[00:00:00] Walter: 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: Welcome to hearts of gold. Today we have Tati with us, hi!
[00:00:19] Tatiana: Hi!
[00:00:20] Sheryl: Can you tell us about your girl scout gold award project?
[00:00:23] Tatiana: Yes. So my project was about mental health with an elementary students. And with the help of my team, we created a website called calm for you, and it was really fun putting it all together. And so this website provides different coping skills and videos that I made, and then also videos that other people had made.
[00:00:44] Articles and videos to help normalize mental health. And then also just some background on me and my own personal story. And I also made a YouTube channel to make videos about coping skills and I did a lot of drawings and that was really fun and I'm still continuing it now. And I had my website to the Brentwood union school district, which is where I live.
[00:01:11] And then. The rescue union school district, which is also in California, but kind of like up north. And then I also got to share it to all the way in New Jersey, which that was so awesome. And weighing district.
[00:01:24] Sheryl: How did you connect with those different schools?
[00:01:26] Tatiana: My great neighbors are all neighbors. They actually moved to Cameron park and when I was trying to make connection, I was like, Hmm, I should probably ask people.
[00:01:36] I know, like, that's the first thing. So I asked my old neighbor. And, you know, she got me the website of the school and the district and the contact information, and it was really great. And it same with New Jersey. My mom's our family friend, they live in New Jersey after they moved up from California and she also gave me the information.
[00:01:59] And so just really lucky to have those connections.
[00:02:02] Sheryl: Who else was on your team?
[00:02:04] Tatiana: My team was mostly just my girl Scouts. So four, four girls and also my doctor Dr. Mendoza and. Yeah, that was it.
[00:02:18] Sheryl: What prompted your project in eighth grade?
[00:02:20] Tatiana: Right. I actually got hit in the head with the elbow and so this caused a brain injury and I was about 13 at the time.
[00:02:30] And my only thoughts about mental health or just like, you know, when you need help, you go to therapy, there wasn't really anything. That I knew very detailed. But when I got hit, I had to stay home a lot of hospital visits and it was really totally on my mental health and obviously the physical pain that comes with a brain injury.
[00:02:56] And so. You know, 13 year old having to deal with like all these changes. It was really difficult and definitely just not going to school not seeing friends. So that was really hard, but this definitely opened the conversation of mental health in our house. Because before that, you know, there is nothing really that we talked about.
[00:03:17] So a year after I got hurt and she started therapy and. I learned about coping skills, which is kind of like what my website's all about because I found it very helpful. So actually Dr. Mendoza, who is working with me on my project and she was the one who taught me about coping skills and how to deal with your own mental health.
[00:03:42] And so that was kind of the start of why. I want to talk about mental health and my own story, and then also normalize it. Cause I definitely had an ignorant way of thinking about mental health. I always thought there P was like, if you've been in a war and I didn't consider my trauma, you know, traumatic enough, even though that's not true, anyone should be able to get therapy to help.
[00:04:10] And so that really made me want to talk about it. Cause I learned so much.
[00:04:15] Sheryl: What was your biggest takeaway from your project?
[00:04:18] Tatiana: Didn't make me feel like I can do something with my voice and I feel like my story really didn't have any value until I, you know, knew that I can share it and potentially help people or just spread the word about mental health.
[00:04:39] And so I think. That is one of the biggest things that came for me, like personally, from this project. And it's just, it's been really nice to kind of see like growth of myself as well as the project.
[00:04:55] Sheryl: What was your biggest challenge during your project and how did you overcome it?
[00:05:01] Tatiana: What is a leader and being bossy.
[00:05:03] My personality is definitely more timid. I don't really want. To come across as annoying. And so when, you know, I was trying to assemble everything and, you know, get stuff done. Cause like we have time timelines. I noticed that some of my team members were not responding back and I was like, you know, should I keep pushing and try and.
[00:05:30] Be a little more bossy. But then I had a meeting with Dr. Mendoza and she said, you know, this is your project and you're the leader and you have to be communicative. To show how much it means to you. Cause I didn't want to add stress to my team team members. Cause you know, we're in a pandemic, you know, we're all teenagers, juniors taking AP classes.
[00:05:56] And so the last thing I wanted to do was stress my teammates, but I definitely did get to communicate with them better and we ended up, you know, getting all the deadlines. Yeah. Without causing all added stress, I was, I kind of made deadlines for everyone. So it wasn't like super specific. Like I ruin this is, should be done by that day.
[00:06:21] I asked, you know like, do you have practice and stuff like that? When are you most free? Maybe we can have like a chat if you need help. And so that was. Really good. I also had a hard time hearing some negative comments. There wasn't a lot, but I definitely take things to heart. So when I hear like the negative comments definitely did hurt because it kind of goes into the biggest problem I had during this project was feeling that I wasn't good enough.
[00:06:52] So. Definitely hearing those naked negative comments, it really did take a toll and made me think am I actually helping people within this project? Where am I going wrong? And so there's a lot of times where. I had to re-evaluate myself. I was like, is this the best for the audience I'm trying to have?
