Girl Scouts create Interactive Mural and earn Silver Award

Painting a mural is a powerful way to bring art to life and leave a lasting impact on a community. That’s exactly what we’ve been working on. We are four girls from Troop 61013 — Sanjana, Mikayla, Sana, and Ritika — and we've been putting in a lot of hard work to earn the Girl Scout Silver Award. The Silver Award is the second-highest honor for Cadettes, achieved by completing a community service project that demonstrates leadership and makes a positive impact. To earn the award, girls choose a cause, create a plan, and carry out a project that involves at least 50 service hours, all while reflecting on the difference they’ve made.
For our project, we dedicated over 200 hours to painting a mural at the Organization of Special Needs Families (OSF) in San Jose. The mural was designed to raise awareness about kids with special needs and create a space that’s engaging and educational for them. The mural itself is vivid and colorful, with the hope that it will help children engage with the world around them.
First, let’s take a look at the project’s purpose. The mural features people of different backgrounds and ethnicities holding hands in unity. The background is filled with nature imagery, including a bright rainbow and a tree. In addition, the mural is interactive, with a word search and a tree designed to help boost math skills. The goal was to spread a message of inclusivity and diversity while also offering a way for children to learn and interact with the mural as a fun activity.
A lot of planning and preparation went into the mural. The first step was brainstorming ideas and finding the right location. After a lot of thought, we decided to create an interactive mural for OSF. Once we had our project, we started by sketching the design. Each of us worked hard, from drawing to inking to coloring. When we were ready, it was time to bring our design to life at OSF. We primed the wall and carefully sketched the design onto it. With supplies in hand, we spent hours painting, making sure every detail was perfect. Though we faced some challenges, we worked through them with teamwork and determination. It was a true test of resilience and collaboration. Finally, we sealed the mural with varnish to ensure it would last.
As for the impact, the mural is already making a difference. It’s helping boost the confidence and social skills of the children at OSF, giving them a fun and engaging way to learn. The mural transformed a once-plain wall into a lively, colorful masterpiece. It’s big, bright, and full of detail—a real standout.
All in all, this mural was not only a way for us to express ourselves but also a meaningful way to help the children at OSF. It was a great experience that helped us earn our Silver Award while learning about planning, leadership, and making a difference. We’re so proud to have created something that will have a lasting impact on the kids at OSF