also did extensive research on trees and local tree protection laws. Keeping with the history and mission of the Kirkwood Greentree Festival, the Juniors created a bingo-style patch program. The bingo board is designed so that every bingo, horizontal, vertical, or diagonal, includes completing a service activity, two educational activities, and two fun activities. The board is balanced between tree-related activities that can be done both outside the festival and while attending the event. Everyone who completes a bingo receives a special patch.

Bronze Award Team: Troop 967

Issue: While Boy Scouts and many other

groups have actively participated in the Kirkwood Greentree Festival and parade, Girl Scouts have not yet been involved. Root Cause: Some Girl Scouts are unaware of all the opportunities that exist to get involved in the community.

Target Audience: Girl Scouts and their community members living in Kirkwood.

Daisy Day Camp

Bronze Award Team: Troop 3247

Issue: There was a lack of connection between younger and older Girl Scout troops and a lack of engagement opportunities for new troops. Root Cause: The COVID-19 pandemic made large group events and intermixes between groups difficult.

Project Details: To earn their Bronze Award, the Girl Scouts planned a Daisy Day Camp, a one-day event for two Kindergarten troops at their school to bolster their Girl Scout community and engagement opportunities. During the day camp, the Juniors led the Daisies in an opening and closing ceremony, and four Girl Scout activity related stations. These activities included learning about SWAPs, first aid, camping skills, and campfire snacks. The Daisies were also taught songs and Girl Scout traditions. After the event, the Juniors received positive feedback from the attendees, with many saying it was their first Girl Scout event outside of their troop meetings.

Target Audience: Kindergarten Daisy Girl Scouts.

Flag Stands for District 12

Issue: The district provides flags for troops to borrow, but there are no flag stands available for them to use. Root Cause: No one had previously donated flag stands to be used. Target Audience: District 12 troops who need flags for bridging and other ceremonies.

Bronze Award Team: Jennifer N. of Troop 1299

Project Details: There are many ceremonies that help Girl Scouts celebrate special moments and accomplishments, and they often begin with a flag ceremony. After recognizing the lack of flag stands in her district, Jennifer decided to construct the stands to earn the Girl Scout Bronze Award. Jennifer worked with her District Equipment Manager to receive approval and measurements needed to create the stands. Jennifer learned how to use new tools, including a saw, sander, and drill, to build sturdy flag stands. The flag stands are now part of the district’s equipment inventory for troops to use for ceremonies.

EDUCATION

Book Drive

Project Details: After learning about an upcoming book fair happening at their school, Keysor Elementary, Juniors from Troop 3181 decided to use this event as an opportunity to give back to their community to earn the Girl Scout Bronze Award. The Girl Scouts created handmade posters and posted to social media to advertise a donation drive to collect gently-used books during the book fair. They also made a wish list of suggested books to donate. After the collection was over, the young leaders sorted and donated 158 books to a local elementary school with less resources available to them.

Bronze Award Team: Troop 3181

Issue: Not all schools have enough books in their library or the funds to purchase more books. Root Cause: Families in these areas have lower incomes and books are considered a luxury.

Target Audience: Kratz Elementary School students.

Preparing for Menstrual Cycles

Project Details: Recognizing that not every elementary school offers health talks or feminine hygiene products in bathrooms, Troop 1534 wanted to raise awareness and help their peers prepare for the next stage of their lives to earn the Girl Scout Bronze Award. The Girl Scouts created and gave a presentation to their principal about this issue and the average-age girls start their menstrual cycles. In their presentation, they suggested several improvements could be made, including health talks on body changes and what to expect, adding a sanitary closet filled with donations, and adding a sanitary napkin dispenser to bathrooms. In addition to meeting with the principal, the Juniors also organized talks with girls at the school. These talks provided a point-person within the school for girls to visit if they receive their menstrual cycle for the first time during school hours and are unsure what to do.

Bronze Award Team: Troop 1534

Issue: Not all schools have health talks or sanitary napkin dispensers in their elementary buildings. Root Cause: There is a lack of providing education and awareness to girls regarding this cycle of life.

Target Audience: Students at North County Christian School.

