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Alum Spotlight: Dr. Wendy Scott
Dr. Wendy Scott, a lifetime Girl Scout and Gold Award recipient, uses her talents as a STEM professional to help Girl Scouts explore their unique skills and make the world a better place! On May 20, Dr. Scott facilitated an event for Girl Scouts at Virginia Wesleyan University in Virginia Beach. Activities during the event challenged Girl Scouts to identify obstacles in their communities and brainstorm ways to make positive change while completing the “It’s Your World, Change It!” Girl Scout Journey.
Starting as a Girl Scout Brownie, Dr. Scott has many fond memories of her experiences in the program. As an adult, she volunteered as a Girl Scout leader in northern Virginia and served as the Director of Camp Skimino for three years. Dr. Scott said, “Without a doubt, Girl Scouts taught me all the things I needed to know about being a servant leader. I’m excited to partner with GSCCC to provide more weekend programs. A great deal of the planning is about trying to think how we can facilitate a girl-driven experience so that they are the engines of the experience and not just passive observers.”
Dr. Scott was a public school teacher for 10 years before earning a Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Old Dominion University. Currently, she is director of the laboratory school and the assistant professor of education at Virginia Wesleyan, as well as the founder and director of Tidewater Collegiate Academy (TCA) in Virginia Beach, which Dr. Scott describes as “an innovative homeschool for diverse Pre-K-12th grade students.” TCA’s mission is “to facilitate the development of global citizens equipped with 21st century skills ready to make the world a better place,” which aligns with the mission of Girl Scouts.
Building friendships and making the world a better place is what Girl Scouts is all about! At this event, Girl Scouts of all grade levels had a hands-on opportunity to explore STEM and learn about community service on a college campus.
To kick off the event, Girl Scouts made new friends and showcased their talents and interests by each creating a “collage about me,” using photos and magazine clippings. They were given the opportunity to share their creation with other Girl Scouts in their grade levels. After getting to know one another, the group went outside for some fun icebreakers. Members of Cape Henry Woman’s Club were on site to facilitate activities and to share information about the important community service that their organization does. The club members shared some of their personal experiences and guided each Girl Scout through a pinecone birdfeeder craft. The girls then had an opportunity to tour the campus as they learned about Virginia Wesleyan’s commitment to serving the community and the environment.
After a morning of learning, the girls got their own chance to make a difference! Each group brainstormed ways they could give back and make the world a better place. They began planning their service projects at the event, and prepared ideas to take back and finish at home or with their troops. Many girls shared their plans to be change makers including ideas like writing letters of appreciation or picking up trash in their neighborhood. Some Girl Scouts even began creating posters at the event to bring awareness to issues they felt passionate about. To end the afternoon, the girls all pitched in to plan and carry out a celebration of the day’s work.
Girl Scout Journeys are multi-step experiences in which girls dig deeper into their interests and use the skills they gain along the way to make a difference in their community. While badges show the world they’ve learned a new skill, Journey awards say, “I found a way to make a difference.” This daylong event was the culmination of the girls’ “It’s Your World, Change It!” Journey. By following the badge work for their Girl Scout level, Girl Scouts learn more about themselves, their world, and each other. They are empowered to use their skills and create lasting, meaningful change.
The girls had a blast learning these values and tangible ways to be change makers! We send a big thanks to Tidewater Collegiate Academy, the Cape Henry Woman’s Club, and our host, Dr. Wendy Scott!
