Cedar Rapids Girl Scout Brings Community Together Through Mental Health Resources
Srinidhi Kompella from Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has achieved the Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can earn, by creating a club and magazine, Plain Brown Wrapper, to address the lack of representation and community surrounding mental health and minority experiences.
“The school system does not provide a consistent resource for those struggling with mental health. While therapy resources are provided, most high school students dismiss them under the impression that seeking help will somehow taint their reputation or lead them to be underestimated.”
Srinidhi wanted to address this stigma and provide students with a healthy and safe outlet where they can share their experiences. By having such resources available, students’ emotions are more easily managed, they feel more secure, and can more easily face adversity later in life. Their relationships with themselves are stronger, leading to stronger relationships with others.
“Plain Brown Wrapper reached and uplifted students who lacked a sense of community and gave them the opportunity to build one and the resilience to face their struggles. It helped members not only respond to challenges as they arose, but also develop healthy habits for dealing with adversity. Throughout the year, I watched Plain Brown Wrapper members come to realize that their writing and creative expression were powerful tools for coping.”
With Srinidhi's guidance and leadership, Plain Brown Wrapper members built lasting habits to manage stress and other challenges in a supportive and expressive environment. The group has grown, and new members will continue to carry out the mission of the Plain Brown Wrapper as Srinidhi moves on to her next step in life, college at the University of Oklahoma.
Here are some submissions from Plain Brown Wrapper members about their experience being in the club and how it helped them through personal challenges.
The Plain Brown Wrapper website can be found here.