[00:07:16] And so that definitely definitely was a hard challenge to get over because seeing yourself as someone who can help it. Really hard because you know, you see all these amazing people and you're like, wow, they're heroes and stuff. And then kind of, when I look at myself, I'm like, I am just, you know, a regular teenager, like, can I actually accomplish this?
[00:07:38] And definitely the motivation of my my team definitely did help me. And I was able to push through all those doubts and I was able to complete my goals. And want to continue on even after.
[00:07:53] Sheryl: So it sounds like your gold award project helped you build your leadership skills and improve your confidence.
[00:07:59] What else did you learn from going through the gold award process?
[00:08:03] Tatiana: To take any risks, definitely with filling out that first proposal. I know. I was not going to make sure everything was perfect. I just wanted to, you know, get all my ideas out there and kind of have a just cause I actually had a submitted twice.
[00:08:25] And so I know it takes a while. And so get started. That was, that was the most important part was to get started.
[00:08:33] Sheryl: What else did you learn during your gold award project?
[00:08:36] Tatiana: I also got to do my graphic design skills, which was super fun because I have an iPad. And so I use procreate. And so I got to do a bunch of editing on videos.
[00:08:47] I got to learn how to make a website. That was pretty cool. I didn't think I can do that. And so definitely, you know, with the pandemic, we're all. On technology. And so I'd definitely get Scott to improve my technology skills because I was kind of lacking in that department before, before my project. So I definitely did improve with that.
[00:09:13] Sheryl: And your website is calm for you, and we will have a link in the show notes. If anybody wants to go look at that for them, what other girl scout experiences have you had?
[00:09:21] Tatiana: When I was little, I went to. What is it called? A girl scout camp and my mom and I went and it wasn't really fun. I remember the smell of bug spray.
[00:09:33] Like whenever I smell bug spray, I think of those memories and we got to make you know, little pins. We hung out. I learned archery, so that was really cool. Just a lot of good memories. My mom was actually my first troop leader. And so girl Scouts definitely has you know, big place in my heart.
[00:09:55] I didn't move into another troop like in high school, but all those memories from girl Scouts when I was little, I think that. The biggest thing. So I'm really grateful to have all those memories
[00:10:10] Sheryl: What was it like transitioning into a new troop in high school after you'd been in the same troop, since daisies?
[00:10:16] Tatiana: Emotionally, it was hard because, you know, I grew up with these girls all my life and I didn't really want to say goodbye, but, you know, we're all going our different ways while I'm still friends with a lot of them.
[00:10:28] So I'm grateful for that. But. I knew a lot of the girls in that troop, we were friends from school and we just knew each other, like from extracurriculars. And so that was kinda an easier transition. I never felt like I was the odd one out, which I was very grateful for because I know that's like one of the hardest things.
[00:10:52] And so I was definitely welcomed with, you know, lots of love and support. And so. That definitely didn't help moving from a trip to troop.
[00:11:04] Sheryl: What are your future plans?
[00:11:06] Tatiana: Well, I'm a senior right now, so I'm going to go to college next year. So that's pretty crazy. I'm really hoping to get to into UCS. I'm thinking of majoring in environmental or psychology.
[00:11:21] One of those fields I'm most Passionate about, I feel like, so I think I would want to go that route, but that's kind of all I thought about my future. Besides, you know, in terms of the gold award, I'm still going to continue it and continue it as long as I can with, you know, updating the website and Still making videos on my channel.
[00:11:44] So that's the future I have so farplanned ahead.
[00:11:48] Sheryl: Is there anything else you'd like to share with the audience?
[00:11:51] Tatiana: This was one of the biggest things for me, my gold award was to pick a topic that you are like 110% passionate about because in the beginning I was, you know, looking at all these girl scout. Go towards, I mean, I was like researching.
[00:12:09] I was like, you know, what can I do for this? And I started building a lot of building stuff and I was like, okay, I can do that. But it really did not like was set in my heart. It wasn't something that I was passionate about. And so I was not excited to start. And so. I, I thought a lot about what I should do, and I realized how important mental health has been in my life in the, for past years.
[00:12:38] And when I had that and I was, I know I'm passionate about it, the whole, the whole journey, the whole year that I spent on my gold award, it did not feel like a chore at all. Every every time, you know, I would go on my website and update it. I was excited. And so that would be my one piece of advice that I would.
[00:13:02] Sheryl: How do you make your smores?
[00:13:04] Tatiana: Actually on the 4th of July, I think my family and I made smores and we have a fire pit, so I definitely love microwave, you know, they're great. But I loved going on the fire pit. I do burn my Mo my emotional is a lot, but I like it more. I say like crispy, I guess, like light brown.
[00:13:31] We get Hershey chocolates and Graham crackers. And then I have it with a big cup of milk.
[00:13:38] Sheryl: Well, thanks for joining us.
[00:13:39] Tatiana: Thank you.
[00:13:40] Sheryl: Make sure to click follow or subscribe so you always know when new episodes are released. And don't forget to power your passion, and conquer your challenges.
[00:13:53] Walter: The hearts of gold podcast is brought to you by the grow and share network produced by off the Walter media productions.
[00:14:00] 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.
[00:14:11] 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. That's youtube.com/Sheryl, the letter M, Robinson. Take care, and we'll see you next time.
