Greenwich Teen Educates Cheer Team on Concussion Awareness

Sarah Peng

Sarah Peng, a Greenwich High School Junior and Girl Scout has finished her Gold Award project for concussion awareness and stunting safety for the North Mianus Bull Dog Cheerleading Team in the Fall of 2019.

Peng has been a Girl Scout since the 2nd grade at North Mianus School. She was a previous Bulldog Cheerleader and is now a High School Assistant Cheer Coach for the North Mianus Bulldogs. Peng saw that there was a need to educate cheerleaders on concussion symptoms and awareness. 

“I believe it was important for the cheerleaders to be more aware of the signs and symptoms of concussions because it promotes them to be safer cheerleaders and better teammates.” Sarah Peng, Girl Scout Ambassador 

Peng reached out to Jennifer Rigg-Brandt, 2019 head of cheer for the North Mianus Bulldogs to share her Gold Project. She provided information on concussion systems and awareness of general concussion symptoms and awareness to the coaches and cheerleaders. There are three levels of cheer and each program was directed to the needs of the Bantams, Juniors and Seniors.

The prestigious Gold Award is the highest award a girl can earn in Girl Scouting, and it is often compared to the Eagle Scout in Boys Scouts. “An award with national standards, it acknowledges an individual’s accomplishments, leadership, commitment, creativity, and personal effort in trying to make the world a better place,” according to Girl Scouts of the USA.

Each Gold Award project solves a community issue and improves lives while girls build their personal leadership skills and inspire others to community action. In order to earn the Gold Award, Senior and Ambassador scouts in grades 9 to 12 spend at least 80 hours researching issues, assessing their community’s needs and resources, building a team and making a sustainable impact through their project.