A Stitch in Time: Maggie's Mental Health Mission

Maggie Brown, a recent graduate from Lincoln-Way East, has done something remarkable. She earned the Girl Scouts' highest honor, the Gold Award, for a project that supports teens with mental health challenges. Her journey started when she was just seven years old, joining Girl Scouts and enjoying adventures with her troop. Maggie's project focused on teaching high school students how to cross-stitch. This might seem like an unusual choice, but there's a method to her madness. She wanted to find a creative way to help teens cope with stress and anxiety. Cross-stitching, a type of needlework, can be a relaxing and expressive activity. Maggie spent about eight months teaching around 40 students this craft, showing them a new way to channel their emotions. The idea for this project came from Maggie's passion for mental health awareness. She wanted to do something meaningful for her Gold Award, and this topic resonated with her. She worked with the school's Bring Change 2 Mind club, which aims to reduce the stigma around mental health issues. Together, they made a difference in their community. To earn the Gold Award, Maggie had to meet several requirements. She had to identify a community issue, spend at least 80 hours addressing it, and ensure the project was sustainable and measurable. Maggie's project checked all these boxes. She didn't just teach the students; she also made sure they had the resources to continue cross-stitching on their own. Maggie's journey with Girl Scouts has been filled with memorable experiences. From movie trips to archery lessons, she's done it all. But her Gold Award project is something she's particularly proud of. It's a testament to her dedication and her desire to make a positive impact on the world.