Karma for Cara Microgrants help fund exceptional service projects led by youth 18 and under working to better their communities. Read about our microgrant recipient, Lalah, a 15-year-old who organized a day to teach 6th-8th grade girls about women in leadership/elected positions.
1. What inspired your Gold Star Award Project?
Being a Girl Scout since kindergarten inspired me to earn the Girl Scout Gold Award. I’ve always planned on doing my Gold Award. As I got older, I realized that there are many benefits to earning the Gold Award (like college scholarships and the sense of achieving such a big project) and I set a goal of completing the award before my 16th birthday. In addition, to realizing the many benefits, I like participating in community service and that’s what the Girl Scout Gold Award is. It also allows me a chance to choose the community service that I want to provide.
I selected this project because I was inspired by Girl Scout Day at the State Department in October 2012. When hearing about girls’ issues, I realized that elected leaders can address the problems directly. Emerge Maryland, Inc. states that “women have a different understanding on needs in policy areas such as healthcare, transportation, education and jobs. Women in elected office bring new perspectives to issues, which increases the likelihood of conceiving and implementing effective and just solutions to social, economic, and environmental problems.” (http://www.emergemaryland.org/about/women). Then, I learned that only a few women hold elected positions. For example, 20 out of the 100 United States Senators are women. The Raising Ms. President documentary tells us that “If we don’t have more young women envisioning themselves at the top, then asking them to run for office when they are older won’t matter.” (http://www.raisingmspresident.com/). So, my Gold Award event is designed to help other girls imagine that they could one day be in elected leadership.
2. Why is your work important to you?
Girl Scouts is an important part of my life. Without Girl Scouts I wouldn’t have been introduced to so many different things. I’ve done everything from camping in the woods to hearing Bishop Desmond Tutu speak at the State Department and I’ve had a chance to develop some leadership skills and see women leaders. With this project, I address how girls don’t see themselves in certain careers, especially elected leadership. This project gave me a chance to share what I learned about women in elected leadership with other girls. I wanted to help girls imagine themselves and other girls in elected leadership. I also wantd to provide some examples for them of women in leadership and give the girls some information about how to get into elected positions.
3. How did the money from the microgrant help with your project?
The microgrant helped me purchase those things that made the event extra special. Even though this was an event for middle school girls, it was important to me to make the room look nice. I used the funds to purchase tablecloths and centerpieces. I made centerpieces of decorative gourds and leaves and it looked very autumnal. They made the room look very nice. I also used the funds to purchase patches for each participating girl. It is a Girl Scout tradition to receive participation patches for these kinds of events. Even though this event was for designed for non-girl Scouts, I wanted to include this tradition so it could help girls learn more about Girl Scouts. I also used the patches as the thank you gift for panel members and speakers. I mounted a patch in a 5” x 7” black frame using a background that I created that included the event name, date, location and my name. It was an idea shared by another Girl Scout. It was inexpensive but I think it was a nice gift.
I also used the funds to pay for color copies. Most of the publicity was online or through email but it was nice to be able to have a color flyer when I was talking with people about the event. For example, I gave the flyers to some of my classmates who have younger sisters. I made color copies of the two “Do You Know This Leader?” walls. Before the event, girls could look at the pictures of these women leaders and see how m any they could identify. It was pictures of the invited panel members so that by the end of the event, the girls should be able to identify all of the women. I will also be printing an inspiration poster with photos and quotes from the panel members. This will be in color also because of the grant.
4. What message of giving back do you have for others?
My message to others on giving back is to find something you love and stick to it. Take every opportunity you have to give back and go for it. There are also benefits to volunteering – like scholarships, experience and fun. It’s easy to help almost anywhere. You have the choice of how to serve and you might find out you really like it.
