Because of Girl Scouts,

There has been a recent trend of saying what you got out of girl scouts since the announcement that girls can become boy scouts, so here is my list:

1. Confidence
2. A place to do things without my brothers

Growing up, my brothers and I did many of the same activities so Girl Scouts was the one place I could do something without them.

3. How to lead

4. Lifelong close friends

5. Life skills such as public speaking

This occurs after speaking in front of 300 people at events with people from newscasters to lawyers to many others.

6. Outdoor Skills

7. Selling girl scout cookies

The number of lessons in customer service, finance and many more areas selling is innumerable.

8. A place to help give younger girls similiar experiences that shaped my life so much

By being a guest speaker with younger troops and by being a camp counselor for four summers.

9. A chance to do things I wouldn't have really done otherwise

From writing to soldiers overseas to singing at nursing homes to learning about different areas around us.

10. It gave me the chance to take charge with all three of my award projects

Being able to help with some of the planning for our reading for our Bronze Award, to being in charge of making sure letters got written for the Silver Award, to planning and completing by myself my Gold Award Project.

Last but not least, Girl Scouts taught me that its okay to be myself.