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improvisational games and performed skits. They also were taught literary bY Leah K. and Moriah W. terms, such as imagery, to help them understand the book. The second part We first discovered the Opportunity connect with them on a personal level. allowed the children to form groups and create skits. They used the literary House in Reading through reading I learned about the different ways terms to form stories and the acting articles in our 10th grade history class. in which the students learn and was skills to bring those stories to life. For The Opportunity House is a homeless excited by their enthusiasm to learn. the third part, we read and acted out shelter and rehabilitation center, I developed a lot of leadership skills the book The Lion, the Witch, and which also runs a full-time day care and learned that I love to work with called the Second Street Learning kids. Overall, working towards my Gold the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis. The kids immediately loved performing as the Center. We met with the Development Award was a great experience. animal characters. I could see they Coordinator, Kathy, and discussed were enjoying the book when they possible projects that could be done Moriah’s Story would make connections between the for the center. We both decided Before deciding on my project, I went play and the book. It truly showed me it would be best to work with the down to the classrooms to talk to that children can be encouraged to children in the learning center. Before the kids. It was homework time. One read, sometimes they just need a little we decided on our projects, we spent girl was assigned fifteen minutes of push. In the end, the majority of the time with the children to learn what reading, and she asked me to time kids said that they want to read more. they needed most. her. During the entire fifteen minutes Even though not everybody wanted to she was either talking or daydreaming. read more, I am amazed that I made Leah’s Story Her lack of focus inspired my project. an impact on the kids, and I hope to go For my Gold Award Project I taught I wanted to create a program that back and do it again! the kids of the Second Street Learning encouraged kids to read. The question Center how to use Microsoft Office was: How do you get younger children Word, PowerPoint, Excel and basic to want to read? In my ninth grade internet safety. Many of the children English class, we were reading Romeo had never even heard of Microsoft, and Juliet. Everybody was interested but I could tell they were really in the story because our teacher interested in the topics and excited encouraged us to act out the scenes. to learn new things, be creative, From that classroom activity, REACT and explore new features. This was (a combination of REading and Leah K. and Moriah W. have been in Girl Scouts something new and different for them, ACTing) was created. for twelve years and in the same troop for five and I also learned a lot through the Project REACT was split into three years. In September 2012, they both began experience. The kids shared stories parts. The first part focused on acting work on their Gold Award at the Second Street of their lives with me, and I was able to and literary skills. The kids played Learning Center in Reading.
there’s an app for that
Be sure to check out the highest awards page for updated forms and approval processes. Girls going gold can use the new GSUSA Gold Award Web App! gsep.org • spark • spring/summer 2014
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