Editor’s Note: If you are as unfamiliar with the terms “GaGa Pit” and “GaGa Ball” as I am, here is the Wikipedia definition: Gaga (Hebrew: גע גע literally ‘touch touch’) (also: ga-ga, gaga ball, or ga-ga ball) is a variant of dodgeball that is played in a gaga “pit”. Here is a video on the making of a typical “gaga pit”: https://youtu.be/e2O5O54uUZQ
ST. LOUIS — January 9 is National Fourth Graders Day, a time to celebrate the magic of being nine and 10 years old.
Fourth-grade students take on more challenges in elementary school while still letting their imaginations shine.
Eureka Girl Scout Troop 2996 showcased their fourth-grade spirit when they decided to build a “GaGa pit” at Most Sacred Heart School to earn their Girl Scout Bronze Award.
Grace Boeger, Violet Branson, Camryn Callahan, Josie DuBois, Adrianna Guzman, Eleri Mueller, Lillian Petre and Gloria Sease worked together to bring a sense of community to their school’s playground. These young leaders started by creating a PowerPoint on their project and presenting it to the school board for approval. After they received support, the girls began researching and gathering donated materials. The girls then identified and prepared the ground for the site before constructing the new “GaGa pit”. Finally, the Girl Scouts held a grand opening where they shared a demonstration of the “GaGa pit” with the school.
“It’s important to be a good role model to younger Girl Scouts,” said Gloria. “It’s the third highest achievement in Girl Scouts and only a Girl Scout Junior (4th-5th grader) can earn it. It feels good to know you have helped the community.”
“I feel proud of what we did, and I think it makes a positive impact on the community because a lot of people at our school like ‘GaGa Ball’,” said Lillian.
The Girl Scout Bronze Award is the highest honor a Girl Scout Juniors, girls in 4th-5th grade can achieve. It requires girls to identify a need in their community and dedicate more than 20 hours on average toward addressing and solving the issue. When Girl Scout Juniors focus on an issue they care about, learn the facts, take action to make a difference, and gain the confidence and skills that catapult them to lifelong success.
To learn more about these projects and Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri Highest Awards, visit www.girlscoutsem.org/highestawards
We’re Girl Scouts of Eastern Missouri
Girl Scouts bring their dreams to life and work together to build a better world. Through programs from coast to coast, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors, and millions of alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them. To join us, volunteer, reconnect, or donate, visit girlscoutsem.org.