Wilderness Information for New Girl Scouts

Bronze Award Team: Troop 3132

Issue: New and young Girl Scouts may not be prepared for their first time going in the woods. They may be scared because it is unfamiliar, or they have heard scary things. Root Cause: Lack of classes or programs to learn about expectations when going to camp for the first time.

Project Details: Knowing that going to camp for the first time can cause anxiety in younger Girl Scouts, Troop 3132 decided to research and prepare a presentation to ease these fears for their Bronze Award project. The Juniors each identified a topic regarding areas of wilderness and used that newly-gained knowledge to create a short video and slide presentation. They also created a booklet with a series of questions to use after watching the presentation to review the information. The Girl Scouts provided all of their materials to their Girl Scout Service Unit so troop leaders can access the project and prepare their troop to go camping.

Target Audience: New Daisy and Brownie Girl Scouts.

Reading & Recycling

Bronze Award Team: Troop 1860

Issue: Some people lack access to reading materials and there is a need to reduce plastic waste. Root Cause: Reading materials are expensive, and there is an abundance of single-use plastics being manufactured every day. Target Audience: Those living in the Lindenwood Park neighborhood.

Project Details: To earn the Girl Scout Bronze Award, Troop 1860 wanted to help transform their neighborhood in order to make it a place where both children and the environment were supported. The Juniors began by building a free little library where community members could both borrow and leave books. After constructing their little library, these young changemakers also made eco bricks from single use plastics and built a permanent flower bed around the library. By using single-waste plastics, the Girl Scouts reduced waste accumulating in their neighborhood.

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

Missouri Invasive Plant Species

Project Details: These young changemakers researched invasive species in Missouri and gathered information about five of the most common plants. They then made an informational booklet on how to identify the different types of species and the negative impacts they have on the environment. In addition to the booklet, Troop 1274 filmed a video about invasive plants to share with their local community members and raise awareness on the adverse effects these plants have on the environment. The troop distributed the video and handout within their community. After completing their project, the Girl Scouts attended a volunteer event with the St. Charles Parks Department to remove honeysuckle at a local park.

Bronze Award Team: Troop 1274

Issue: There are many invasive species around Missouri. Root Cause: Invasive species are often brought into a new environment through people. Target Audience: The local environment, as well as those who were informed, benefited from the project.

T-Shirt Tote Bags

Project Details: Concerned about reducing plastic usage at their school, Troop 1513 jumped into action to turn old, unwanted T-shirts into reusable tote bags. The troop created more than 160 shirt bags and donated them to Becky-David Elementary School to use for their book fair, instead of customary plastic shopping bags. They also made bookmarks for students with instructions on how to make their own T-shirt tote bags. The troop shared their project with the PTO, students and members of the Girl Scout community. Their efforts supported protecting the environment from additional plastic consumption while helping their school save money on purchasing bags.

Bronze Award Team: Troop 1513

Issue: Limit fabric and plastic bag waste.

Root Cause: Fast fashion has created lots of fabric waste. In addition, plastic bags often end up in the ocean. Target Audience: Becky-David Elementary families and their community.

Bat Houses

Bronze Award Team: Troop 3118

Issue: Humans are seeing an increase in the numbers of harmful insects that are biting them. Root Cause: Not enough bats in the area to eat the mosquitoes.

Project Details: After learning about the increase number of mosquitoes in the area, members of Troop 3118 decided to take action and find a solution to combat the growing number of harmful insects. During their research, they discovered bats were the main predator of mosquitoes. To earn the Girl Scout Bronze Award, the Juniors built bat enclosures using donated materials to keep mosquitoes away. Once they had finished assembling, sanding, and staining the bat houses, the Girl Scouts partnered with Washington Parks Director to identify the most useful areas to place their bat houses.

Target Audience: City of Washington citizens.

Pond Research and Cleanup

Bronze Award Team: Troop 467

Issue: The pond at a local school is very dirty with lots of litter and algae growth, making it look and smell bad. Root Cause: People’s litter and waste doesn’t get cleaned up because the Parks Department doesn’t have enough resources. Target Audience: Visitors to the park and the animals that live there.

