AAMPed

One of my most meaningful community service activities was my Girl Scout Gold Award project, the African American Mentor Program (AAMPed). In my community, Black students are significantly underrepresented (less than 4%) and we often hear the “N” word and other racist comments and microaggressions. Our community also lacks Black educators and black history. During my K-12 education, I had great teachers but I only had one Black teacher out of the 41 teachers in my life. 

To address the issue, I founded the AAMPed program to create a sense of belonging in my community. I reached out to the principals at our local schools and I created a mentor program between my high school and our local middle school. I recruited my high school peers to serve as mentors at our local middle school. Our team created lesson plans on Black culture, history and pride and we provided mentorship to students at our local middle school. My goal with AAMPed was to impact 15-20 students. I am proud to say AAMPed grew to over 100 students!

Deciding to pursue my Girl Scout Gold Award was a weighty decision that I did not take lightly. I recognized that it would require hundreds of hours dedicated to addressing an issue of deep personal significance. In collaboration with my committee, I explored several project ideas, including a mental health initiative featuring positive affirmations in school bathrooms and the creation of a little library centered on multicultural literature. Ultimately, my passion for mentorship and the AAMP program prevailed. The Gold Award experience has not only opened numerous opportunities for me but has also significantly contributed to my growth as a leader.