About Us
Wings 4 Wheelchairs
Girl Scout Gold Award Project
Project History
Throughout human history, people with disabilities have always been overlooked. It’s common knowledge that modern development has been focused on societal majorities, and even today public education lacks the proper resources to address issues related to the disabled. I’ve witnessed firsthand the dismayed expressions on children’s faces when they are denied the ability to participate in childhood activities simply because they aren’t as mobile as their peers. Fortunately, present-day technology has allowed for alterations to be made to everyday equipment to support and include all lifestyles. The sad fact is that these pieces are rare and expensive, and that is the target I wish to focus on for my Girl Scout Gold Award.
After some investigating of my own, I’ve found that there are very few parks in my area that can be considered wheelchair accessible, and even fewer that have earned the title of ‘inclusive’. Of the 2 that hold such a title, one is closed to the public, and the other is a 30-minute drive away. The long travel time makes it more difficult for families with disabilities to travel there easily. It is my end goal to address this issue by installing a wheelchair accessible swing in my area to promote inclusivity and education related to those who live with disabilities.
I have fond memories from my childhood of what it felt like to play on a swing set. It felt as though I had wings of my own. I’d like to provide as many people as possible with the opportunity to have similar experiences, regardless of the extent of their abilities. That is why I titled my project “Wings 4 Wheelchairs”.
Gold Award Summary
The root cause of the issue my Gold Award addressed was:
There are several root causes to the issue of lack of wheelchair accessible fun at parks. These include:
1.) A lack of funding toward city parks and recreation
2.) Lack of education on special needs
3.) Play structures focused on the majority of kids rather than the minorities
4.) Special needs and disabilities are still a taboo topic
5.) No ramps on play structures
6.) Ground cover not suitable for wheelchairs
I addressed the root cause of the issue by:
I addressed multiple root causes of the lack of wheelchair accessible fun at parks. I hosted bottle drives and met with the Southgate Parks and Recreation Director to discuss future city budget plans to better include minorities in city parks. I donated books to my local libraries that represented different special needs groups in hopes of educating the public on the disabled community, and helping to destigmatize the topic of disabled people for children and teens. I also wrote an OP-ED for the News Herald and was featured in an article in both the Southgate Star and the News Herald to address the adult population of Downriver, MI.
My target audience was:
Children with disabilities, specifically those in wheelchairs.
To educate the general public, including children, about specials needs and disabilities