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Lauren Forbes of Mocksville has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award for a community service project that aimed to support children’s emotional needs with a sensory room at a local church.
In her senior year of high school, the Girl Scout Ambassador addressed the challenges kids with physical and mental disorders can face and the need for safe places to regulate their emotions, to regain physical and mental control, or to simply step away when their emotions get too high.
“Children need a place and space to calm down, defuse anger and take a break,” she said. “A sensory room can help to de-escalate heavy emotions before they get out of hand and prevent situations before kids get overwhelmed.”
“The reality of today is that a lot of kids struggle with ADD, ADHD, anger issues, past trauma and trouble focusing. A room such as this would give them the special attention they need to thrive and build healthy relationships,” said Forbes, a Girl Scout for nine years.
Forbes renovated a room at Rescue House Church to accommodate kids who have disabilities with a sensory room that allows them to regulate their emotions in a safe place away from other kids and stress-inducing situations.
The Girl Scout and her team installed a beam to hold swings, gathered sensory and fidget toys and added flexible seating options including a small tent and rugs. They painted an abstract mural with calming colors and added fabric lighting covers to block out some of the harsh LED lighting that existed in the room.
Girls in high school can earn the Gold Award by creating sustainable change on a community or world issue. They address the root cause of a problem, plan and implement innovative solutions to drive change and lead a team of Scouts. Each girl must dedicate a minimum of 80 hours to planning and carrying out her project that benefits the community and has a long-lasting impact.
“My project showed me how to see an issue and act on it. It taught me that problems are meant to be solved, and you are never too young to do something about it,” she said.
Thousands of Girl Scouts across the country earn the Girl Scout Gold Award each year, which first began in 1916 as the Golden Eaglet. Earning the Gold Award opens doors to scholarships, preferred admission tracks for college and career opportunities. In 2024, 40 GSCP2P Girl Scouts earned their Gold Award.
For more information about Girl Scouting, visit www.girlscoutsp2p.org.
Girl Scouts Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont, a United Way agency, is one of 111 councils nationwide chartered by Girl Scouts of the USA to deliver Girl Scout program within specific geographic boundaries. The local council serves nearly 7,000 girls and 4,500 adult volunteers in 40 counties and maintains three camp properties and four service centers offering unique experiences for girls and adults.