[00:00:00] Walter: The hearts of gold podcast is brought to you by the grow and share network produced by off the Walter media productions.
[00:00:13] Sheryl: Welcome to hearts of gold. Today. We have Hailey with us. Hi Hailey, can you tell us about your girl scout gold award project?
[00:00:21] Hailey: I created a video interviewing original troop 6,000 girls, which is, um, a girl scout troop designed for girls and women living in the New York city shelter system. So I created the video for incoming girls.
[00:00:34] And the video highlights the girl’s experience in the shelter, um, impact the troop 6,000 and their take on the stigma surrounding homelessness. I want to girls to feel secure with their decision to join the troop and know that they’re entering a community full of love and sisters who understand them.
[00:00:49] Sheryl: Can you tell us more about troop 6,000. Why it is so inspiring, how you are a part of it and why this was so important for you as your gold award project?
[00:01:00] Hailey: Back in 2016, my family and I lost their home due to condos being built next door. Um, at the time my mother had five kids, so it was almost impossible to find a home an affordable home for six in New York city.
[00:01:12] We were placed in the shelter system and it was one of the scariest moments of our lives. It was a situation that we had no control. We didn’t know how long we would be there or any knowledge of the shelter system. I immediately felt the energy shift when we had moved in, it was such a gloomy environment and everyone was isolated.
[00:01:32] We had seen a lot of girls in the hallways, but never like conversed with them. So my mother decided to start a troop because she had seen the opportunities. Girl Scouts had provided us, my sisters and I were Scouts prior to living in the shelter. Um, she saw the community and sisterhood that he gave us and wanted to give girls living in the shelter.
[00:01:48] That same thing when the troop began grows joined because they took a chance on. They trusted our word, that it would be fun or joined the troop because they saw the flyers that we put up. I created this video because I thought it would give girls some background on the troop and reasons to join. You know, it’s one thing to hear adults tell you to join, but it’s another to hear your sister Scouts have firsthand experiences of the troop.
[00:02:09] Sheryl: Troop 6,000 has gotten a lot of media attention. How does that make you feel as a member of the troop and what do you want people to take away from that media attention in general?
[00:02:22] Hailey: We are very special troop. We are living in the shelter system, but really that’s the only difference about us. We are just like any other girl scout troop, you know, we do meetings, we’re making change in our community.
[00:02:33] We’re selling cookies, we’re sisters. And I just, I really hope that troop 6,000 helps break that stigma surrounding homelessness. A lot of people have false receptions of homeless people, and I really hope that troop 6,000, um, breaks that.
[00:02:46] Sheryl: My favorite part of troop, 6,000 is the sisterhood. It’s really reaching out to those who are in the same circumstances.
[00:02:54] Even though those circumstances are not what you would probably choose for yourself. Can you give an example of that sisterhood in action?
[00:03:02] Hailey: When the truth first started, we had connected so quick. It was crazy. Like the first meeting, we were already making friends and talking, like we knew each other for years.
[00:03:11] And I think that bond was built so quick because we were all in that same situation. Like we understood each other and we didn’t know anybody outside of our families who are like that. So it was. To have that bond and have a connection with each other, which is why I think we created such a great bond and like we’re sisters.
[00:03:29] Sheryl: What was your biggest challenge during your project and how did you overcome it?
[00:03:34] Hailey: I can’t just give you one, because I had three obstacles that were equally challenging. Um, I originally planned on interviewing 10 girls will only have the chance of doing seven three of which were my sister’s. The girls have such busy lives with school and family. So it was hard for their schedules to fit with mine.
[00:03:50] It was so great. The video came out great. And I did have a lot of perspectives into my video. Um, communication was also tricky. I had to constantly reach out to girls and parents to be sure they were okay with filming, getting back consent forms. And we’re on time for interviews, which were done on zoom.
[00:04:05] And, um, I did reach out multiple times, but they did work with me. They were really cooperative. So that was. And also it took me a long time to find a good editing app. I searched on safari search on YouTube. I’ve asked people if they had any good recommendations and I did download around two, but it was really complicated.
[00:04:24] And I ended up switching over to I movie, which was. A little confusing at first and time consuming, but after a couple of hours, I did get the hang of it, so it was good.
[00:04:33] Sheryl: Who else was on your team and where did you get the resources that you needed to create a video?
[00:04:38] Hailey: My sister, Karina who’s also a girl scout was on my team.
[00:04:42] She helped me and she did bring those editing skills to the table. She does editing and she likes to make her own videos. So that was really helpful for me. Um, my mother, who is also a troop leader, really helped me with connecting with parents and girls and she had the information. And she helped me create media consent forms.
[00:04:59] And also Malinda who works for girl Scouts. She was always on top of me and made sure that I was getting what I had to do in a timely manner. And she was always there to help me if I had any issues and brainstorm them together. And so I had a really good team and supportive team.
[00:05:12] Sheryl: What did you learn about the gold award process as you went through it that you didn’t know before and might be helpful for other girls?
[00:05:19] Hailey: I faced a lot of challenges along the way, and I did feel like giving up or was unsure about what I, where I wanted to go with my project, but I had to keep remembering why I was doing it in the first. Which was to make a difference in my community and in the world. I really think that your passion and your dedication and your perseverance really pushes you and motivates you to keep going.
[00:05:37] You know, girl Scouts has shaped me into a leader over the past eight years and has prepared me for this journey. And so I’m glad I stuck with it and advocated for an issue so important.
[00:05:45] Sheryl: What is a favorite memory from your project?
[00:05:48] Hailey: I think the interview process was the most fun for me. I know a lot of the time I’m the one getting interviewed.
