Silver Award: Sports and Dream: The Fivefold Path
Girl Scout Cadette Emily K. from Troop 505, recently matriculated from St. Patrick Catholic School, says attending that school was a tremendous experience and that their use of the William Glasser’s ideology has helped with many a student’s success in life. Glasser advocated for “Lead Management,” where teachers make schoolwork relevant to students’ basic needs for power, freedom, and belonging. He taught that external control destroys relationships using “seven deadly habits” (criticizing, blaming, complaining). These should be replaced with “seven caring habits” (supporting, listening, encouraging) to restore human connection.
“Our school encourages a form of self-approach with a standard called the ‘Life Ofs.’ These are used to form good behavior in the child’s mind, soul, heart, and actions,” Emily said. “I used this model to create my Girl Scout Silver Award project, ‘Sports and Dream: The Fivefold Path’ and identified children in the community who could benefit using my project’s methods and practices.”
Emily collaborated with the ForKids organization, is one of the largest non-profit organizations in Virginia working to break the cycle of homelessness and poverty for families and children. It was founded in Norfolk in 1988 by Liz Brickhouse, a lifetime Girl Scout and former staff member of Girl Scouts of the Colonial Coast. It provides emergency housing, education, and crisis intervention services across the Hampton Roads region.
“My project’s target audience was younger kids at ForKids who needed encouragement, confidence-building, and positive guidance,” Emily said. “These were kids who often didn’t have consistent support, role models, or a place where they feel comfortable asking questions, learning new skills, or building self-esteem. By focusing on them, I wanted to create a space that helped them feel seen, supported, and capable, both now and as they continue to grow.”
She met with the group to offer a three-day series that included activities from the Fivefold Path program she designed. The Fivefold Path is a holistic formation curriculum that uses sport as both a metaphor and a physical framework for whole‑person development. Through five immersive rounds, students explore the “Life Ofs”: Mind, Character & Courage, Relationship, Vocation, and Health & Wellness. Movement becomes meaning. The field becomes a classroom. Each round becomes a season of growth.
For example, one activity, The Vision Play, required the children to practice tactical awareness, quick decision-making, and reflective journaling. The goal was to help them learn what it was to focus and make smart choices for a result. Emily placed all the activities in a pamphlet that she used to train volunteers and other adults working with children at ForKids.
“When kids don’t have someone cheering for them, guiding them, or helping them believe in themselves, it affects how they show up at school, in friendships, and even in their future goals. This project mattered to me because I’ve experienced firsthand how powerful support can be — through sports, faith, and the mentors who shaped me. I wanted other children to have that same sense of belonging and strength. I think my favorite moment during this project was when all the kids were smiling and laughing, it was great to see the impact.”
Emily, who has also earned the Girl Scout Bronze Award, is looking forward to setting a goal to earn the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award that can be earned by a Girl Scout. She wants to continue making a difference in her community, and to continue making kids laugh and smile!
