Superkids: Super Scout Naomi Graff is One Tough Cookie

Most days, 8-year-old Naomi walks the two blocks home from school with a friend. But on Oct. 13, when her friend went home sick, Naomi walked home on her own. About half way to her house, she noticed a man leaning against a car. Seconds later, he lunged out and grabbed her. He didn’t know he was picking on the wrong Girl Scout.

“I had a little voice in my head telling me what to do,” Naomi said. She had participated in the Child Assault Prevention program (CAP) through the Front Range Center for Assault Prevention and learned self-defense training. “I thought about what CAP had taught me. I wasn’t really scared until I was actually running away.”

She took a mental picture of the man and kicked him as hard as she could in the shin before turning and running home. Because she’d had the presence of mind to take a good look at her attacker and his car, the police were able to find and arrest him within 72 hours.

Because of her bravery, Naomi was commended by her school and the Boulder County Sheriff. And on Feb. 23, Naomi received the Girl Scouts’ Bronze Cross Lifesaving Award, recognizing a heroic act to save a life—in this case, her own.

“I want other girls and kids to know that if you feel like you can’t stand up for yourself, or if you feel like you’re not strong…just try to break through that feeling,” Naomi said.