GSEM Gold Award Project Catalog

Girl Scout Life-Size Chess Set

Project Details: Inspired by her interests in camping and STEM, Emily designed, built and installed a giant chess board at Camp Cedarledge, a GSEM camp property located in Pevely, MO. The giant chess board provided her fellow Girl Scouts with an opportunity to learn the challenging and strategic game of chess in a peaceful outdoor setting. Emily also partnered with the St. Louis Chess Club to organize a grand opening event to showcase the new space and teach the game to younger Girl Scouts. To complete her project, she created a website with her design plans to help others build similar chess boards.

Gold Award Girl Scout: Emily E. Troop 204

Issue: The Old Dining Hall at Camp Cedarledge had not received a significant update in quite some time. Meanwhile, fewer and fewer girls expressed interest in playing chess. Root Cause: Updates to the building primarily focus on outdoor elements. For chess, gender stereotypes often make girls feel as if only boys can be good at the game. Measurability: Emily kept tally of the number of girls visiting the event and conducted a survey. Sustainability: The plans were placed online so anyone can replicate this larger than life chess. Furthermore, the Lead Camp Supervisor has volunteered to help ensure that the chess board is properly maintained.