Mia Warren, Knoxville, is the inaugural winner of the Hero Kid Award, sponsored by KnoxTNToday, Covenant Health, FirstBank, Food City and Wallace Real Estate.
Mia has accomplished many community-changing projects through her 13 years in the Girl Scouts prior to her 18th birthday, in addition to graduating in the top of her Karns High School class with a 4.3 GPA.
Mia earned a Gold Award, the highest Girl Scout recognition, by completing a project with the East TN History Museum that allows visually impaired people to experience museums independently.
Mia was inspired to develop this complicated project by a family friend who was born blind. Stating she wished she could find a way to help the friend experience the world easier, Mia approached the East TN History Museum to see if they would be interested in partnering in a project to support the blind.
Mia spent 2-1/2 years typing up every sign and bit of text in the museum’s exhibits before creating a text tour giving visual descriptions of each exhibit, including all of the signage around the exhibit. The text tour was then linked to a series of QR codes placed around the museum.
The visually impaired user can scan the code with their device and follow along at their own pace, either through listening to their screen reader or making the font large enough they can read it. The tour navigates the user around the museum, giving instructions on which way to walk and look and where to find the next QR code.
The plan was to add floor markers near the QR code signs to help cane users find the next code. The QR codes have also been added to help find the restroom, navigate on the elevator and navigate around the other floors of the building.
This project was not Mia Warren’s first community focused project.
She completed her Girl Scouts Silver award as a Cadette in middle school with a project creating a rock garden encouraging everyone to be themselves. The entire Karns Elementary School painted about 1,500 rocks to create a garden in front of the school.
Mia completed her Girl Scouts Bronze award as a Junior Scout in elementary school with a project focused on teaching other fourth graders what it means to have Down Syndrome.
In addition to her work in the community, Mia served as secretary in the National Honor Society, president of Project U, and a section leader for two years with Karns Marching Band. She danced for 12 years with Dream Dance Studio Inc and participated on the competition team.
Congratulations, Mia Warren. We are honored to recognize you as the Hero Kid.
A formal presentation will occur in the weeks to come.
The second Hero Kid campaign is underway with nominations being accepted from April 1-June 30.
Hero Kid Award is sponsored by KnoxTNToday, FirstBank, Food City, Wallace Real Estate and Covenant Health.
