Eastern Missouri Gold Award Girl Scout Creates Outdoor Classroom to Help Children Connect with Nature
Each July, National Make a Difference to Children Month shines a light on how making a difference in a child’s life now can lead to a better society in the long run. Jordan Dale, a 2023 graduate of St. Dominic High School, wanted to make an impact on students in her community so they felt connected to nature during the school day to help increase their curiosity, creativity and emotional regulation.
To earn the Girl Scout Gold Award, Jordan set out to improve children’s awareness and understanding of nature and animals by constructing an outdoor classroom that enabled hands-on learning in a school environment. Jordan transformed the courtyard at St. Patrick School into an outdoor classroom complete with animal cages and a garden. Her outdoor classroom will allow elementary school students the opportunity to carry out real-life science projects in nature, and even raise small farm animals with the cages she constructed to accompany the classroom. School administrators and students will partner together to provide continued care for the garden and animals for years to come.
“I chose to do an interactive outdoor classroom at my elementary school where children could learn, enjoy nature, and care for animals in a safe atmosphere during the post-pandemic era,” said Dale. “I learned time management, flexibility, and persistence in the process of completing my project.”
The Girl Scout Gold Award – the highest award in Girl Scout – is earned by Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors, girls in 9th-12th grade, who dedicate more than 80 hours identifying a need in their community and providing lasting solutions to issues in their neighborhoods and beyond. Gold Award Girl Scouts truly are the world changers, role models, and real-life heroes we all look up to.
This remarkable young leader, along with 25 other Gold Award Girl Scouts, was recognized during a special Ceremony on June 23, 2024.
