Kateriland Neighborhood Girl Scouts

''Top 11 Things about Girl Scouting''

Dec 08, 2004

1. Acceptance - Girl Scouts accepts all girls for who they are. There are no special requirements, cuts, secret handshakes, codes, or initiations. Girl Scouts is an outlet for girls to find positive acceptance and not get swept up in the garbage that is in today's media and culture.

2. Friendships - Naturally, when you get a group of girls together they are going to talk - big surprise - and grow closer as friends. Scouting provides a great opportunity for girls to make friends outside of school in an enviroment that enriches their social skills.

3. Being Prepared - I cannot tell you how many times the good old Girl Scout motto of being prepared has come into use. From handy wipes to pens, it's a joke between my friends that I'm the "mom" because I'm always prepared. I give the credit to scouting!

4. Creativity - Where crafts and camp songs exist, creativity thrives. I have made more crafts than I can even count - some turned out great, others we won't talk about; butI had fun all the same. Girl Scouts love to sing and camp songs are my passion - I've taught my Brownies many songs, and I'm not sure who has more fun - them or me!!!

5. Adventure - Girl Scouting has opened many doors for me - not only in the state of Michigan but also in California, Ohio, and Tennessee. As a freshman in high school, I went to California on a Girl Scout Wider Opportunity. I flew by myself and had an absolute blast on the trip. If you stick with scouting, traveling to new places is a very real possibility.

6. Practical Knowledge - From knots to first aid, I have gained knowledge in the reality of life. I can balance a budget, plan a balanced meal, start a fire, cook over a campfire, and give first aid - all thanks to Girl Scouts.

7. Mentoring - Scouting provides the opportunity to work with younger girls. I am blessed to be able to work with the Daisy, Brownie, and Junior troops that my mom leads and I adore the girls. I feel privileged to be looked up to as a role model.

8. Opportunities - From Girl Scout Wider Opportunities to the Silver and Gold Awards - scouting offers many forms of recognition. Earning patches offers a concrete way for girls to see their efforts pay off.

9. Self-esteem - This is a huge focus for Girl Scouting. The media today portrays a body image that is unrealistic. Scouting teaches girls to accept themselves for who they are.

10. Prestige - I can tell you from personal experience that colleges look on scouting very highly. I received scholarships based on my scouting experiences. Girl Scouts is a highly recognized and well-known organization for promoting the positive growth of girls.

11. Leadership - The Girl Scout program has given me confidence and a passion for pursuing leadership and mentoring opportunities. Last week during my spring break, I chose to go to Colorado to work at a harvest farm, which is a rehabilitation facility dealing with drug abuse.

Carolyn, a lifetime member of Girl Scouts of Macomb County, gave her list of the "Top 11 Things about Girl Scouting" From self-esteem, decision-making, leadership and dealing with peer pressure to honing their business skills through our famous Girl Scout Cookie Sale program, Girl Scouts give girls the essential developmental assets to grow strong.