GIRL SCOUT OF THE YEAR

WELL IN OUR FAMILY ANYWAY,

IT'S ELISE!

SHE JOINED BROWNIES, LIKE MANY LITTLE GIRLS DO,
BUT MANY OF THOSE LITTLE GIRLS
BELONG FOR A YEAR OR SO AND THEN DROP OUT.
NOT ELISE,
SHE STUCK WITH IT AND IT HELPED MOLD
 HER INTO THE PERSON SHE IS TODAY. 

 HONEST, FAIR,COURAGEOUS, CARING,

 RESPECTFUL, HELPFUL AND STRONG.

LAST NIGHT WAS THE BRIDGING CEREMONY,
WHERE THE GROUPS BRIDGED UP TO
THE NEXT LEVEL OF SCOUTING.

I REMEMBER BEING THERE WHEN ELISE BRIDGED UP TO GIRL SCOUTS.

HER GROUP HELPED OUT WITH THE CEREMONY,
HANDING OUT THE VESTS, AND KEYS.
I FORGOT TO ASK WHAT THE KEYS SYMBOLIZE,
BUT I WOULD GUESS,
UNLOCKING THE DOOR TO THE NEXT STAGE OF LIVE?

 AND THEN 

IT WAS TIME FOR HER
AND THREE OTHERS FROM HER GROUP
TO BE BRIDGED INTO ADULTHOOD.
(I'M SURE THEY MAY HAVE ANOTHER NAME FOR IT,
BUT THAT'S HOW I SEE IT.)

THEY LISTENED AS THEIR LEADER GAVE AN EMOTIONAL
TRIBUTE TO THESE GIRLS.
THEY HAD ONE LEADER BEFORE HER,
BUT THIS GREAT LADY HAS LED THEM THROUGH SCOUTING
FOR THE PAST, NINE YEARS?
WE ALL THANK HER FOR TEACHING ELISE
TO MAKE THOSE GREAT TAMALES!

 EACH ONE TOLD WHAT WAS THEIR NEXT STEP IN LIFE,

WHICH FOR ALL FOUR OF THEM,

IT WAS GOING OFF TO COLLEGE.

 THEY'LL ALL BE GOING THEIR SEPARATE WAYS,

AS THEIR SHIRTS INDICATE,

BUT THROUGH SCOUTING

THEY'VE BUILT FRIENDSHIPS

THAT WILL LAST FOREVER.

GREAT JOB GIRLS!
GREAT JOB ELISE,
OUR GIRL SCOUT OF THE YEAR!
STAY HONEST, FAIR, COURAGEOUS, CARING,  RESPECTFUL, HELPFUL, AND STRONG, AND I'M SURE YOU'LL BE SUCCESSFUL IN LIFE!