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Becoming a Leader

Where are you from and how old are you?  

I am a Jackson native, and I am 17 years old.  

 

How long have you been a Girl Scout and why did you decide to become a Girl Scout?  

I have been a Girl Scout for 11 years. My mom got into it when she was little because her brothers were Boy Scouts. She fell in love with it and thought I would love it, too. At first, I definitely had a love-hate relationship. But my current leader has been with me for the past 10 years, and she is fantastic. We have done anything under the moon together and getting those opportunities with her has been amazing. 

 
When did you become a Girl Scout Ambassador and what are your responsibilities? 

Being an ambassador is just another level of Girl Scouting. There is the Daisy, Brownie, Junior, and Senior Ambassador, and each correlates with your age. I have been an ambassador for about 2 years. As you age, the badging becomes more difficult and you get more opportunities to work with more things. Girl Scouts opens up a lot of doors – I have been offered scholarships and given awards because of it. I am also one of the top cookie sellers in West Tennessee. 


"Support from the United Way of West TN allows Girl Scouts Heart of the South (GSHS) to continue giving girls opportunities to develop leadership, learn new skills and go on amazing adventures that build courage, confidence, and character. GSHS is thankful to the United Way of West TN and its supporters for their continued investment in the future for girls."      -  Jenny Jones, Chief Community Engagement Officer


You are currently pursuing the Girl Scout Gold Award. How does one earn this award? 

The Gold Award is the highest accomplishment a Girl Scout can earn. When I worked on my Silver Award, I did 50 hours of inventory for one of the Girl Scout camps at Camp Kiwani. I did all the inventory and labels for every unit. The Gold Award is a little more in depth and requires 80 hours of service. You have to determine what you want to do and then plan everything. And before you do that, you have to create a proposal for the council. I am making birdhouses and pamphlets for the state park in Pinson for my project. Everything was donated to me, and that was exciting. 

 

What is one of your favorite memories as a Girl Scout? 

Definitely our Europe trip in summer 2019. We went to four different countries – Italy, England, France, and Switzerland. We went to Our Chalet, which is a unit house in Switzerland, and Pax Lodge in England. It was amazing! 

 

What has Girl Scouts Heart of the South taught you? How have you grown? 

Leadership is one of the biggest ones. With cookies, I have learned a lot about money management. When I joined Troop 4105, we immediately practiced counting money during cookie season and making sure we gave exact change. The parents were there to help set up, but the girls did everything else. As one of the older girls in the group, I also led younger girls. I was so excited to be a leader for them and just helping everybody to the best of my ability. 

 

To any girl who is thinking of becoming a Girl Scout, what would you tell them? 

Do it. It is so fun! You will never regret it. It will give you lifelong friends, memories, and so many life experiences you will remember and need. 

Our Impact This Year

  • Agency Partners

    44

  • Programs Funded

    54

  • 2023-2024 Funds Secured

    $7,427,977

  • People Helped

    90,000

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