To complete her Girl Scout Gold Award, Hall High School senior Olivia Mitchell has organized a volunteer fair, scheduled for Nov. 17 in West Hartford,  to match local teens with volunteer opportunities.

Olivia Mitchell, a senior at Hall High School, has organized a volunteer fair to match teens with opportunities. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

By Ronni Newton

Olivia Mitchell has wanted to earn the Girl Scout Gold Award ever since she was in middle school, and the youth volunteer fair she has organized for Nov. 17 is the final project and last step toward reaching her goal – an achievement earned by only 5 percent of those who participate in Girl Scouts at the ambassador (high school junior and senior) level.

On Nov. 17, from 6-8 p.m., the first ever teen volunteer fair will be held in the Conard High School cafeteria in West Hartford. Local organizations that welcome teen volunteers will be on hand to share the service opportunities they offer, and teens – as well as their parents – are encouraged to attend and learn how they can get involved.

The organizations, all of which allow middle and high school students to volunteer, include Celebrate West Hartford, Healing Meals, Noah Webster House, Hear Here Hartford, Johnny’s Jog, West Hartford YMCA, Hartt Beat Ensemble, HANOC, Autism Families ConneCT, and Relay for Life.

She said that Jenny Bronson, coordinator of Hall High School’s Career Center, was very helpful in providing contacts, as was Conard High School Career Center Coordinator Kim Davis.

“I’m trying to get as many as I can,” Olivia said. There is no charge for organizations to participate.

She’s also hopeful that a good number of teens will attend. She has posted fliers at Hall, Conard, Northwest Catholic, Renbrook, Kingswood, and other area schools and churches.

“Any number would be a success. If 100 people came it would be better than expected,” she said.

Olivia said she decided to go for the Gold Award back in middle school when she saw another Girl Scout earn it. “It was very inspiring, seeing the impact on the community of what she was able to do through her project.” She started thinking about the project for her Gold Award when she was a high school freshman, and once her idea was approved she spent countless hours planning the volunteer fair.

Olivia said that her mom helped come up with the idea, but it was a reflection of her own experiences. “I always wanted to volunteer, but there were no resources to access. I’d hear the same from my friends and classmates,” she said.

“My desire to have an impact on the world inspired me to make sure others can do that, too,” Olivia said.

Cheryl Mitchell, Olivia’s mom, is a nurse. “When I was little I always used to ask my mom when I could volunteer for [Connecticut Children’s Medical Center],” Olivia said.

Olivia has had some life-changing volunteer experiences, especially in 2012 when, at age 13, she had the opportunity to volunteer at a hospital in Uganda where a family friend is an administrator. “Since before I can remember I was interested in medicine, but it was seeing a different side of medicine opened my eyes to the opportunities in medicine that are available.”

Now a high school senior, Olivia is even more focused on the future and said her first choice college is the University of North Carolina. She hopes to eventually study medicine and is interested in women’s health.

In addition to her volunteer work and Girl Scouts, Olivia also writes for the news section of “Hall Highlights” and is a member of the swim team, golf team, and student association.

After the volunteer fair Olivia will complete additional paperwork for the Girl Scout Council, including a reflection about her project. She hopes to receive the Gold Award in early 2017.

“A lot of people don’t think it’s possible. I know I had that mindset a few times, but I have proven it can be done,” she said. Even though it’s a major challenge, many more Boy Scouts – including her younger brother – achieve the Eagle Scout rank, the equivalent of the Gold Award. She’s hopeful that she will be an inspiration to younger girls, and encourage them.

Olivia said that working toward the Gold Award has been very rewarding, and has given her leadership and time management skills as well as confidence.

“The best thing I learned from this experience is that it’s so much easier having support from friends and family. It makes everything easier. And, asking for help is okay.”