Two Edison Teens Win Highest Girl Scouts Award

EDISON, NJ — Two Edison girls recently won the Girl Scout Gold Award for their work on mental health awareness.

Avleen Baring and Radhika Vyas focused their project on the lack of mental health awareness – a critical issue facing girls today. The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest achievement in Girl Scouting.

Baring’s project “Teenage Anxiety” sought to educate young teenagers about anxiety and its negative effects on mental health. She held workshops that also addressed coping strategies for anxiety. She created a website, brochure, and presentation that was shared with a mental health clinic.

After analyzing the mental health issues in her community, Vyas created the “Healing Mind Project.” She realized many of her peers were either ashamed or unaware of how get help. Vyas’ project is an outreach program providing information and support lines to connect young adults to mental health resources and educate communities to reduce stigma.

The “Healing Minds Project” also offers information on affordable care and insurance.

Mental health awareness is an important issue for the Girl Scouts. According to a 2020 Girl Scouts Research Institute report, 84 percent Girl Scouts feel stressed about their futures and nearly 50 percent GEN Z youth feel they will be judged negatively for receiving mental health treatment.

“I am so very proud of our Gold Award recipients including Avleen Baring and Radhika Vyas who have taken on addressing the issue of mental health,” Ginny Hill, CEO, Girl Scouts of Central & Southern NJ said in a media statement.

“Social isolation, remote learning, canceled major life events, and loss of loved ones have affected girls deeply. Providing opportunities to destigmatize mental health and finding ways for all girls to have access to mental health support, will benefit countless girls today and into the future.”

Girl Scouts of Central & Southern NJ serves 12,000 girls ages K-12, and 9,000 adult members and volunteers in over nine counties.

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