Ana Dentler, 16, of Girl Scout Troop 10168 of the Girl Scouts of NYPENN Pathways (GSNYPENN) Council has created an eight-week “Crafts & Care” virtual class focused on mental health and art therapy as part of earning her Girl Scout Gold Award. The Gold Award is the highest award a Girl Scout Ambassador (grades 11-12) can earn. Girls who pursue their Gold Award are looking to develop and carry out lasting solutions to issues in their neighborhoods and beyond.
Ana’s Gold Award project is focused on mental health. Any youth aged 13-18 is invited to join her weekly virtual class. It will be held every Monday at 4:30 p.m. beginning April 25 through June 13. Participants will discuss stress, anxiety, feelings of sadness, and ways to cope. They will also practice art therapy through fun, easy art activities offered each session. All art activities can be completed with basic household supplies.
Ana, a resident of Manlius, is currently an 11th grader at Fayetteville-Manlius High School. She is not a mental health professional; however, she hopes to spread awareness about mental health and offer a chance for adolescents to participate in art therapy activities.
“Mental health is just as important as physical health. To the best of my ability, I want to spread awareness about what others might be going through and how to help youth in my community,” she says.
To get in touch with Ana with any questions about her Gold Award project or to sign up for her classes, email [email protected]. Please include the class participant’s name, age and email address. Class links and updates will be communicated via email.
GSNYPENN serves girls in K-12 across 26 counties: Allegany, Broome, Cayuga, Chemung, Chenango, Cortland, Delaware, Herkimer, Jefferson, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, Ontario, Oswego, Otsego, St. Lawrence, Schuyler, Seneca, Steuben, Tioga, Tompkins, Wayne and Yates in New York and Bradford and Tioga in Pennsylvania.
Annual membership is $25; financial assistance is available. To start her adventure, visit here. To become a volunteer, learn more here. To help make Girl Scouting possible for girls in your community, visit online here.
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