When people hear, “I’m a Girl Scout,” they immediately think of cookies, camping and crafts. But Girl Scouts is so much more than that. As a Girl Scout, I’m able to challenge myself every day in fun and new ways. When it’s just my troop together, without the boys around, I feel more courageous to try new things and gain the confidence I need to take the lead.

Being a part of my troop is like having many sisters. We learn together how to be the best girls we can be. One activity that sticks in my mind is when we packed meals for Food for Kidz. We spent over two hours packing rice, soy and seasoning in a bag for people to eat who don’t have the food that we take for granted. It was a great learning experience in so many ways!

Being a Girl Scout is boosting my confidence and leadership skills and it’s also really fun. I get to spend time with some of my best friends as we all learn from one another. We get to lead in our own lives, community, and the world setting us up to serve as tomorrow’s leaders, too.

That’s right. We laugh and play just as much as we get down to the business of saving the world, one community action project at a time. There are so many kids today standing up and speaking out, and being a Girl Scout has equipped me with the skills I need to not only use my voice but to create real change. Girl Scouts taps into the power of every girl as we challenge ourselves to learn, lead, speak up and advocate. We are the next generation of female leaders. I think every girl should be a Girl Scout.

Check out our troop formation event from 5 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 13, at St. John’s Lutheran Community Chapel at 901 Luther Place, Albert Lea. We would love to meet you and help you get signed up. You can go to www.girlscoutsrv.org/join or email my mom, Belinda, for questions at belinda627@hotmail.com.

Lauren Krysan

Albert Lea