RI Girl Scout Creates Mental Health Support Club For Middle School For Gold Award Project

SOUTH KINGSTOWN, RI — A girl scout from South Kingstown has earned the Gold Award, the highest honor in Girl Scouting, creating a club aimed at destigmatizing mental illness at Curtis Corner Middle School in Wakefield.

Anna Kelly received the award after completing her project "Peer-to-Peer Program in Middle School."

"I began girl scouts in kindergarten, and even at that young age, I have always imagined myself as a Gold Award girl scout," Kelly said. "I am proud of the person I have become and thankful for what this organization has taught me."

Experts say poor mental health usually arises in middle and high school. Kelly realized that at the middle school she previously attended, mental health education was not as available to students as it was in high school.

The program Kelly implemented helps students become advocates to connect their peers to mental health professionals. The program starts with a one-day training at the beginning of the school year that teaches students how to look for signs of mental illness and how to connect students to resources.

The students created initiatives to convey this information to their peers, such as through posters or T-shirts. This club is currently running and has been meeting weekly throughout the school year. The club has taught the student population about the importance of mental health.

"Throughout this project, I have learned how to be a resourceful leader and impact those around me," Kelly said. "In the future, I hope to encourage other young women to also participate in this project."