My Experience With Girl Scouting

I joined Girl Scouts as soon as I could. I started in first grade and have stayed a member through high school. I plan to help out a Girl Scout Troop during college. Girl Scouts has provided me with many amazing opportunities. I learned about team-building, leadership, and most of all, I had fun! Some of the experiences I have had through Scouting are camping trips, trips to a theme park, summer camp, and going to the Girl Scout Global Leadership Conference. The Girl Scout Global Leadership Conference is an excellent opportunity for older scouts. You get to meet Girl Scouts from around the world! You can go with your troop or as an individual (although you must have an adult chaperone), as I did. I was so nervous about going alone, but I met amazing people there! The weekend included individually chosen workshops, College Q/A's, entertainment, activities, and meals were provided as well. Girl Scout camp was one of my favorite experiences through Girl Scouts. After being a camper myself for a couple of years, I became a counselor once I was old enough. I have volunteered each year of high school as a counselor to allow other girls to have the opportunity to go to camp. Being a counselor at camp is always one of the highlights of my entire year. Girls do not have to be a Girl Scouts to go to Girl Scout camps. I encourage all girls to check out the camps. Each one has a theme, one of them will surely align with your interests, and you will have such a great time! My troop worked together, and all of us scouts earned our Girl Scout Silver Award by making improvements to the local animal shelter. I would encourage all scouts to challenge themselves to work towards earning the highest awards in Girl Scouting: the Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards.

The Gold Award is earned by Girl Scout Seniors and Ambassadors who complete a meaningful service project. A scout must complete the required prerequisites to be eligible to begin to work towards earning the award. A scout will recruit team members, a project advisor, and complete research to finalize a proposal of their project, which is submitted to the council for review. Once approved, a scout will carry out their project. At the completion of the project, the scout will submit a final report outlining their project.

I have always wanted to earn my Gold Award through Girl Scouting. I started coming up with ideas in the second semester of my sophomore year in high school for my project. After refining my ideas, I submitted my proposal to the council for review in November of my Senior year. I decided to name my project "Managing Stress and Anxiety". After I met with the committee, I made changes to my project, and it was approved in early February. I began the first part of my project in Mid-February, which was sharing a presentation and completing a stress-relieving craft (either stress balls or worry stones) with five different 5th/6th grade classrooms in two local schools. By visiting these classrooms I was able to provide students with information about what stress and anxiety are and how to manage their current or future symptoms that may arise. After completing the first part of my project, I was ready to begin the second part of my project. Unfortunately, with the COVID-19 pandemic, I could no longer proceed as planned. I pondered ideas for awhile and eventually landed on creating this website. I once again made changes to my proposal, and my project was re-approved in Mid-April. I worked on my project through April, and by Mid-May, I had finally finished my website and published it. My hope is that through my website viewers will learn about stress and anxiety, have an understanding of management strategies, feel more confident in their ability to support others who are experiencing stress and anxiety, and have knowledge of additional resources related to the subject. I am currently waiting for my final project review with counsel to earn my Gold Award.

Through completing my Gold Award project I have learned the importance of making a difference in your community. I believe that everyone, whether associated with Girl Scouts or not, should strive to be involved in their community. Everyone has an interest or expertise that can be utilized for bettering others in the community. Another thing I have gained throughout my project is confidence in myself to improvise. There were many situations during my project that I had to improvise based on the situation. I had to trust my instincts and make a quick decision. I now feel more confident in my ability as a leader and to complete projects no matter what challenges I may face along the way. Girl Scouting has made an incredibly positive impact on my life. Because of this, I encourage all girls to give Girl Scouts a chance. I also encourage all Girl Scouts to complete a Gold Award project. It is an extremely rewarding experience that will allow you to make an impact and grow closer to your community.