Congratulations, Charlotte, on earning your Gold Award! GSSEM is proud of you and your dedication to making a positive impact on your community and beyond.
Project: Student Wellness Club
Charlotte decided she wanted to help change the way people perceive mental health issues and provide a safe space for students to connect for her Gold Award project.
Working in collaboration with her school administration, teachers, counselors, and student body, Charlotte’s project helped usher in a new outlook on the mental health challenges faced by young adults at her school and beyond.
Supplied with national studies and student surveys, Chalotte created a wellness club that featured wellness workshops on a variety of topics. Themes included stress and time management, body image, safe and healthy-dating tips.
“My club helped to build student connections through education,” she said. “We helped to destigmatize mental health through wellness activities and workshops and by making mental health resources easier to find.”
Lessons learned
While school was in session, more than 100 students showed interest in the wellness club activities.
“Most clubs at my school recruit only a fraction of that, so I knew there was interest in this club,” she said. The hard part was finding a convenient time for everyone to meet, with some meetings taking place virtually.
She also created infographics centering around positive mental health tips for student and faculty to refer to when needed. Over time, Charlotte and the school staff noted a decrease in the number of her peers reporting elevated levels of anxiety, depression, and inappropriate behaviors.
“Students who participated in the wellness workshops reported improved feelings of connection at school,” Charlotte noted, based on workshop feedback.
Learn more!
Charlotte chats about her Gold Award project on GSSEM’s YouTube channel.
Find out more about Girl Scout Highest Awards on our website at www.gssem.org/highestawards.
