Walter: [00:00:00] The hearts of gold podcast is brought to you by the grow and shared network, produced by off the Walter media productions.
[00:00:14] Sheryl: [00:00:14] Welcome to hearts of gold, today we have Angelica with us. Hi Angelica!
[00:00:19] Angelica: [00:00:19] Hi!
[00:00:20]Sheryl: [00:00:20] Can you tell us about your girl scout gold award project?
[00:00:23] Angelica: [00:00:23] I would love to. So obviously when you have your gold award, you want to pinpoint an issue in your community or problem that you think you could help resolve. And for me, that was the drastic decline in our education.
[00:00:39] Unfortunately in Broward County public schools, it was sort of like a budget situation as well as an important situation for a lot of schools, taking a budget out and paying for an actual art teacher. Was just not something important enough to include into the school curriculum, which is really unfortunate because art education is so much more than just learning how to paint or like learning how to sculpt or learn about color theory.
[00:01:06] You actually learn about cultures and geography and social conditions. So this is a really important thing for kids to sort of be a part of because. Art education blends all of these things around our world together. So that being taken out. Of elementary schools and public schools in bear County was a big deal for me.
[00:01:30] And that was sort of what fueled my passion for this gold award, which is heart’s art and arts. Art is an interactive art enrichment program for kids of elementary school level. And it basically incorporates the students from my school, American heritage. They join the club, heart’s art and. Every two months, we go in-person to the boys and girls club.
[00:01:56] And we teach around 10 students because of COVID precautions in their art room that they have. And we write the curriculums that we teach. Each club member gets to take a hold of one art period and write their own curriculum for it that we go and teach in person. As well as virtually, which I’ll get into later.
[00:02:18]And in person we go, we teach the lessons. We show the kids, the flags of the different countries of where this art period is located. The languages where this country is located on the map, the continents, all of these things, so that they can really get a grasp of how big the world is and how these different time periods were being influenced, what was going on?
[00:02:44] Because a lot of the times, these little kids, they don’t even know like what’s outside of Florida, at least the kids that I’m teaching in person. So they get so curious to see the map and to hear about different languages and how people live in other countries. So that’s also like. A really key importance of the classes is we don’t just do an art project.
[00:03:04] We always tie it into a bigger picture and what inspired these forms of art. So, and then after we discussed the flag and the languages, we go into describing what the art was like in the time period, because each time period has their own special details and characteristics. And then after that, we do in our project inspired by the time period that we’re learning.
[00:03:26] So they get to take the information that they’ve learned. Throughout the class and now actually apply it into a project. And the virtual component is something that I had to create after COVID just because for a while, no one could actually go to the boys and girls club and teach. So. You know, you have to go around those obstacles.
[00:03:47] And we created a virtual component and started creating virtual lessons. So it’s pretty much the same concept as going in person and teaching the same structure, except it’s in a video that we post on our Instagram and YouTube page. And the kids from the boys and girls club, as well as the histone child net, what’s this a child fostering system.
[00:04:06]They get sent those links from our YouTube page. Via newsletter. So kids can actually participate in his lessons at home. And for that time period that we weren’t allowed to go in person. Now we are incorporating both in-person and virtual components. So we go in twice a month in person to teach the kids and we have around four videos uploading each month.
[00:04:31]Represented by the weeks of the month. So that’s sort of how the club has been moving forward so far. We have a lot of kids that have been interested in coming and participating in the club, just because of the nature. You get to spend time with little kids and it’s this sort of mentor relationship and it’s really fine.
[00:04:48]So yeah, that’s pretty much the overview of my gold award.
[00:04:52] Sheryl: [00:04:52] You refered to a club. Can you talk about what the club entails and who is involved?
[00:04:59] Angelica: [00:04:59] The club is pretty much like any other school club that you could join. There’s no prerequisite that you need to have in order to join a lot of the students that are a part of the club have a passion for art, or they are involved in some art classes.
[00:05:14]But we don’t require anything. If you, if you want to come, you can come pretty much. If you’re interested, you join. And then we have meetings. Like every other Monday just to catch up with the club members, let them know what’s going on in the club, what our next in-person lesson days, the virtual due dates for the students that can’t come in person, but would like to make virtual lessons.
[00:05:37]They can actually get service hours for participating virtually or in person. So that has also attracted a lot of students because the service hours nowadays, it’s a lot harder to get them just because. Not a lot of places allow students to come in person just because of COVID. So the fact that we have a virtual component that you can still get hours from has really attracted a lot of students, which is great too, because they come in and they get to earn their service hours, but they also get to pay forward to their community, to these young kids.
[00:06:08] So that’s pretty much the dynamic of the club. They come in, they can make the virtual lessons or they can come in person and then they get. Some service hours for it. So it’s really nice.
