ENCINITAS — A lifelong Girl Scout, San Dieguito Academy senior Dorothy Stocks wanted to learn more about handling the real world outside of school and homework.
Stocks, 17, accomplished that goal as part of her Girl Scout Gold Award project (equivalent to the Eagle Scout service project), developing her own website filled with resources and practical information not found in the classroom.
“This project means a lot to me because I can serve my peers,” Stocks told The Coast News. “School focuses so heavily on academics, it can lack the information we need to survive in the world as adults.”
The website is separated into four sections of basic knowledge — employment, personal finance, health and home life — to help young adults be successful after leaving home.
Each section features skills necessary for everyday living, from learning how to pay bills, cleaning tips and cooking meals to finding health insurance and purchasing a home (adultlifeskills.org).
Outside of the Girl Scouts, Stocks, daughter of former Encinitas mayor Jerome Stocks, is a member of the Sheriff Department’s Explorer Program, plays lead alto saxophone in the school’s wind ensemble and hopes to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy.
“I like serving my community through Girl Scouts and I want to serve my country, too,” Stocks said.
Stocks, who is bilingual, wants to study political science or sociology and has applications at a number of other prestigious schools, including Clemson University, University of Colorado Boulder and several UC schools.