Project Details: Girl Scout Troop 467 had observed the

accumulation of trash in a local park and how that led to an increase growth of algae in the pond. To earn the Girl Scout Bronze Award, these young changemakers researched and implemented cleaning methods for urban ponds. The Juniors partnered with their local parks director to remove trash and clean the pond. They then created a list of parks that could also benefit from their project and presented that information to their peers at school. In addition to speaking with their peers, they also wrote to local community organizations to participate in future clean-up efforts.

Saving Crayons

Project Details: For their Bronze Award project, Troop 1983 started a crayon recycling program at their school after learning that crayons are recyclable, but the process can be inconvenient. The Juniors organized a collection drive and used a video and posters they created to promote the drive, along with speaking to each grade level. The Girl Scouts worked with The Crayon Initiative to recycle the collected crayons. During the span of their project, these young changemakers saved over 400 pounds of crayons from the landfill. Those crayons were made into 288 new packs of crayons that were donated to children’s hospitals. The Girl Scouts partnered with their student council to continue their project.

Bronze Award Team: Troop 1983

Issue: Too many crayons (which are recyclable), end up in landfills as hundreds of pounds are thrown away each year just from one elementary school. Root Cause: Although crayons are technically recyclable, very few places actually accept them. Those that do often require shipping, which can be costly.

Target Audience: Students at school.

Can You Recycle That?

Bronze Award Team: Troop 9178

Issue: Recycling was lacking in the City of Kirksville. Root Cause: Many individuals were unaware of local recycling initiatives that would make recycling more convenient.

Project Details: After learning that the City of Kirksville was looking for ways to promote recycling, Girl Scout members from Troop 9178 decided to take action to do their part of the community. The Juniors began by researching the recycling process and visiting a local recycling center to better understand the issue. Then, they wrote and filmed a short skit to demonstrate what can and cannot be recycled and posted the video to YouTube. The Girl Scouts also created a presentation and flyer with a QR code to their video to raise awareness. They shared their project during local community events, with college students in the area and with fellow Girl Scouts.

Target Audience: Members of the Kirksville community.

Littering Is Bad

Bronze Award Team: Troop 2228

Issue: There was only one trash can outside their school near the playground and it was overflowing with trash, causing kids to litter. Root Cause: There are not enough trash cans near the school playground.

Project Details: To address the issue of littering at their school, members from Troop 2228 created a presentation and spoke with school administration to add additional trash cans near the playground. With more trash cans placed outside, students were less inclined to litter since the cans were no longer overflowing. The Girl Scouts were then asked to become advocates against littering and speak with their peers on the importance of picking up trash. The Juniors created a slide show and presented to the students at Harvest Ridge Elementary School during a school assembly.

Target Audience: The Harvest Ridge community of students and staff.

HEALTH

Crafts for Kids

Project Details: To earn their Girl Scout Bronze Award, Troop 3756 decided to uplift pediatric patients during their long stays in the hospital by creating craft kits and activity bags. The Juniors researched a variety of crafts and activities to find the best options that were hospital friendly before finalizing a list of activities to include. After making sample crafts for reference, the Girl Scouts made instructions for each activity and worked together to assemble the bags. These young leaders created more than a thousand craft and activity bags that were then donated to a local hospital for the children undergoing treatments.

Bronze Award Team: Troop 3756

Issue: Children face a range of scary emotions when in the hospital and need uplifting activities. Root Cause: Boredom, fear and depression are feelings that occur while children are patients in a hospital. Target Audience: Children who were patients at a local hospital.

Feminine Fridges

Project Details: For their Bronze Award project, Girl Scouts from Troop 1817 wanted to address gender-based discrimination and the lack of access to feminine hygiene products available for girls in their school. The Girl Scouts came up with the idea for Feminine Fridges, a cabinet that they would fill with sanitary supplies. After speaking with their principal to receive approval on their project, the Juniors reached out to several organizations before securing donated cabinets and paint from Home Depot for their project. The Girl Scouts then got to work painting, decorating and installing the cabinets in the school bathrooms. Once the cabinets were ready, the young leaders designed a flyer to advertise a feminine hygiene donation drive to stock their Feminine Fridges. Over a period of two weeks, the Girl Scouts collected the donations, then sorted and filled the cabinets.

Bronze Award Team: Troop 1817

Issue: There is a lack of open access to feminine hygiene products available to middle school girls.

