Girl Scouts from a Girl's Perspective

By:
Media Corps Member, Katey M.
Ambassador, Grade 11, Troop 8019
Burkburnett, TX

I joined Girl Scouts in 2nd grade, a first year brownie in Girl Scouts of Western Washington. During my first meeting, I barely said a word, scared out of my mind because I was the most shy little kid in the world, but slowly I began to warm up. 

My first troop leader created an environment free of judgement, a place I never had to worry about being bullied or made fun of because I didn't know how to do something. Mrs. Jackie gave me the tools and the confidence to email my mayor about a dangerous city bus stop that was across the street by my school, earning me my Girl Scout Bronze Award.

After moving to Texas in the middle of the pandemic and joining a new troop, I became the oldest by three years. During these almost six years with my troop, I have been able to travel all over North Texas, go on a week long trip to Savannah, Georgia, in 2024, and have volunteered at many recruitment events to help grow my troop from three to 15 girls. 

Being the oldest girl in my troop gave me more responsibilities. I’ve attended many leadership meetings as the girl representative, helping my leaders during cookie cupboards every week, and being the first point of contact for girls during the night at camps. Because of all of that, I ended last year with 235 volunteer hours earning me the Silver President’s Volunteer Service Award.

This fall, I have been the junior leader for my troop as I work towards my Volunteer-in-Training pin, making meeting plans, presentations, and STEM activities for a younger audience for the first time. I have since been able to use those skills to submit a proposal to create the first ever history club at my school. I also used those activities as my portfolio, and now I have the amazing opportunity to return to the first Girl Scout property I ever went to camp at in Washington as an Intern for a whole month. 

I wholeheartedly believe that I would not be the person that I am today without my leaders or the skills I have gained through this program. Now that I only have a year and a half left, it will truly be one of my biggest heartbreaks.