[00:05:55] So it was fun being on the other side and interviewing girls and just seeing their perspectives. And, um, some of their favorite memories of being in, in troop 6000 and it was nice to see how everyone had similar yet different answers. And it was really fun to talk to them and catch up. I know during the pandemic, we haven’t really been able to see each other, so it was nice to catch up on zoom and.
[00:06:15] Sheryl: What did you learn about yourself during the project and or what skill did you enhance the most as an outcome of the project?
[00:06:23] Hailey: I don’t mean to toot my own horn, but I think that I’m a really good organizer. I was able to put this together. It was a lot of work. I had to reach out to a lot of people and a lot of girls and.
[00:06:35] Figure out how I would edit the video creative who’d I’ve never made a video before I had to really mature. And I had to step into my big girl shoes and, and reach out there. It took a lot of communication skills and reaching out to people and socializing, and I do suffer from anxiety. So that was really scary, but I did put myself out there and I’m glad I did because I created
[00:06:56] something that I know is going to make a difference.
[00:06:59] Sheryl: Working through that anxiety, which can be really hard to do. Hopefully it gives you confidence for the next project in the future. You talked about your organizational skills. How do you balance the time with your troop mates, the time that you had to spend on your gold award project school and other activities that you’re involved in?
[00:07:18] Hailey: I have to make a schedule and plan it out because if it’s not planned out, then I will be a mess. So I do have a calendar where I put, I list all my assignments that I have to do any classes and any work. And after I was done scheduling my stuff for school, I would look at any free times I had. And I would take that time.
[00:07:38] If it was an hour, 30 minutes, two hours, I would use all that. Just to put work towards my project and I, I use it very wisely and it was helpful in scheduling out plan and agenda. It was great. It helped me a lot.
[00:07:53] Sheryl: You are the first member of troop, 6,000 to earn the girl scout gold award. So congratulations on that.
[00:07:59] What are you taking away from the process to make sure that other girls in troop 6,000 have the opportunity to also try and earn their gold award?
[00:08:10] Hailey: Age does not affect the impact that you have in your community. I think that the youth is constantly underestimated and we do bring a lot to the table. We do have an open mind and we have so many perspectives perspectives that we can offer.
[00:08:24] And, you know, there’s so many girls earning their gold award, which is amazing. And showing that they too can make a difference in the world. And I really do that. I hope that inspires other girls troop 6,000 to get gold, their gold award. And to keep fighting for change in the world.
[00:08:38] Sheryl: What other girl scout memories do you have that you’d like to share?
[00:08:41] Hailey: Selling cookies is my favorite part about girl Scouts. And the first time that troop 6,000, so cookies was at, um, the Kellogg’s building in the city and it was really fun to be able to. That cookies and get customers orders, organize them, hand them out, talk to people. And it was really funny. It was really organized.
[00:09:00] It was really girl-lead which I really enjoyed. You know, there was just a whole bunch of little girl Scouts running around with tablets and card readers and cookies, yelling out orders. Um, it was really fun and I think it was a really memorable, um, cookie sale.
[00:09:13] Sheryl: And what was the troops goal for that for sale?
[00:09:16] Hailey: 6,000 boxes.
[00:09:17] Sheryl: And did you achieve it?
[00:09:19] Hailey: We exceeded that goal.
[00:09:21] Sheryl: Congratulations girl Scouts!
[00:09:23] Hailey: Thank you.
[00:09:24] Sheryl: What are your future plans?
[00:09:26] Hailey: I am currently studying business at St. John’s right now. I’m a first year student. Um, I hope to one day when I graduate, start my own business selling, um, natural hair products for girls with curly hair, teaching them to embrace their curls.
[00:09:42] Um, when I was transitioning and starting my own curly hair journey, I was living in the shelter. Um, money was tight and I didn’t have the resources that I needed. So I do want to be able to help, um, low income families in the future with their process and just teaching them how to take care of their hair.
[00:09:57] Sheryl: Is there anything I haven’t asked you that you’d like to share?
[00:10:00] Hailey: Homelessness does not have an image. I think that a lot of people have this, um, perception in their head of what a homeless person looks like. And I too once had. So, I, I don’t blame you, but homelessness can happen to anyone. And it’s really scary.
[00:10:15] And I just think that it needs to be very mindful of that and just be sure to spread kindness and love to others and be careful how you talk to people.
[00:10:22] Sheryl: How do you make your smores?
[00:10:24] Hailey: Okay so a lot of people. Aren’t a fan of my technique but I love to burn my entire marshmallow. I let it catch on fire and sit there until the fire goes out or until the whole marshmallow is black.
[00:10:36] And then once I’m done, I, I squish it inbetween the chocolate and this Morris, but that’s like the best way to do it because when you do it like that, it’s really gooey and it makes us more 10 times better. You have to try it.
[00:10:46] Sheryl: I love gooey smores.
[00:10:47] Well, thanks for joining us this week.
[00:10:49] Hailey: Thank you for having me.
[00:10:51] Sheryl: Make sure to click, follow or subscribe so you always know when new episodes are released. And don’t forget to power your passion and conquer your challenges.
[00:11:04] Walter: The hearts of gold podcast is brought to you by the grow and share network produced by off the Walter media productions. Thank you for listening and spreading the word on. If you want to share your story of how you earned your gold award, reach out and send an email to growandshare@outlook.com.
[00:11:21] Be sure to listen to the newest episodes on your favorite podcast app, as well as view the full video episodes on youtube.com/SherylMRobinson. That’s youtube.com/Sheryl, the letter M, Robinson. Take care, and we’ll see you next time.