Justin Riggin
Contributor

Girl Scout and aspiring psychologist Falak Asif set out to make a difference in her community by raising awareness of mental health, ultimately gaining a head start in her future career and earning the Girl Scouts organization its highest honor. won a gold medal. .

A student at the Arizona Cultural Academy & College Prep, Falak was looking for ideas for a gold award project when he wanted to directly impact the lives of his classmates and personal friends by tackling an often untackled topic. I was thinking.

“The topic of my project is important to me because it relates to seeing first-hand the experience of a close friend. It really allowed me to understand, learn and teach healthy ways to cope,” she explained.

With this in mind, Falak created Cubs’ Den. This is a fully supervised space on the school campus designated to allow students to engage in healthy activities when they feel stressed, sad, or anxious.

Offering stress-relieving toys, calming puzzles, books, and punching bags for emotional release, the Cubs Den is decorated with calming wall art and comfortable seating for up to five students at a time .

When creating Cubs’ Den and explaining to students the purpose of the room and the expectations to follow, Falak realized the immense impact the space would have on students on campus.

“We showed students how to get the most out of their rooms, and when we researched after our presentations, we heard and witnessed students using the rooms exactly as we envisioned them,” she said.

“I was able to influence over 100 students in grades 8-12.”

Originally given a small room on campus for the Cubs’ den, the location suddenly changed to a large classroom, forcing Falak to reorient and re-evaluate the project.

Nevertheless, she came up with a solution and led the team to success.

Funded by a Muslim Assistance Volunteer Company, Falak provided the Cubs Den with the right tools to free the students.

Additionally, she worked with a local Walmart to bring her Cubs Den vision to life and contacted the local Walmart manager to ask for a donation of paint. This paid off as the store supplied four gallons of her paint to complete the space.

“I learned that I am good at decision-making, problem-solving and leadership. I was able to delegate tasks and solve any problems I encountered while leading my team to create this amazing project.” said Falak.

With over 10 years of experience as a Girl Scout, Falak credits the organization with making an impact on her life and teaching her essential skills for her future life experiences.

“Through Girl Scouts, I gained a broader perspective and learned many life skills that I might not have otherwise learned. It taught me the skills I needed to lead and execute properly,” she said.

Over the years, her excitement for the organization remains exactly the same as when she was a little girl.

“Girl Scouts have always meant a lot to me,” she said. “

Considered the Girl Scouts’ most prestigious award, Falak has proven herself to be a changemaker and innovator by winning the Gold Award.

By addressing important issues in her community and creating long-lasting change, she has received prestigious scholarships at the local and national level, as well as opportunities to stand out in the college admissions process.

After graduating from high school, she is looking forward to her future as a psychologist as she plans to attend Arizona State University and pursue a degree in the field.