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Gold Award Girl Scout Peyton: Emotional Regulation in a Box
Peyton of Troop 8367 in Glenbeulah earned her Gold Award!
Peyton’s Gold Award aimed to provide special education students within elementary schools who struggle with emotional regulation the tools they need to succeed in the classroom. This included tools for focusing, managing emotions, problem solving, and reducing triggers.
Peyton spent hours planning the best way to approach her topic. She ultimately decided on creating boxes to help students with emotional dis-regulation to donate to local schools. Emotional dis-regulation refers to difficulty in managing and responding to emotional experiences in a healthy, balanced way. People with emotional dis-regulation may experience intense emotions that are out of proportion to the situation, have trouble calming down after becoming upset, or struggle to appropriately express their feelings. This can lead to impulsive behaviors, mood swings, and challenges in relationships and daily functioning.
The boxes would help students by giving them a space in their brains to help focus and calm down. Peyton learned a lot through researching various fidgets and how they help with emotional regulation. Each fidget inside of the boxes has a specific use. The squishy toys help when kids are mad and needed to calm down their nervous system. Sound-based fidgets help when kids are sad. Puzzle fidgets help when kids have trouble focusing and sitting still. And spinners and other toys that use the hands help when kids are distracted and need to stay on task.
Peyton had a goal to increase emotional support, support self-awareness, and improve coping skills while helping to create an inclusive environment. The boxes offered tools to help with moments of stress, anxiety, or emotional dis-regulation. They also promoted self-awareness by helping the students identify their triggers and their own emotional state through sensory tools.
Peyton knew her Gold Award project paid off when she could see the boxes getting used in the classrooms.
“Over time, I saw the impact of my project through feedback from teachers. They noticed fewer students needing to leave class due to emotional struggles and more students staying regulated throughout the day,” said Peyton. “Seeing my idea actually help people made all the effort worth it, and it showed me how important emotional support is in school.”
But that wasn’t all Peyton did. She also knew how important it was for students and their peers to understand and respect others more. To help achieve this in relation to her project and focus, Peyton created a pamphlet that shared information and educated others on the acceptance of others. The pamphlets helped with educating students and to promote coping strategies for the students using them.
Through Peyton’s project, the students she served gained valuable skills, knowledge, and attitudes that helped them navigate their emotions more effectively. They also developed stronger coping skills, learning how to manage stress, anxiety, and emotional dis-regulation using the tools provided in the fidget boxes. They also gained a deeper understanding of their own emotions and triggers, increasing their self-awareness and ability to regulate their feelings.
The foundation that Peyton built allows future students and educators to carry the project forward, making emotional support a lasting priority in the classroom. Peyton’s Gold Award project will leave a lasting impact on her community for years to come. She dedicated over 90 hours to turn her ideas into reality. She was able to research, plan, collaborate with others, and build confidence within herself.
Peyton had this to say about her Gold Award project,
“I learned that I have the ability to communicate my ideas effectively and inspire others to support a meaningful cause. This experience showed me how passionate I am about creating an inclusive environment and helping others with their emotional well-being. Most importantly, I realized that I have the power to make a real difference, and that with determination and teamwork, I can turn my ideas into lasting change.”
Peyton learned a lot from her Gold Award. Peyton says,
“Through my Gold Award project, I learned a lot about myself, both as a leader and as a problem-solver. I discovered that I am resilient and able to adapt when faced with challenges, finding creative solutions to make my project successful.”
