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Breona Pizzuta Recognized for Gold Award Project on Mental Health Awareness
Girl Scouts Heart of New Jersey is proud to celebrate Breona Pizzuta, a Gold Award Girl Scout, who has been awarded the esteemed Girl Scouts of the USA $5,000 Scholarship. Breona’s impactful Gold Award project focused on addressing the rising mental health challenges among adolescents, particularly high school students facing stress and pressure in school environments.
Through her research, Breona learned that untreated depression is the leading cause of suicide and was motivated to create a proactive solution. She developed the Mental Health Matters curriculum, a program designed to educate students on managing stress and promoting positive mental health practices. The curriculum includes helpful techniques and lessons that have been endorsed by mental health professionals, ensuring its relevance and effectiveness. It has been implemented at her school and shared with other local schools to extend its reach.
Breona’s leadership and dedication have helped students build resilience, teaching them coping mechanisms and ways to combat negative thoughts. Her work is now integrated into her school’s counseling program and will continue to support students through collaboration with school counselors and younger student leaders.
Beyond her Gold Award project, Breona credits Girl Scouts for shaping her as a leader. She shared that through Girl Scouts, she learned valuable skills such as goal setting, decision making, and community service, all of which have contributed to her success in making a meaningful impact.
Congratulations to Breona for her remarkable achievement and for receiving the Gold Award Scholarship! Her dedication to improving mental health education for students will have a lasting effect on her community and beyond.
Learn more about the Gold Award Scholarship.
October 01, 2024