Root Cause: Women often face gender-based

discrimination, for example, with the “pink tax”, and the extra expenses that come along with being a woman.

Target Audience: The community of girls at their school.

New Vision, New Year

Bronze Award Team: Laurena T. of Troop 55073

Issue: There were a lot of old glasses in the school’s front office that were going to waste, and there are individuals who need glasses but cannot afford them. Root Cause: Students discard old glasses without a means of donating them. Target Audience: Vision Impaired members of the community.

Project Details: After learning that schools keep storage of old and forgotten glasses, Laurena came up with an idea to provide individuals in need who can’t afford glasses to earn her Girl Scout Bronze Award. This young leader organized meetings with her school administration to conduct an eyeglass donation drive at her school. The Junior designed a flyer and worked with the Communications Director at her school to advertise the event. After collecting the glasses, she worked with the Lion’s Club of Ferguson to distribute them to those in need. Laurena also spoke with the Parent Teacher Association at her school and provided her project plans to continue an annual eyeglass donation drive.

Support After Infant Loss

Bronze Award Team: Troop 2194

Issue: Families who experience the loss of an infant after birth need support. Root Cause: Medical conditions and complications during labor can lead to extremely difficult times for a mother and family. Target Audience: Families impacted by infant loss at Mercy Hospital.

Project Details: Girl Scouts from Troop 2194 wanted to show their support and provide comfort to mothers who recently experienced infant loss to earn their Girl Scout Bronze Award. The Juniors worked together to crochet blankets and paint heart shapes that would then be used for baby footprints, to serve as memories of the baby. They also organized a donation drive where they collected letters, clothes, and head bands, among other items. These young leaders also partnered with the Weighted Bear Program to provide donated bears. The Girl Scouts collected all of the donations to give to Mercy Hospital.

OUTDOORS

Benches at Camp Fiddlecreek Shower House

Project Details: For their project, these Juniors wanted to address the concern about the lack of seating outside the pool house at Camp Fiddlecreek. On hot summer days, Girl Scout campers would have to sit on the scorching pavement to put on and take off their shoes before entering the pool house. Determined to help find a solution, the Girl Scout troop designed and constructed four sturdy cedar benches and installed them by the sidewalk leading up to the shower house. Campers are now able to sit on the benches before entering and exiting the shower house, resulting in an enhanced camp experience.

Bronze Award Team: Troop 2462

Issue: Outside the pool house on a hot day the sidewalk will heat up and people will have to sit down to put on and take off their shoes on the hot sidewalk. Root Cause: The camp staff did not have the resources to install any outdoor seating. Target Audience: Girl Scouts at Camp Fiddlecreek, groups using the swimming pool, and those just needing the shower house.

Reaching Water

Project Details: After noticing a lack of hydration resources available to students during recess, members from Troop 2640 jumped into action to ensure students remain healthy and safe outside to earn their Girl Scout Bronze Award. The Girl Scouts researched the best way to provide hydration for their peers. Once they had identified a new drinking fountain and completed lead testing, the Juniors oversaw the installation at Mason Ridge Elementary School. The troop plans on ensuring the fountain is sustainable and functioning, to allow future students to stay hydrated by having water within their reach on hot days.

Bronze Award Team: Troop 2640

Issue: During outdoor recess, students at Mason Ridge Elementary did not have access to water. Root Cause: Water was not available outside for kids to stay hydrated.

Target Audience: Students and staff at Mason Ridge Elementary School.

Maintaining the Sycamore Trail Bridge

Bronze Award Team: Troop 2505

Issue: A new bridge was built and was in need of staining and sealing. Root Cause: New lumber does not come stained or sealed. Target Audience: Visitors to Camp Tukaho, including many Girl Scouts.

Project Details: Girl Scouts from Troop 2505 wanted to ensure future campers at Camp Tuckaho were able to safely cross the bridge while hiking to earn their Girl Scout Bronze Award. The Juniors had noticed the bridge was showing some wear and tear, so they decided to stain and seal the wood. By doing this, they were ensuring the bridge would remain supported and durable for many years. After working on the bridge, the Girl Scouts cleared the trail around the bridge to make the path more accessible.

