Girl Scout Uses Ocean Wall Mural to Enrich Her Community

by Stephanie Goins on October 21, 2011

Girl Scout Service Project Ideas

Recently My Wonderful Walls had the chance to give back to the community; this wonderful opportunity came in the form of Rebecca Ackermann, a dedicated Girl Scout looking to earn her Gold Award for community service. We donated our ocean stencil kit and ocean paint kit to her so that she could complete her quest. The project was, in her words, a smashing success, and the library she painted has been receiving rave reviews for the artwork every since.

Completed in late July of 2011, Rebecca’s project fulfilled the Girl Scout service requirements and earned her the coveted gold award soon after completing the ocean wall mural for her project. She had been keeping us posted along the way, and recently emailed again to follow up on her experience and to express how much the project meant to her and to the community. Here is what she has had to say:

library wall mural makeover“In November of 2010, I went to see my twin sisters’ new school for the first time. My sister has autism, and like many public special needs schools in the country, her school was underfunded and missing a lot of basic school supplies. Perhaps one of the most disappointing absences was the lack of a library or even a decent amount of books. So I decided to use my community service project to help create a true, wonderful library where the students could expand their reading skills. I collected furniture, technology, held book drives and painting sessions, and ended with an open house to commemorate the library.  In addition, I helped create an easy system to help students navigate the library and the books it housed that was easier for them to understand than the dewy decimal system or even alphabetical categorization.

By working with teachers, administrators, non-profit charities, schools, churches, small businesses, and more, I gained the resources needed to carry out my project, which was completed in the end of July 2011. I was so happy to have found My Wonderful Walls; your donation helped make the library come alive with colors and images – something that will help stimulate and engage the autistic students on a really wonderful level.

ocean wall mural stencilsThe building where my painting project took place not only hosts an autistic support program, but also an early intervention program, a head start program, an English as a Second Language program, a literacy camp, and a YMCA day care. Adding a special library created unique improvements for the different groups who will access the building. For the autistic children, reading skills will help them in job training if they choose to pursue that path. Reading for the ESL children gives them opportunities to learn to read no matter their level of understanding.

I have received so many compliments about the wall stencils, and they turned out so beautifully. They really made the library pop, and truly made it such a fun place. Thank you again for helping me make my project something lasting and special!”

We at My Wonderful Walls want to say, “Thank You, Rebecca!” for inspiring us as well, and for giving us the opportunity to partner with you in an outstanding community service outreach project.

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