Although Katie Ehasz’s Girl Scout journey first began in Pittsburgh as a Girl Scout Daisy, her volunteer journey began in Lopatcong, New Jersey, when her oldest of three children turned five. When Katie signed her daughter up for Girl Scouts, she became a co-leader and eventually a troop leader, until her family decided to return to Pittsburgh in 2020. When Katie and her family moved back to Pittsburgh, she quickly found a troop to join.
Because Katie had great memories of her days in Girl Scouts when she was younger—such as her times at Camp Henry Kaufmann and Girl Scout cabin day campouts—she wanted her girls to be a part of it.
“I truly believe in the Girl Scout principles. My oldest has found her best friends through Girl Scouts,” she said. “My youngest was just so excited to be part of Girl Scouts after watching her older sister.”
Katie’s favorite Girl Scout memories include watching her oldest overcome her fear of heights by tackling a climbing wall in New Jersey and more recently, taking her Daisy troop in Pittsburgh back to the cabin where she attended her first day camp in 1987. She values the fact that Girl Scouts provides a safe space for girls to be themselves, make choices, and support each other.
“I think the most valuable things I personally take away from the troops that I have led is watching girls grow, getting to know them, seeing them overcome fears, learning something new, and being kind to one another,” she said. “It really is something spectacular. I love seeing them make choices and knowing that when they do an activity or an event, they are even more excited knowing they played a huge part in that.”
As a volunteer, Katie’s biggest piece of advice is to give yourself grace and don’t second guess yourself. She advises others to take the tools they are given and create their own lesson plans while executing badge requirements. While she incorporates new activities into her troop meetings, she continues to have her girls learn and practice original Girl Scout traditions.
Something Katie wishes everyone knew about being a Girl Scout volunteer is how genuinely rewarding it is.
“To see girls in your troop grow, hear about their accomplishments, learn about them, watch them become friends with fellow [Girl] Scouts, and find their ‘person’ is something so powerful,” she said. “It’s not just about cookies, it’s about becoming a kind person. It’s taking something away from every meeting that they can apply, and making that type of impact on girls is amazing!”
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