[00:06:17] Sheryl: [00:06:17] The boys and girls club is a national organization that many of us are very familiar with. How did you partner with the boys and girls club, what was the process?
[00:06:26] Angelica: [00:06:26] The president of my school actually is a part of the specific unit that we’re working at, which is the foreign state to Georgia unit. And so I actually had to go and. Get a meeting with the principal of my school. Well, not the principal, but the head of my school to ask him if there was any way I could get a connection to someone from the boys and girls club through him.
[00:06:49] So that was, I believe in my freshman or sophomore year, beginning of my sophomore year of high school. And it was very scary because it was just me and I had to give this presentation to the. Head of my school. But thankfully he really loved my idea and he put me in contact with Richard , who is one of the directors of that boys and girls club unit that I work at.
[00:07:12] And then we had another meeting with the head of my school in who led and meet myself. And I actually gave them a demonstration of a class. Because I had created one in between that period to show them how it would work and how we would do the project afterwards. And they both really loved it. So that sort of gave me an opening to get to work at the boys and girls club and for them to accept my project.
[00:07:37] Twice a month to go and teach the kids. So it was definitely a moment for me to practice my public speaking. But it was, it was a really great experience. So I’m very grateful for that.
[00:07:47] Sheryl: [00:07:47] Excluding COVID. What was your biggest challenge during your project and how did you overcome it?
[00:07:52] Angelica: [00:07:52] Reevaluating my project after learning about these new safety precautions that we had to take, because when I originally was designing and formulating my project.
[00:08:03] I didn’t know about COVID, COVID wasn’t even an issue. So I had this great idea. We would be coming in person at least like three or four times a month, and we have a lot more kids to teach and I would be, get to be more hands-on with them. And once we learned about all these new precautions that we had to take, I sort of had to take a step back and.
[00:08:27] Try and reformulate how this goal do. I was going to work because the original concept was being with closing close with these kids. So I kind of got a little scared and maybe I have to change the whole idea as, as a whole, because I didn’t know we could do it, but thankfully with the support of my family, I was able to reformulate the goal towards still keeping the.
[00:08:54] Core aspects of how I want it to teach and what I wanted to get through to the kids. But still in that safe forum. And thankfully it’s been working out great with the kids. There’s still a connection there, but Def it was a little scary at first, when, when you first hear the news and everything worked out at the end, you always have something that you need to move past and get over.
[00:09:18]And that was definitely the situation for me. Getting my gold award approved and then realizing that what I had initially dreamed of doing could no longer be done to that certain extent. But thankfully it’s worked out.
[00:09:30] Sheryl: [00:09:30] How do you feel that those changes impacted your overall project?
[00:09:34] Angelica: [00:09:34] Just sort of that human connection,
[00:09:36] I would say the lessons themselves weren’t changed as much, but definitely, definitely. Just that connection with the kids, because you know, when you’re with younger kids and you’re an older teenager, they really look up to you, which is so nice to beautiful relationship. But when you have that socially distant, you can’t really like spend time with them individually.
[00:10:00] If they want to show you their art project, it’s, it’s a little saddening. It’s not necessarily like a, a really big. Issue to overcome, but it is something I wish I would have had been, unfortunately, because of COVID it’s not attainable. But you know, even with the safety precautions that we have to take, like not being so close to the kids and wearing masks and everything, you still get to share that beautiful moment of learning and using your hands and creating art.
[00:10:31] So even despite. All of those precautions that we have to take, the magic is still there. I would say, which is so wonderful because that’s really what’s it about that. That’s, what’s, it’s all about, you want to have that connection with the kids because you want them to feel passionate about your class and what they’re learning about.
[00:10:51] And ultimately they have been so enthusiastic and excited to come to classes, even with all these COVID precautions that we have to take. So it’s really just. Been awesome overall, and I couldn’t be prouder.
[00:11:04] Sheryl: [00:11:04] What’s a favorite memory from your project?
[00:11:06] Angelica: [00:11:06] The moments when you’re were cleaning up from a class and you have some kids that stayed behind to help us clean and you hear them talking to each other about how much they love.
[00:11:17] To be a part of these classes. And Oh, the other day we had a class this week, this Wednesday, and there was a little girl helping us clean up and she was talking with another one of her friends saying, isn’t this class. So great. I love learning about the history and then getting to do a project after it’s so fun.
[00:11:34] I always looked forward to it. And that for me, it just makes my heart so big and warm and fuzzy because that’s what I’m doing this for. And when you hear. The kids talking to each other about how much they enjoy your class and that even through these difficult times, I’m able to bring them a little bit of joy.
[00:11:56] Something to look forward to every month is just the best feeling ever. So that’s, that’s absolutely my favorite part. Just hearing them talk to each other about how much they love to participate it’s the best.
