I chose to focus my Girl Scout Gold Award project on solitary bee habitats after seeing the beautiful variations of these projects all across Europe, called "bee hotels." It led me to wonder why I never saw these structures where I live. After some further research, I found a great deal of respect for the work of these solitary bees as successful pollinators and felt inspired to help sustain their populations.
Completing this project has helped me gain confidence and prove to myself that I can do big things and change the world for the better. I gained a lot of individual skills during these two years that I can now apply for the rest of my life, and I am also far less hesitant to throw caution to the wind and follow my passions.
For me, being a Girl Scout is more than simply selling cookies, doing good for the community, and learning outdoor skills. While these skills of course cannot be looked down upon, as I am going into my 13th GS year, I have learned to appreciate that this group consists of driven and kind girls that build one's character. We uncover our own values and learn to take on challenges, resulting in individuals that can not only make a difference, but can also never be stopped.