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Local Teen Earns Presidential Honor

May 05, 2016 12:54PM ● By Kelly Cannon

By Kelly Cannon | [email protected]

Draper - Thirteen-year-old Draper resident Sophia Goodwin turned her passion for education and learning into a service project that received the recognition from the White House. Sophia and her friend Victoria Bromfield in Girl Scout Troop 2401 made spring supply refill kits for children in Title I schools in Midvale. 

The refill kits included hygiene items, school supplies and coloring books.

“We received donations from friends, family and churches,” Sophia said. 

The kits also included motivational messages to help the kids to do well in school and eventually go to college. Sophia said she learned only 60 percent of Title I school children graduate from high school. 

Sophia and Victoria delivered the kits to East Midvale Elementary.  

“They were really excited to see us,” Sophia said. “We got a chance to play with the kids. It was fun.”

Sophia and Victoria did the service project as part of their silver award in the Girl Scouts. In order for the project to qualify, it had to be sustainable.

“We created a binder with the steps we took to create the project,” Sophia said. “Another Girl Scout troop is going to continue the project next year.”

Sophia earned two awards for her project: Utah’s Middle Level Youth Volunteer in the Prudential Spirit of the Community Award and the President’s Volunteer Service Award. She received $1,000 and a signed letter from President Barack Obama. In May, Sophia will be traveling to Washington, D.C., for an awards ceremony and a tour around the capitol. She is also eligible for the Girl Scouts Gold Medallion Award, which comes with a $5,000 prize. 

“I was really surprised,” Sophia said. “I didn’t think I was going to win compared to the other projects.”

Sophia presented her project to the Draper City Council on March 15. She explained how good she felt serving her community and interacting with the children. The City Council presented Sophia with a letter from the mayor and council members, as well as a commemorative coin.