[00:12:09] Sheryl: [00:12:09] What was something that you learned about the gold award project process while you were working on it that you’d like to share with others so that they’re more aware?
[00:12:17] Angelica: [00:12:17] Initially the gold award can be a very intimidating thing and it was for me. And it was for a lot of the other girls in my troop. You see it as this. Big accomplishment. And you have to put a lot of work in, which is true, but you can do it. I was able to do it. I’m a very busy person.
[00:12:37] I’m a very busy student. But I put my mind to it. And once you start organizing your time, that’s very important. So you don’t get overwhelmed. And you just tackle those little achievements one at a time and you’ll get through it. For me, when I was initially contemplating, whether I want to the goal toward the biggest problem for me was, I don’t know if I have enough time to put the effort that I need to really get this and do it well.
[00:13:03] But the true fact is, is that you don’t have to spend five hours of your day working on your gold award. You just do those little things, turn things in on time, work on the weekends for a few hours, or maybe even during the week and you’ll get it done. It’s not as intimidating or scary as it may seem.
[00:13:25] And trust me, I came in really worried. I wasn’t sure if I could do it, but it’s really nothing to be afraid of. And honestly, It’s such an enjoyable process, just getting to start formulating your ideas and then actually having people come in and work with you on your goals award that all that time, that work, it doesn’t even feel like a lot of time or work because you’re having fun while doing it.
[00:13:46] So really just. That getting over the intimidating aspect of your goal to award. It’s really not that bad. And honestly, it’s been one of the greatest experience in my life, so I’m very proud and grateful for it.
[00:14:00] Sheryl: [00:14:00] What other activities are you involved in and how do you balance your time?
[00:14:03] Angelica: [00:14:03] Well, obviously I have my girl scout meetings every other Monday, as well as my club meetings.
[00:14:09]I am a part of the pre-law track in my school, so I have. In my elective spots, both of them are law classes. And those take a lot of time just writing briefs and reading about cases. It’s something I enjoy doing, so I don’t mind, but it definitely takes a good portion of my time. And I’m also part of like the national honor society in my school.
[00:14:31] So I do a lot of volunteering for that club as well. And. In terms of hobbies. I obviously like to do art. I love to do anything creative. I love fashion and putting outfits together and going thrifting. And I also love to horseback ride. So I try to do that as much as I can. It’s like a very peaceful thing for me.
[00:14:52]So, the way I manage that time, it’s it really varies depending on what I have during the week. Cause I’m a part of so many different clubs and I do so many different things after school, as well as my own club, I always have a day for everything. So it’s not like I’m doing a million things at once, because like I said earlier with the goal to work, eat, you really want to organize your time in little pieces so that you don’t.
[00:15:15] Get overwhelmed. And that’s what I like to do. I like to be busy and I like having things to do so that’s why I’m a part of so many things. And I have so many loves after outside of school and extracurriculars. So I like being a busy person and that also helps in terms of your gold award, because you can learn to manage that stress almost because you’re part of so many different things that you learn how to manage your time wisely. So it’s pretty good. I have fun.
[00:15:45] Sheryl: [00:15:45] You had mentioned child net, whom you partnered with for your bronze project. Can you tell us about other girl scout experiences that you’ve had?
[00:15:54] Angelica: [00:15:54] Yes. So I did work with child net for my bronze award and we actually redecorated their entire lobby just to make it feel a little more warm and comforting for the kids that would be walking through it.
[00:16:06] So that was really. A beautiful experience, because when you think about it, the child’s fostering system, it’s hard for a kid to have to be separated from their family members, unfortunately. And just being able to create an atmosphere for these kids to come into that is comforting and accepting and just a nice place too.
[00:16:32] Enter when you’re entering into the, this new portion of your life was a really, really great experience for me. And as a girl scout, I’ve been a part of, a lot of different organizational works with the Sheriff’s foundation. We’ve done a lot of projects with them to teach girls about law enforcement.
[00:16:53] And the different things that law enforcement does. I remember one time we had sort of like a station situation going on and we went to talk to the firemen and the police officers and the police women, which actually some of them were girl Scouts. So that was really cool as a young girl to see women officers, girl Scouts at the same time and sort of like a boss girl moment.
[00:17:18] And it was really cool also learning about. Some jobs positions that aren’t normally expected for women as a girl scout, we’ve done a few workshops with women in different careers that you wouldn’t, it wouldn’t be as popular for women to be in that career field. Like. In law enforcement and all of those experiences were very inspiring for me as a young girl, because it was sort of like that Barbie moment, you know, Barbie has like a million different careers and she’s doing everything.
