By Anna Edwards
Sophia Randolph, a girl scout of 11 years and an incoming senior at Charles W. Baker High School, will be hosting a three-day basketball camp called “Dribbling to Better Health.”
The camp is part of her Girl Scout Gold Award Project.
The Girl Scout Gold Award is the highest award available to Girl Scouts.
It requires scouts to complete 80 hours of community service toward an issue that impacts both their local community and the world as a whole.
The issue that Randolph has chosen to address is the decline in childhood wellness. Her camp will address nutrition, fitness and mental health.
The camp is for girls entering fourth through sixth grade and will include stations focusing on different areas such as mental health information, dietary suggestions and basketball skills. Specialists will be available at each station to educate about the various topics.
The basketball training will be led by members of the Syracuse women’s basketball team.
The camp will be free including lunch but is limited to the first 100 girls that sign up.
Randolph chose to do a basketball camp because it’s a sport that people can play without requiring too much equipment and resources.
“I thought it was a good way to reach a lot of people at once,” she said.
Organizing this project has required Randolph to collaborate with nutritionists, therapists, and basketball players, many of whom will volunteer at the camp. She also had to get her project idea approved by the Girl Scouts of NYPENN Committee.
After the camp, Randolph will survey the campers to assess their acquired knowledge.
She hopes to show that her camp had a lasting impact through videos posted on YouTube and post-camp surveys by campers.
The follow-up surveys will be completed for a month after the camp to show that campers gained knowledge from attending. Campers will be rewarded for filling out the surveys.
“Dribbling to Better Health” will be hosted from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on July 5-7 at 90 Wilson Road in Central Square.
Randolph is still looking for volunteers for the camp.
Contact [email protected] if interested in volunteering or with any questions.
