Windham Girl Scout's Faith Project is as Good as Gold

In her quest to earn the highly-coveted Gold Award, one Windham Girl Scout looked towards a higher calling.

Brynn Roche, a 2015 Windham High School graduate and longtime member of the St. Mark the Evangelist parish community, said she decided to construct a walkable Stations of the Cross on the Londonderry church campus in response to her growing concerns over the lack of religious expression amongst her peers, according to a press statement.

“Faith can be a pretty taboo topic,” said Roche, now a freshman studying engineering at University of San Diego. “And many people aren’t fully knowledgeable and appreciative when it comes to the other faiths in their own community.”

In her yearlong journey to Gold, Roche said she was further dismayed to learn that many fellow Catholics in her region don’t fully understand the Stations of the Cross. Noting that there was previously no actual display of the Stations at her own church, she decided to build one herself. She didn’t stop there: Roche continued to spread the good word via a series of discussions for CCD groups, an open house, and even a Facebook page.

Roche’s “The Beauty of the Way” Facebook group continues to grow increasingly popular with the faithful, both in her own region and beyond. She said her favorite part of the project was sharing lessons with the younger CCD students: Roche even created a faith-themed coloring book for the children.

A Girl Scout since the first grade, Roche noted that she’s embraced the many opportunities for community service as a member of Windham Troop #10244, including a recent camping event for younger girls. She is the daughter of Kathy and Brian Roche.