Forks Girl Scout Runs Empowerment Camp

In order to earn the Girl Scouts' top accolade, the Gold Award, 17-year-old had to come up with a project plan that had a measurable impact on a community issue.

Medina organized a weeklong day camp for girls 10 to 14 with the theme “Girl Empowerment Week.” The camp ran from 9am to noon on Monday, Aug. 8 until Friday, Aug. 12 at Metzger Field next to Braden Airpark. 

Around 25 to 30 girls showed up each day as Medina led them through exercises and activities like team sports, arts and crafts and ballroom dancing.

“Everything went smoothly,” said a smiling Medina. “No glitches, no injuries.”

She started each morning with a group yoga session. The very first day of the camp, the girls crafted journals from cardboard and paint, played soccer and learned a waltz.

On Wednesday, two representatives from the Center for Humanistic Change came to share anti-bullying techniques and self-esteem tips.

On Thursday, Dr. Meagan Grega, co-founder of the Kellyn Foundation of Bethlehem, came to discuss nutrition and healthy eating.

Medina's mother, Paulette McKenna, talked to the group about substance-abuse issues and led it through a personality test that, according to the majority of campers, was accurate.

“A lot of them want to become artists and teachers,” said McKenna. “It’s a very inspired group.”

The camp ended on Friday with lots of food, a reflective discussion on the week and evaluations-- each girl evaluated Medina’s camp, with the evaluations to be included in Medina's final presentation for the award.

According to Medina, the final steps to the Gold Award are, step one, a portfolio that includes all of her project materials, and step two, an interview. In the spring, the year’s Gold Award recipients will be recognized at a formal banquet.