Guest columnist Hope Smith is a Girl Scout Senior with Troop 50660 of the Girl Scouts of North East Ohio.
Growing up as a Girl Scout is a life changing experience that has opened up a plethora of unique opportunities to my friends and me. When I made the decision to join, I never knew how positively it would impact my life. I have many abilities and a unique knowledge that I would have never gained without being a Girl Scout. I honestly cannot imagine who I would be today without having had the ability to join, but I do know how grateful I am for all of the paths that scouting has allowed me to travel.
Many say that becoming a Girl Scout seems like something a little girl should be doing, and girls are not as willing to invest their time these days, but scouting is truly for anyone who wants to test their boundaries, make friends, help the community, and grow as an individual. Although our cookies may be the item that brings us recognition, we are all creative young girls who desire to make a change in the world.
I would not be as adventurous as I am today without all of the skills I gained through scouting. Working hard to earn badges and pins allows each of us to show our unique skills and brings us a sense of pride. Activities such as camping, World Thinking Day, Goodwill Good Turn Day, and Program Aide training allow us to learn and give back to our community.
As a troop, we completed a Take Action Project to earn the Girl Scout Silver Award that brought our troop and our community together. We decided to fix up a local fire museum so our town's 1931 Buffalo fire truck could be put on display. Although our project, known as the Old Buffalo Museum Project, took four months, our hard work surely paid off. Each of us completed tasks that ranged from painting the wooden floor runners, to painting an old water pump that was to be put on display with the Buffalo fire truck. Now, whenever I see the museum, I remember how the experience made us stronger leaders, as well as friends.
Thanks to Girl Scouts, my friends and I have gotten to know other girls who taught us things that will help us throughout our lives. Joining such a positive group of females allows girls to be creative and do what they love.
Whether you want to go camping or learn how women impact our society, there is a program for every girl. Even if a girl doesn't like going outside that much, there are still interesting programs that involve books, languages, other cultures, and computers. One of my favorite memories is when we were taught to make cloth dolls and use the observatory at Camp Timberlane.
Thanks to the help of our leaders, we are all unique individuals who desire to make an impact.
Whether it comes to helping people within our community or selling Girl Scout Cookies, scouting positively impacts us and allows us to become strong leaders. The joy brought upon by being a Girl Scout is amazing, and I enjoy seeing young girls who harbor the same passion. Becoming a scout allows me to learn about my passions, who I am as a person, and develop better social skills.
There is a never-ending list of possibilities offered by Girl Scouts of North East Ohio, and I believe that girls who desire to change the world for the better should join.
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