Girl Scout Tackles Topic of Bullying

Congratulations to Nayna Shah of Morris Plains, who just got her Girl Scout Gold Award for tackling the subjects of bullying and inclusion. See the full statement from Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey below to learn more about her effort:

Nayna Shah, a junior at and member of Girl Scout Troop No. 577, recently received her Girl Scout Gold Award by designing a school assembly program about bullying and inclusion. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award a Girl Scout can earn and requires the completion of a leadership project of at least 80 hours. Each girl must discover an issue in the community, connect with experts and community members, and take action to affect positive change.  The project should both reflect the girl’s passions and interests and fulfill a need in her community.

Nayna worked with Pathways for Exceptional Children, an organization that focuses on fostering inclusion and empowerment among youth, to design “Include Me!,” an assembly program for high school and middle school students.

“I feel that our generation needs to truly learn how to accept diversity,” Nayna said. “The issue of bullying has become too severe and harmful to our youth.”

“Include Me!” focuses on appreciating differences, accepting diversity and becoming leaders in preventing bullying. Nayna presented the program to Montville High School, Lazar Middle School in Montville, and the Jewish Community Center in West Orange.

“Completing my Girl Scout Gold Award has given me great public speaking experience and leadership skills,” she said. “I have seen firsthand what it is like to impact a room of 500 students and I loved it.”

Nayna has been a Girl Scout since kindergarten and says the experience has given her the confidence to believe in herself.

“Girl Scouts has given me the courage to follow through with my goals,” she said. “After 12 years of Girl Scouting, I feel like I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. The lessons and skills I have learned will remain with me forever. I love speaking to younger Girl Scouts and encouraging them to stick with the program because it is so rewarding.”

At school, Nayna is a member of the varsity tennis team, school newspaper, forensics debate club and student government. She plans to attend college and then medical school to become a pediatrician.

The Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can earn, combines leadership development, career exploration and community service. It culminates in an 80-hour leadership project that each girl plans and executes according to her own interests and passions. Within Girl Scouts of Northern New Jersey, 12 percent of eligible girls earn their Girl Scout Gold Award, compared to the national average of six percent.