For Caroline Servino, Girl Scouts has been more than just an extracurricular activity — it has been a lifelong journey of growth, leadership, and service. For her efforts, she was honored as a Schneps Media 2024 Long Island Power Woman Rising. As she finalizes her Gold Award project, Caroline reflects on 13 years of experiences, challenges, and accomplishments that have shaped her. In this Q&A, she shares her story.
What inspired you to join the Girl Scouts, and how long have you been a member?
I joined Girl Scouts as a daisy with Troop 613 when I was in kindergarten. My sister had also been a girl scout and she always told me of how much she’d enjoyed meeting new girls and the memories she’s carried along the way. This is my 13th year being a girl scout and I hope to join as an adult member once I graduate in June.
Can you tell us about a recent project or initiative you’ve worked on that you’re particularly proud of?
The project I’m most proud of would have to be my Girl Scouts Gold Award, which I am currently finalizing. I was able to create a wellness room at a homeless shelter and a domestic violence shelter alongside creating a blueprint idea that was added to my high school and is being used by schools in my area. I also created a mental health program that is being integrated into my high school’s mandatory health curriculum.
What challenges have you faced in your Girl Scout journey, and how have you overcome them?
Although my troop had been lucky enough to stay together for nine years, its dissolution was something I know all of us felt entering high school. All 17 of us were extremely close but had an array of extracurriculars and school interests that left us unable to connect otherwise, but Girl Scouts had been our one sole connection. Although we took different paths for quite some time, we were able to find our way back together and reconcile our lost bonds.
What skills have you gained through Girl Scouts that you feel will help you in the future?
One of the greatest life skills I gained as a Girl Scout was how to connect with others and to express myself. Being one of two girl delegates for my council meant I was able to connect with new people and express my voice in a panel that actually heard what we thought. Like many other girls, I was scared to express what I thought in fear of rejection of my words and preferred to keep them to myself. After being picked as a delegate, I was able to speak alongside hundreds of other girls and had the opportunity to not be criticized, but heard.
What advice would you give to younger girls who are thinking about joining the Girl Scouts?
Take the risk. I know it can be daunting entering a room full of unfamiliar faces and starting a new beginning that seems so foreign but it is absolutely worth it. I’ve met hundreds of new faces that have given me their stories and made untold memories that I’ll cherish for the rest of my life and I think that all girls should take that risk.
