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Girl Spotlight: Megan S, Gold Award Girl Scout
Meet Megan S., An Ambassador Girl Scout from Miami who recently earned her Gold Award.
What are some of your favorite hobbies?
Playing and listening to music, reading, hanging out with friends
In a word, what does it mean to say, "I am a Girl Scout"?
Leadership
What college do you plan to attend? Have you decided on your major?
I will be attending the University of Miami as a Biology and premed major. I earned the President’s Scholarship.
What is the title of your project?
Healthy Gums, Healthy Life
Please describe your project. Be as specific as possible, including what, where and how you completed your project.
My Gold Award project, Healthy Gums, Healthy Life, provides information on diseases that can be prevented through good oral care as well as tips on how to maintain good oral hygiene.
In order to distribute all this information quickly and easily, trifold brochures were created and held instructions on:
- How to effectively brush and floss one’s teeth
- Essential oral products
- Details on illnesses linked to periodontal disease
Included in the brochure is a QR code which links to a video showing different types of products, what they are, and what they are used for. Five hundred copies of this brochure were printed and distributed to dental offices where they were given to patients, as well as small businesses. I am happy to report some of the dental and medical offices I have worked with have taken over the job of printing the brochure and are still giving it out to their patients today.
Why is this project important to you? What gave you the inspiration to approach this topic the way that you did?
The inspiration for my project stems from my love for medicine, combined with my love for helping others. I devised a dental health project that I believed would benefit everyone in my community. With research and interaction with the community, I identified a need in the health and dental well being of the aging population. I created a detailed brochure with teaching material and distributed the information to businesses and dental practices within my community. This project was meaningful to me because it allowed me to incorporate my interest in the medical field while also helping my community.
What was the biggest challenge you faced and how did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge I faced while working on this project was public speaking and working with businesses during COVID-19. I overcame these challenges by taking on the leadership role in my project and pushing myself out into my community, talking to business owners and health professionals and asking for help.
How does this project contribute to your future goals?
Working with people has always inspired me and by being consistently challenged, whether it be public speaking or leading my own project, I was able to teach myself. By working on leadership and public speaking for this project, I believe that I am more prepared to become a future physician.
What did you learn about yourself in the process of completing your project?
I learned that I am determined, hardworking, courageous, and a leader.
What did you learn about your community in the process of completing your project?
I learned that my community is very accommodating and offers a lot of support. They were very helpful and welcoming despite the barriers created by the COVID-19 pandemic.
