Eastern Missouri Gold Award Girl Scout Uses Sewing to Improve Teen Mental Health
Each year on June 13, National Sewing Machine Day honors an invention that has kept us in stitches for more than 150 years. The invention of the sewing machine brought about revolutionary change for the clothing industry around the world. Jocelyn Ryan, a student from John Burroughs High School, decided to use her passion for sewing to help her fellow teens release their daily stress and improve their mental health.
Driven by the desire to help her fellow teens relieve anxiety, Jocelyn worked with the Organization Sew Hope to create special sewing support classes for teens. To earn her Gold Award, Jocelyn taught other youth the skill of sewing and helped them discover that hobbies can release the burden of stress from their daily lives. She even made a video about how stress can negatively affect teens and tips for ways they can manage it, which were shared through Sew Hope’s social media channels to reach a wider audience.
“Studies show that juggling school, sports, and personal responsibility causes stress in teens,” said Ryan. “They need help reducing that stress and especially as they get old and gain more responsibility. Sewing is a great way to help them have a fun time where they don't have to worry about all things causing them stress. I worked with Sew Hope to offer sewing support classes to help with teen stress. The classes provided openness, healing, and support. My research found that the repetitive motion of sewing enhances the release of serotonin, a hormone that regulates mood, reduces anxiety, and brings calmness.”
The Girl Scout Gold Award – the highest award in Girl Scouts – 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 other Gold Award Girl Scouts, will be recognized during a special Ceremony on Sunday, June 23, 2024.
“Gold Award Girl Scouts, like Jocelyn, have demonstrated extraordinary leadership through a measurable and sustainable community service project,” said Danielle Washington, Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri Chief Program Officer. “We are proud of her remarkable achievement!”
