I have been a Girl Scout in Billings since before I was born (my mom is a Lifetime Member and was serving on the Treasure Trails Board of Directors when she was pregnant with me). My mom sang me GS songs and taught me all of her GS traditions as I was growing up. I officially joined Girl Scouts in Kindergarten as a Daisy and never left. I received my Lifetime Membership as my graduation gift from high school.
One of the highlights of my Girl Scout adventures was attending a Destination in the Boundary Waters/Quetico Canoe Area Wilderness in Northern Minnesota/Canada. I canoed and camped for two weeks with girls from around the U.S. This adventure taught me something about my own strength—what I have within me to survive, whether it is the physical strength of portaging a canoe and gear for miles through the woods and swamp or the mental and emotional strength of how to keep going when your body wants to give up.
I earned my Bronze, Silver, and Gold Awards as well as the Gold Torch Award. Although I am proud of these successes and the hard work and growth leading to the completion of the higher awards, earning badges and awards was never the motivation for me to stay in Girl Scouts. I genuinely loved the activities, the service projects, and finding ways to make the world a better place. The Girl Scout Law—the fundamental mission of Girl Scouting—is something that guides me every day and forms the foundation of my desire to become a physician.
