Sarah Bland is a high school senior from Richmond, Virginia, where she lives with her mom, dad, and brother. Sarah runs cross country and track year round, and she has been an active member of her Girl Scout troop for 13 years. In her free time, she loves exploring new restaurants, hiking with friends, baking, and working as a lifeguard. After graduation, she plans to attend university and study health sciences. Several years ago, Sarah experienced iron deficiency, which impacted her performance as an athlete and her health overall. After learning how common it is in female athletes, she decided to dedicate her Girl Scout Gold Project to educating others about iron deficiency in athletes. Her goal was to inform athletes, parents, and coaches about the importance of iron, and how to prevent and treat iron deficiency, so they can be healthy and reach their full potential.

https://www.energetichealthyathlete.com/

https://www.wtvr.com/news/local-news/iron-deficiency-jan-18-2024

Key Takeaways from this episode:

1. Iron Deficiency in Athletes: Sarah's Gold Award project focused on spreading awareness about iron deficiency in athletes, particularly female athletes. Up to 35% of female athletes may experience this condition, which is often overlooked by doctors. Sarah's project aimed to educate coaches, parents, and athletes about the signs and importance of getting tested for iron deficiency.

2. Creating Awareness through Infographics and Videos: Sarah utilized tools like Canva to create infographics and Doodly to make videos to explain the key information about iron deficiency. These visual aids helped in effectively communicating the message and educating the audience about the importance of iron levels in the body.

3. Persistence and Passion in Achieving Goals: Sarah's project took over 200 hours to complete, highlighting the time-consuming nature of the Gold Award process. Despite the challenges faced in creating a website, video, and conducting research, Sarah's passion for informing others about iron deficiency kept her motivated. She learned that with dedication and persistence, she could achieve her goals and make a positive impact in her community.

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Sophia shares her inspiring Girl Scout Gold Award project, "Beyond the Attic Boutique," aimed at providing formal and special occasion wear for foster youth without the need to disclose their foster care status. She discusses how she collected donations, the process for foster children to access the boutique, and the heartwarming feedback she received. Sophia also reflects on her previous bronze and silver award projects, her experiences as a National Girl Scout Convention delegate, and the valuable skills she gained through Girl Scouting. She offers advice for Girl Scouts pursuing their Gold Award and highlights the importance of resilience in the face of rejection. Additionally, Sophia talks about her future plans in nursing and the support she received from her team. Don't miss this insightful conversation filled with empowerment and determination.

More from Sofia:

My name is Sofia Martinez and I’m from Las Vegas, Nevada. I started Girl Scouts in the second grade going in as a Brownie and ended as an Ambassador after I graduated and have moved on to being a lifetime member. Since then, I’ve gone on to receive my Bronze, Silver, and Gold Award and become involved in many other Girl Scout related activities such as Being selected as a Delegate for the National Girl Scout Convention, Dessert before Dinner, and more. Aside from Girl Scouts, I’ve played soccer my whole life and am an avid reader. Throughout high school, I was involved in many clubs such as Medical Society, NHS, and Key Club. Currently, I’m a freshman at the University of Alabama majoring in Nursing with plans to pursue a Master’s degree and become a Nurse Practitioner.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MIJu-7QXu0

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Erika shares her journey from her Gold Award project to becoming a mental health advocate, speaker, and author. Erika's Gold Award project combined her passion for dance with her desire to work with children, leading her to teach dance to underserved kids in Chicago. This experience not only fulfilled her goal of exposing children to the arts but also taught her invaluable lessons about love, leadership, and the impact of creative outlets on mental health.
Erika opened up about her personal struggles with clinical depression, bipolar disorder, and anxiety, which she has been dealing with since childhood. Her journey through these challenges led her to become an NBA cheerleader for the Chicago Bulls, a role that played a significant part in her path to recovery. Erika's experiences have fueled her mission to educate and empower others about mental health and wellness.
She has since authored middle-grade books that weave mental health themes into engaging stories for young readers. Her books, "Squad Goals," "Cookie Monsters," and the upcoming "Insta Famous," aim to provide children with the language and tools to navigate their mental health and to normalize therapy. Erika's work is a testament to the power of channeling one's struggles into positive change for oneself and others.

More about Erika:

Erika J. Kendrick is a bestselling author, an award-winning national speaker, and a mental fitness expert. She earned a psychology degree from Stanford University and an MBA in marketing and international business from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Erika was an NBA cheerleader for the Chicago Bulls before writing her novels, Confessions of a Rookie Cheerleader and Appetite (Random House). She is currently touring her bestselling middle grade novels, Squad Goals and Cookie Monsters (Little, Brown Publishing). Her next novel, Instafamous, has a fall 2024 publication date. After battling her brain pain, Erika founded Mental Fitness for Life where she launched her Mental Fitness book tour, “Who Moved My Happy?” While talking to audiences of all backgrounds and ages, Erika shares her story of brain pain and inspires hope by creating safe spaces for life-saving conversations. She has presented, keynoted, and guest lectured at colleges and universities across the country as well as the US Army and Air Force, national sororities and fraternities, middle and high schools, conferences, and Fortune 500 corporations. She has toured with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and is a speaker with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) where she has been inducted into their Hall of Fame. Erika is a recipient of several “Who’s Who” honors, a Rising Icon honor, and several Awards of Excellence. Erika has taken the stage for TEDx, appeared on Good Morning America, NBC News, CBS News, The Wendy Williams Experience, national television and radio segments, and a host of other media outlets. She has been featured in several publications, including Page Six of The New York Post, The Huffington Post, The Chicago Tribune, and various magazines and digital media.

https://www.instagram.com/erikajkendrick/
https://www.facebook.com/erikakendrick/
http://xoerika.com/

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