Girl Scouts of Eastern Mass. honors Everett resident with award

Special to The Advocate

Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts (GSEMA) presented its Gold Awards, the highest achievement in Girl Scouting, and one Everett resident was among the recipients. A Girl Scout Gold Award recognizes a girl who identifies a community need, develops a sustainable solution and demonstrates exceptional leadership through a significant service project. This year Everett’s Evelyn Gayhart earned this prestigious award through a project that is set to create a lasting impact on the local community.

Evelyn was upset to learn of the problems caused by bullying and social isolation in schools.

She felt the best way to address this issue was to create Buddy Benches: welcoming spaces

where students can build friendships and learn about inclusion. She collaborated with community members, businesses and school leaders to fundraise, build and install Buddy Benches at local schools. To accompany the benches, Evelyn developed a curriculum to teach students and staff about kindness, mindfulness and bullying prevention. Her work inspired students, families and educators to foster a culture of empathy and connection within their communities. Evelyn’s efforts will be sustained through annual staff-led education using her curriculum, and with continued enjoyment of the Buddy Benches at each school.

“By having benches and conversations about how people feel, we can, in turn, be inclusive, inviting, and supportive, and give students confidence and connection.”