Gold Award Spotlight: Uplifting Children Through Positive Art
When Girl Scout Ambassador Sarah of Troop 322 looked around the Birdsong Café at The Landmark Center of ForKids, Inc. in Chesapeake, Virginia, she saw an opportunity to make a difference. The space serves as a shared dining area for homeless children and their families, yet it lacked color, warmth, and personality. Sarah, a student at Frank W. Cox High School in Virginia Beach who has previously earned both the Girl Scout Bronze and Silver Awards, set out to change that through her Gold Award project.
“I noticed that the children and families in the residential facility needed artwork in the meal and cafeteria space for their overall well-being,” Sarah explained. “I wanted to increase the morale of all the residents through art displayed on the walls.”
To bring her vision to life, Sarah hosted four art workshops where children created original artwork to brighten the café. Each workshop was designed to be interactive, creative, and uplifting — giving the young artists a chance to express themselves in a supportive environment.
“My Gold Award aimed to address the outlook of homeless children and their families in a dining space through artwork,” said Sarah. “The art increased morale and uplifted spirits.”
According to the staff at ForKids, Inc., the positive impact was clear. Facility experts observed that the creation and display of artwork increased the children’s self-esteem and gave them a stronger sense of belonging in their shared meal space.
Sarah’s project didn’t end when the paint dried. She wanted her impact to last far beyond her own involvement. To ensure sustainability, she created a lesson plan booklet detailing each of the art workshops she led. This resource, given to ForKids Art Education Coordinator Jennifer McDuffie, allows future volunteers and staff to continue the workshops.
“ForKids has agreed to continue this project and is excited to implement the idea next year as a sustainable practice,” Sarah shared. “Jennifer McDuffie was very pleased with how the workshops went and plans to keep holding them so the Birdsong Café will always have new artwork.”
Sarah’s project also inspired several unexpected outcomes:
- Support of the Arts: One art piece created during Sarah’s Pop Art Inspired Vegetable Prints workshop was donated by the artist to the ForKids’ annual fundraiser. A pumpkin pop art piece, created by an elementary school girl, helped raise more than $30,000 to support the shelter and its art program.
- Adult Art Workshops: Inspired by the success with the children, Ms. McDuffie began holding adult-only workshops for parents, displaying their artwork in the café alongside their children’s.
- Everyday Encouragement: When a child has a “hard day,” Ms. McDuffie now places that child’s artwork in the café to lift their spirits — a simple but powerful act of encouragement.
Through her Gold Award project, Sarah helped to bring families comfort, ownership, and pride in their shared space. The residents also gained a new way to enjoy the emotional benefits of self-expression. Congratulations, Sarah, on earning your Gold Award and making a meaningful impact on the lives of children and families at ForKids, Inc.!
