Finding my Voice by Amelia

Finding my Voice by Amelia - December 2019 Scholarship Essay

When I was in second grade, my parents divorced and I transferred schools to Jackson. I had always been a shy kid, and I quailed at the thought of facing an entirely new school. I was so anxious of rejection that I tried to protect myself by hiding away and shutting down. Then my mom enrolled me in something that changed my life: Girl Scouts. Girl Scouts is girl-led, so troop meetings were the first time adults took my ideas and decisions seriously. Slowly, I unfurled from my protective shell. I learned to speak up louder and louder, to continue advocating for my ideas, and to see those ideas to completion. Without Girl Scouts, I might never have found my voice.

Girl Scouts originally hooked me by providing plentiful activities and adventures. In later years, however, Girl Scouts became more vital in helping me combat my anxiety and pushing me to speak up. In sixth and seventh grade, I ran two Girl Scout troops for second graders. Although I panicked and doubted myself, actively corralling 25 hyper second graders forced me to become assertive. During the summer before ninth grade, I spent 50 hours organizing and leading a pioneer camp for my Silver Award. I spent the weekend frazzled and overwhelmed, but I made it, and I learned to relax and adapt when things go amiss. This year, I worked on my Gold Award to help girls in Jackson gain access to science, math, and technology. As I led a team to create and run STEM workshops, I improved my leadership abilities, dedication to projects, and collaboration skills. All of these skills gave me a framework to fall back on when I became anxious or lost my voice. Although my troop didn’t take away my anxiety, it gave me methods to work through it.

Girl Scouts was also far more open to the issues of poverty and minorities than Jackson as a whole. My town is silently segregated, by race and economic status. Even in school, classes became surprisingly divided by color lines. Girl Scout leaders openly addressed those problems. Scholarships were provided, rides were given, and lunches were made for those in need. These experiences showed me the importance of working to create real change. Using the skills Girl Scouts taught me and the voice it helped me develop, I’m working to fix the injustices I see in the broader Girl Scout community. I have developed and led trainings for leaders about the underlying racism, homophobia, and condescension girls can face in Girl Scouts.

When Jackson seemed like it was built to silence originality and quench any dissenting voices, Girl Scouts was the only organization that actively encouraged my voice, dissenting opinions, and full self. Girl Scouts took my anger at injustice and gave me the tools to change it. It took my desire to help and showed me areas that needed support. It took my fear of ostracization and showed me acceptance and love. From second grade to twelfth, Girl Scouts raised me to become a strong, passionate, well-rounded person.