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Local Girl Scout wins Gold Award

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Girl Scout member and Inglewood resident Chloe Jackson recently won the Gold Award project OW conducted an interview with Jackson, who is matriculating at Clark Atlanta University.

Q:   How long have you been a scout, and what led you into it for so long?

A:   I have been a Girl Scout for 13 years. I stayed in Girl Scouts because I enjoyed camping, earning prizes selling cookies & nuts, taking trips to 500 Club with my sisters, and the impact of being sisterly in an organization that promotes leadership, confidence, self-respect, and builds character.

It is also a commitment, and I’m committed. I was actively involved in volleyball, school leadership, and clubs, but my first commitment has always been Girl Scouts.

Q:   Were there any opportunities you received from being a Girl Scout?

A:    I have received countless scholarships from being a Girl Scout, asked to be a campus Ambassador, and leadership opportunities within my community.

Q:    Society has mixed views on the Girl Scouts, have you ever had to deal with backlash or side comments about being a Girl Scout?

A:   I haven’t experienced backlash, but when it comes to side comments about being a Girl Scout; people always reference we make a lot of money. Selling Girl Scout cookies and nuts is exciting, but we made more money selling nuts.

Q:   What was your favorite thing about being a Girl Scout?

A:   My favorite thing about Girl Scouts was camping and building bonds with my sisters.

Q:   Going to an HBCU, have you met other people who were a part of the Girl Scouts, and what has that interaction been like?

A:   I have met many people that have been Girl Scouts. I felt like I was talking to my Girl Scout sister because we had a cool interaction and similar things in common.

Q:   How is college, and what programs are you participating in?

A:   Transitioning from high school to college has been a journey, but my first year of college has been interesting. I’m a rising sophomore at the illustrious Clark Atlanta University. I am participating in Yearbook, and so far, I’m looking to be more active this upcoming year. My focus in my first year was maintaining my grades, getting acclimated to the environment, and navigating my way.

Q:   What was your Gold Award project and its purpose?

A:   My Gold Award project was The Art Express. I created a virtual space for children ages 8 to 14 in elementary and middle school affected by the shelter-in-place mandates in Los Angeles, California. I wanted this virtual space to be a place where music & art could put them in a different state of mind, where they felt safe, relaxed, and comfortable to artistically express themselves.

The Art Express is intended to provide joy, freedom of expression, comfort, and love. The Art Express was divided into six virtual art sessions beginning in October 2020 and concluding in December 2020. Each participant was given a Zoom access link the day before and a reminder ‘the day of’ to monitor attendance.

By far, the most rewarding part of the process was seeing how impactful the sessions were to each student. The feedback not only from each participant, but the parents alike were so positive that it made me see just how important art & music are to the social well-being of everyone.

As an avid enthusiast of artists, seeing the smiles on the kids’ faces picking up their supplies, and via Zoom, warmed my heart. I’m glad I could create a project that truly has made a difference in my community.

Q:   Would you recommend other girls to join the Scouts?

A:   I would highly recommend other girls to join the Scouts to girls of all ages. I had the best experience from Daisy to Ambassadors. It provides girls with the power to develop leadership & survival skills and encourages girls that they can do the same things that boys can do, and lastly, it builds the foundation of sisterhood.

Q:   What is next for Chloe? What are you currently focusing on?

A:   What’s next for Chloe is using my artistic ability to create my art camp for kids ages 6 to 13. I want to secure some internships and begin working in my field of study.

Our Weekly coverage of local news in Los Angeles County is supported by the Ethnic Media Sustainability Initiative, a program created by California Black Media and Ethnic Media Services to support minority-owned-and-operated community newspapers across California.

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