Bristol Elementary School Pollinator, Sensory Garden, and Bug Hotel

Bronze Award Team: Troop 3508

Issue: The garden in front of Bristol Elementary School was neglected and overgrown, as it was not being used by the school or its students. Root Cause: The garden was first abandoned during the pandemic and no one resumed taking care of it when students returned to school.

Project Details: The garden in front of Bristol Elementary School had been neglected, so members from Troop 3508 decided to renovate the space to support the environment and provide the students with an outdoor learning opportunity. The Juniors started by removing the overgrown plants and covering the ground with cardboard and wood chips. They then made a supply list and purchased new plants to create a pollinator and sensory garden. During the Bristol Elementary annual Plant and Grow Day, the Girl Scouts helped to plant the garden and create a bug hotel.

Target Audience: Students and teachers at Bristol Elementary School.

POVERTY

Blessing Box Melissa’s Home for Hope

Project Details: Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri Junior Troop 3125 worked to support their neighbors with a blessings box, a freestanding structure that provides basic non-perishable food and hygiene items, to help those in need and earn their Girl Scout Bronze Award. The members of Troop 3125 rehabbed and installed a worn-out blessings box and relocated it to their neighborhood. The Girl Scouts worked with a domestic violence advocate to provide design and location tips. They also shopped for donations with their troop funds earned through participation in the Girl Scout Cookie program to fill the blessings box initially and met with a local coordinator to restock the box as needed moving forward.

Bronze Award Team: Troop 3125

Issue: There was a need in this community for easy access to personal care products, books, and non-perishable food items. Root Cause: Poverty and domestic violence are the primary reasons for this lack of necessities. Target Audience: The general community has access to the box, but specifically it is promoted to victims of domestic violence.

Spreading Hygiene and Hope

Project Details: To earn their Girl Scout Bronze Award, Juniors from Troop 2303 wanted to support youth in need who may be experiencing hardships in their everyday lives. After learning about the lack of toiletry items provided to those in need, the Girl Scouts organized a donation drive to obtain these resources to assist youth with maintaining hygiene. The Girl Scouts had found that toiletry items aid in cleanliness and help with general physical health. As a result, mental health improves as it’s been shown that being clean can positively impact self-worth and self-esteem. The Juniors donated the collected items to youth in need.

Bronze Award Team: Troop 2303

Issue: Homelessness is a challenging and complex issue. Root Cause: Factors such as inequality, low access to education and employment, low income, abuse, and neglect cause homelessness. Target Audience: Homeless individuals between the ages of 16-24.

Supplies for Refugees

Bronze Award Team: Troop 1904

Issue: There is a lack of supplies for refugees.

Root Cause: Refugees from many countries have settled in the St. Louis area with nothing more than what they could carry on them when they left their homelands. Target Audience: Refugees staying at Oasis International and International Institute of St. Louis.

Project Details: After recognizing the lack of supplies for refugees moving to the St. Louis area, Troop 1904 decided to organize a donation drive to provide shelter residents with useful goods. The Girl Scouts received donated cleaning and laundry supplies, including laundry bags, dish soap, small trash cans, and many more items. The young changemakers collected more than 100 cleaning items and over 50 rolls of toilet paper to donate. The Juniors also wrote welcome notes for the refugee children to ease their transition to a new community. The letters and cleaning supplies were then donated to Oasis International and International Institute of St. Louis.

Faith Haven Welcome Kits

Bronze Award Team: Troop 3201

Issue: When homeless individuals arrive at shelters they often have nothing more than what they are wearing. Root Cause: Being homeless, most individuals do not have the money to buy clothes and toiletries. Target Audience: Those who are homeless in St. Charles County and live at the Faith Haven House.

Project Details: Knowing that most homeless individuals often do not have an extra change of clothes, Troop 3201 created welcome kits for new residents at Faith Haven House to earn the Bronze Award. The kits consisted of a backpack containing two changes of clothes, new underwear and socks, and basic toiletries. The Girl Scouts filled the kits with the donated supplies they gathered through soliciting local businesses, flyers with their Amazon wishlist, and going door-to-door in their neighborhoods. They also created an inspirational calendar to include in each welcome kit. Finally, the Girl Scouts provided a step-by-step guide and project materials to Faith Haven House so they can continue their project in the future.