Greenwich Girl Scout Completes Gold Award with Story Walk Project

Greenwich Senior Girl Scout Sophia Ferraro recently completed her Girl Scout Gold Award project by creating a StoryWalk that teaches young children how to behave in the outdoors.

A StoryWalk is a nature trail that has posts with the pages of a book spread across it. While children and their families walk the trail, they read and experience nature at the same time.

Sophia wrote ‘Charlie Takes a Walk’ for this project, in which the main character, Charlie, learns how dangerous litter can be to animals and what she can do to help protect the inhabitants of the forest. The StoryWalk® occupies a half-mile trail in Babcock Preserve, a 300-acre forested preserve owned by the Town of Greenwich on North Street.

The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest achievement a Girl Scout may earn, and less than 6% of all Girl Scouts earn the Gold Award. The Gold Award process builds girls’ personal leadership skills, and the projects inspire others to take action within their communities. Each project addresses a community issue and improves lives.

Sophia, a rising junior at Greenwich Academy, was supported by her troop, friends, family, teachers, The Deloitte Gold Award Mini Grant and the Greenwich Parks and Recreation Department on this project. Sophia said she was inspired to create the project after hearing about a similar StoryWalk® in Vermont, and since it combines reading and a love of the outdoors, two of her great interests, it was a natural fit.

She said the project provides an opportunity for children and their families to unplug from technology and spend time together, while enjoying one of Greenwich’s parks.

Contributed photos. Sophia Ferraro on the Story Walk she created at Babcock Preserve in Greenwich.