Chloe Adams of Chattanooga saw a need to support the emotional and mental health of younger students. She partnered with a local elementary school to transform an unused space into a sensory room. She cleaned the space, painted it and added new furniture, decorations, soft lighting and toys. She also provided resources for both students and teachers to have a safe, calming space. Her goals? To offer students much-needed time to relax while help raising awareness about the variety of social-emotional needs of children. Chloe earned a prestigious Girl Scout Gold Award in 2026 for her Time to Relax project.

Gold Award Girl Scouts demonstrate exceptional leadership by tackling important community issues. As the organization’s highest achievement, earned by just 6% of Girl Scouts nationwide, the award requires planning and executing a sustainable, high-impact project. Through this intensive process, these young women work hard and empower themselves while creating lasting change for others.

“I was made aware of the need for a place for students to regulate their emotions when I was at Hickory Valley Christian School,” Chloe shares. “That’s why I chose this as my Gold Award project.”

Her vision came to life in a meaningful way as she transformed the space into a calming, welcoming environment for students. From soft lighting to thoughtfully selected furniture and decor, every detail was designed with care. “My favorite part of working on the project was decorating the room, because I got to see all of my ideas come together,” she says.

As with any large project, Chloe faced challenges along the way, most notably with time management. Balancing school, work and her Gold Award project required discipline and focus. “Time management was a big obstacle,” she explains. “I had to learn how to make a schedule and stick to it.” Through the process, she built valuable skills in budgeting and developed a deeper understanding of children’s mental health needs.

Chloe treasures the friendships she’s formed through Girl Scouts, noting that it’s not just one moment that stands out. “A great memory I have from Girl Scouts was not just one memory, it was all the great times I had with my friends,” she says. Those experiences helped shape an important lesson she carries forward today: “I learned what it takes to be successful in life.”

A rising Junior at University High at the University of Tennessee Chattanooga, Chloe is balancing school with her job at American Eagle. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her friends Sarah, Lauren, Elaina and Kailiegh, driving and going shopping.

Change the world, Girl Scout! Learn more at girlscoutcsa.org.