Mental health problems can affect many areas of students’ lives, reducing their quality of life, academic achievement, physical health, and relationship satisfaction. Seventeen-year-old Girl Scout Gold Award recipient, Edyn Stepler, recognized the severity of this situation and was inspired to take action by creating the campaign and art project, Walkway of Wisdom.

“The aim of my Gold Award, Walkway of Wisdom, is to promote the importance of self-esteem through positive messages painted on a mural at Sycamore Canyon Middle School,” said Edyn.

Edyn used her hand-lettering skills to design 20 inspirational quotes for this breezeway between the elementary and middle school. Each quote was carefully selected with the intention to provide “an opportunity for students to self-reflect and reset the way they think about themselves.” She drew inspiration from her favorite authors, role models, and her days attending Sycamore Canyon. Edyn even included quotes that held personal significance to her through middle school, such as “I hope you know you are capable and brave and significant. Even when it feels that you are not.”

Selecting the quotes was only half the battle. To paint this inspirational lettering, Edyn built her own scaffolding and created her own stencils for each quote to ensure each design came out precisely as she intended. Edyn, along with her team of volunteers, completed the entire process in three months, just in time to welcome students for the new school year.

Although Edyn chose these quotes for middle schoolers, she still resonates with many of them to this day. “Strive for progress, not perfection. I personally remind myself of this quote every day. It is so important to remember, especially for the perfectionist inside all of us.”

Her messages prove to be universal, with several social media followers from various backgrounds commenting how they relate to her motivational quotes too. Edyn’s thoughtful design speaks to people of all ages and we can’t wait to see what she does next.

To learn more about the Gold Award and the Girl Scouts that are making a difference in your community and the world at large, visit here.