GSEM Gold Award Project Catalog

No More Silence End Gun Violence

Gold Award Girl Scout: Ryan H., Juliette

Issue: Increase in gun violence among young children. Root Cause: Young children lack the knowledge of gun safety. Measurability: Students filled out a survey demonstrating what they learned. Sustainability: Top Ladies of Distinction/Top Teens of America will continue to share the presentation with more youth.

Project Details: Moved by the increased gun violence affecting American students, Ryan decided to address the issue of gun safety for those in her community. Ryan created a video and presentation to teach local students and youth groups the safety steps to follow if they would come into contact with a firearm, how to properly put on a gun lock and tips for creating safer homes. Ryan created two separate presentations, one for her classmates and one directed toward younger children. In the presentation, Ryan lists the four steps everyone should follow when seeing an unattended gun. After the presentations, Ryan gave the adults who attended donated gun locks.

Not So Scary

Issue: People have developed irrational anger and fear towards the police forces. Root Cause: Over publicized stories of unprofessional cops cause people to generalize all those who wear the uniform as unfair and cruel. Measurability: Gracyn kept data on student responses during group discussions, and sent follow-up surveys the classroom teachers asking how their students’ perceptions of police officers has changed as a result of the presentation and video. Sustainability: The school resource officer will continue playing the video for students.

Gold Award Girl Scout: Gracyn B., Troop 3778

Project Details: Gracyn set out to help decrease juveniles’ negative perceptions of police officers with their Girl Scout Gold Award project. Gracyn collected footage and personal interviews through Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri’s first responder immersion camp, Camp Fury STL, as well as COPS camp. Gracyn then turned the footage into a video that could be shared with children explaining the good things police officers do for our community, how to approach an officer and also answer some of the more common questions young people may have about the profession. Gracyn shared the video with Girl Scout troops and also provided it to the school’s resource officer to present to students across the district.