[00:17:47] It was like that, but in real life, so it opened my eyes. Like I can really do anything in this world if I really put my mind to it and I work hard. So all of those different experiences that I’ve. Got to share because of girl Scouts has really just opened my eyes to the world and my possibilities as a woman yeah.
[00:18:06] Sheryl: [00:18:06] You mentioned you’re pre-law track. What are your future plans?
[00:18:10] Angelica: [00:18:10] I hope obviously to go to college and then eventually go to law school just because I found my passion in law. In my sophomore year. And I realized that this information that I been learning throughout my experiences and my time in the pre-law track is information that is useful for the rest of my life.
[00:18:31] I know I’m never going to lose that and know it’s always going to be useful to me, which is something I really love about pre-law because it’s not like. Something that I’ll learn for one-time use and then forget it’s something that’s actually useful for the rest of your life and for other people too.
[00:18:48] So I can help my friends or my family members if they have any legal questions. So I would hope to go to law school. But I’d also like to combine my passion. For fashion. It was cute rhyme there probably go into a section of law that has to do with fashion law because it does exist. And I think that’s a nice little niche for me because it combines the two things that I’m really, really passionate about, which is always the most important thing, because.
[00:19:13] You want to work, but it doesn’t want to be, you don’t want it to be a burden on you because it’s not something you’re passionate about. So I really hope that by combining my love for fashion and law, I can put those things together and sort of find this like perfect little nook blended for me. Just based on the things that I like.
[00:19:30] So hopefully. That works out fingers crossed. But that would be my plan for the future.
[00:19:37] Sheryl: [00:19:37] I love that connection. And that’s something that I always encourage girls as they’re considering their gold award projects to really consider also. Is there anything else that you’d like to share with our audience?
[00:19:47]Angelica: [00:19:47] If you’re a girl Scouts and you’re contemplating whether or not you want to do your gold award, go for it, jump for it.
[00:19:55] I know it’s scary at first. I know it may seem like, I don’t know if I can do this. I don’t know if I can handle it. It is such a rewarding experience. And I’m so glad that I decided to go for it, even though I had those thoughts in the back of my mind that maybe I couldn’t honestly, the relationships that I’ve made and the skills that I’ve earned are so extraordinarily important outside in lights, public speaking, like I told you about earlier, just learning how to.
[00:20:29] Compose yourself and present yourself in front of other people when you’re trying to get something done, or in my case, work at the boys and girls club. It’s so important to practice that and know it’s scary. It was scary for me, but once you have that practice, It becomes so much easier. And also just personal relationships when you’re having a professional relationship with someone, because you’re working at, let’s say the boys and girls club, you want to be able to communicate yourself in a nice, straightforward way and you’re going to be professional.
[00:21:04] So I feel like the golden award in itself has. Really prepared me for anything I might do outside of high school and my future careers. And that’s something that’s so valuable nowadays, especially because of COVID now we’re not able to go out and like, actually. Meet with people and it’s all digital, it’s a different thing when you’re there in person.
[00:21:27] And it’s so rewarding. So if you’re on edge of whether or not you want to do your gold award, just do it because there’s so many things that you can learn about yourself, about your community and about the world. And that is just so incredibly valuable and important.
[00:21:42] Sheryl: [00:21:42] So how do you make your smore’s?
[00:21:45] Angelica: [00:21:45] My perfect smore obviously we have to have the Graham crackers on top of it on the bottom. I liked chocolate, but not as much as I like. Marshmallows. So I wouldn’t get a huge piece of like a Hershey chocolate bar, but maybe like, or squares. And I love my marshmallows seem weird, but I love them burnt on the outside. So I really make sure that I put them over the fire for a good amount of time until I see that sort of like black crust around them, because that’s what I know.
[00:22:18] The inside is nice and gooey and running, which is like my favorite thing ever. So definitely spending some time over the fire, making sure they get nice and toasted and roasted and smashing it all together and eating it all. That’s my favorite way of preparing a smore.
[00:22:34] Sheryl: [00:22:34] Thank you so much for joining us today.
[00:22:36] Angelica: [00:22:36] Thank you so much for having me!
[00:22:38] Sheryl: [00:22:38] Make sure to click, subscribe or follow so you always know when new episodes are released. And don’t forget to power your passion, and conquer your challenges.
[00:22:50] Walter: [00:22:50] The hearts of gold podcast is brought to you by the grow and shared network, produced by off the Walter media productions.
[00:22:57] Thank you for listening and spreading the word on what we do. If you want to share your story of how you earned your gold award, reach out and send an email to growandshare@outlook.com. Be sure to listen to the newest episodes on your favorite podcast app, as well as view the full video episodes on youtube.com/SherylMrobinson.
[00:23:18] That’s youtube.com/Sheryl, the letter M, Robinson. Take care, and we’ll see you next time.
