In honor of Volunteer Appreciation Month, Girl Scouts of Colorado is celebrating extraordinary volunteers throughout the state. Nawal Shahril in the Pikes Peak region was nominated as a shining example of the wonderful role Girl Scout volunteers play in the lives of girls and our community. Although she is only in her second year of leadership, Nawal has been described by her co-leaders as a “dynamo,” who puts a tremendous amount of love and energy into leading her girls in the troop. She is creative, fun, and works very hard.
GSCO asked Nawal to answer a few questions about her experiences as a Girl Scout volunteer. We hope you find her story as inspiring as we did!
How long have you been a Girl Scout?
Two years
Why did you become a Girl Scout volunteer?
It was a no-brainer when my girls expressed an interest in joining Girl Scouts. I always wanted to be one back in my hometown in Malaysia. When the opportunity of joining Girl Scouts with my kids came up, I jumped on it and embarked on this wonderful journey.
Tell us about your different volunteer roles as a Girl Scout.
Before we start any badges or journey, I always question myself “What can I do/offer more to these girls to create an experience that they will never forget?” Activities don’t just limit to follow certain guidelines, but to go beyond what is expected in every facet of Girl Scouting. My team and I brainstorm, plan, and execute activities that excite, build confidence, are fun, and out of the norm to challenge the girl’s thinking and expose them to various cultures and aspects of life. I act as a planner, the go-to person, a buddy, and most importantly, a sister to every Girl Scout.
What have you learned as a Girl Scout volunteer? What do you hope girls have learned from you?
By just looking at the badges chart, I know instantly that we are going to learn so much and have the best adventure ahead. I’ve learned to be more creative in my approach and be a better planner and at time management. I’ve learned that different individuals have different needs and you just have to have different tricks up your sleeves. I hope that my enthusiasm, fun, and positivity inspire every girl that I met to be bold, brave, and not to be afraid to dream big. Girls can achieve anything that they have set to achieve.
What is your favorite Girl Scout memory?
I would say every event that brought the girls together is my favorite memory so far! Camping, World Thinking Day.. you name it! I just love the giggles, cheers, laughter, and fun time the girls had together. Reminded me of myself when I was that age 🙂
What words of advice do you have for other volunteers?
The moment you feel like quitting or giving up because Girl Scouts’ activities took almost 60% of your free time, just stop and reevaluate. Your kids will grow up pretty fast and you might not have the chance to be with them to do all sorts of activities. As long as they are enjoying and making a difference in their lives through Girl Scouting, you know that you are not going to quit just yet. Just enjoy the process and absorb as much as you can. It’s all worth it!
Want to nominate a volunteer for Girl Scouts of Colorado to spotlight? Please email Public Relations Director AnneMarie Harper at annemarie.harper@gscolorado.org.
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