Making a difference at ETCH, in Chattanooga: Paraskevi

  • Christopoulos delivered Beads of Courage NICU information cards to local Farragut orthodontist Dr. Christopher O’Rourke. - Photos submitted

  • Paraskevi Christopoulos, Baylor School of Chattanooga varsity crew team member, displays the Carry a Beads during a national competition, where the team participated in the Beads of Courage Carry a Bead program. - Photos submitted

For teenager Paraskevi Christopoulos of Farragut, there’s never a dull moment.

Earlier this summer, “I completed my Girl Scout Gold Award, ‘Beads of Courage NICU.’ After our family experienced the challenges of having a baby in the NICU, I decided to help other families going through the difficult time of having a baby admitted into the NICU,” Christopoulos said.

“I used textile arts to make bags to give to families being supported through the Beads of Courage project.

“Project Beads of Courage NICU stitches bags that are given to families at East Tennessee Children’s Hospital to contain the numerous amounts of beads received during treatments and procedures,” she added. “The mission of my Gold Award project is to bring awareness to Arts-in-Medicine programs.”

High school is, perhaps, another adventure. Although a resident of Farragut, “I attend the Baylor School in Chattanooga, where I am currently a member of the varsity crew team,” Christopoulos said.

“The girls crew team attended nationals on May 28, where the team participated in the Beads of Courage Carry a Bead program.

“The Carry a Bead program allows teams to share their courage to care and allows teams to take the children on an adventure,” she added. “Each athlete wore two beads. After nationals, each athlete kept one bead and the other bead was mailed back to the Beads of Courage organization to be distributed to the children at their bedside.”