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Gold Award: The Safe Space Initiative
We teach kids how to succeed academically in school, but do we teach them how to properly balance responsibilities in a healthy and sustainable way? That question was one Girl Scout Ambassador Abby S. from Troop 396 in Norfolk asked when she noticed so many of her fellow schoolmates at Maury High School developing increased anxiety.
“Research shows that high functioning anxiety is becoming increasingly common among high achieving teens,” Abby said. “It often presents as excessive productivity rather than what it is — stress. This makes it difficult for educators and parents to recognize. Students are often ignored because they appear to be succeeding, even when they are silently struggling. As a teen in AP and honors classes, I struggle a lot with anxiety, so I am aiming to address the growing anxiety in high achieving teenagers.”
To address the issue, Abby carried out a Girl Scout Gold Award project she titled, “The Safe Space Initiative.” When creating the project, she identified three root causes: high expectations, limited time for self-care, and limited stress management education. “I knew I couldn’t fix the high expectations or add more time to the day, but I could educate teens on developing better strategies for stress and anxiety management.”
Abby designed four workshops with the help of resources from counseling agencies: Envision Family Services LLC, Serenity Wellness Center, and Meliora Wellness and Harmony. She promoted the workshops through school flyers and social media.
Armed with knowledge and resources, she planned and taught four anxiety management techniques to seventy students at the Mary Pretlow Library and within her school. She did a pre- and post-event survey at each workshop. All participants learned how to keep a positive mindset and attitude when handling stress and anxiety at home and at school. They learned how to utilize four different deep breathing exercises and how coloring in a calm space can be a reset for the mind. Participants also learned eight yoga poses, how to keep a bullet journal, the use of mantras, and created their own mantra bracelets.
Abby provided her workshop plans and materials to Envision Family Services, LLC and to Norfolk Public Libraries. These resources can continue to be used and the program expanded upon to help more teens learn techniques to manage stress and anxiety!
Congrats, Abby!
