By Sophia Rios

During my visit to the Pennsylvania Capitol earlier this year for a Troop PA event, I got to meet many fellow Girl Scouts and those in the office of our state government. It was an amazing experience to see the capitol and the people who make it work.

I got to talk to several girls about their experiences throughout the day, and here’s what they had to say. When asked how she felt representing Girl Scouts at the Capitol day, Holly, a Girl Scout for 8 years, said, “I’m learning more about my community. I’m learning that girls can have a bigger voice than those may think, and it’s really showing the world that Girl Scouts are more than just cookie sellers.”

She embodies the idea of what this day was about. It was to show Girl Scouts that there are many different aspects of being a Girl Scout, and it pushes us to strive to not just put ourselves out there to sell our cookies but to use our voices for our community by building up and making our communities better, just as the women we had met that day did.

As Girl Scouts, we strive to make the world a better place, and that means recognizing that the world doesn’t need just men in office or just women in office, but an equal balance of both. Visiting our state government helps girls see what an impact their roles as Girl Scouts have and possibly their future role as a female representative. 

Later, I asked Chloe, who has been a Girl Scout for 12 years, what the wow factor of the day was, and she replied, “I really appreciated the roundtable event that we were just a part of. As someone who’s looking into law school, being able to talk to so many people who have gone through it and so many different pathways that they took after law school was very inspiring and eye-opening.”  

This opportunity gave her further insight into the different paths she can take after she finishes law school, all thanks to the women she met and their willingness to share their journey into their careers.  I asked if she saw herself fulfilling one of the roles of the many women we had gotten to talk to on the panel. She said, “I do, I can see myself very easily becoming someone who is involved with state government because of close communication with the community, and also the wide impact of change, and just positive effects you’re going to have on those around you.”

This experience gives girls the opportunity to see themselves in the shoes of other women. Women who have done amazing things and are striving to do more for their community and those around them. These women have become an inspiration for the girls who came and got to listen to them speak, and brought them to think about either their future careers or just what they can do now in the moment.

Overall, my visit was an amazing experience. Not just from the trip itself but from the thoughts and ideas of the fellow Girl Scouts I met along the way.

Sophia Rios is a member of Girl Scouts in the Heart of Pennsylvania’s Public Relations Team. She is a Senior Girl Scout from Lancaster.