Theresa Watson, MS, instructor of mathematics
Today is a special day for me and millions of women across the United States. It is National Girl Scout Day! One hundred twelve years ago, Juliette Gordon Lowe held the first troop meeting of the Girl Scouts in Savannah, Georgia. This was during a period when women were not allowed to vote, and they were expected to follow strict social norms. “Daisy,” as she was affectionally known, had girls playing basketball, camping, hiking and volunteering in their community. I am proud to say that I am a Girl Scout alum, and I have been a volunteer with the program since 1988.
I am often asked why I continue to volunteer leading a group of 14 teenagers. It is a major time commitment. I am with them every Friday afternoon during the school semester. This includes many of my weekends as well. The truth is that I love everything that the program stands for. I get to help the next generation of women make a difference in the world around them. I teach them how to work with others and to lead a team to complete community projects. I share with them how local, state and national government agencies work and how they can get involved. We focus on how to make compromises while staying true to our sense of ethics. I help them discover their passions and lead them towards a career that they love. As a bonus, I have an excuse to spend time camping in a tent and canoeing across the pond at Camp NaWaKwa.
The skills and knowledge formed from 12 years as a youth member of Girl Scouts led me to become a steward of learning. I never would have imagined that I would be teaching mathematics, but I love helping my students here at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College succeed in a subject that they often dread. I use the skills that I learned from the Girl Scout program on a daily basis in the classroom. I use the Girl Scout mission in the classroom every day. I want my classroom to build individuals of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place.
Please join me in saying “Happy Birthday!” to all Girl Scout members today. Remember to discover the fun in everything that you do, be courageous enough to try something new and volunteer in your community to enhance the lives of others.
Theresa Watson, MS, associate director of academic services for student success and a lecturer of mathematics has been a part of The Woods family since 2018. She earned her undergraduate degree in education from Purdue University and earned two master’s degrees in elementary education and instructional design from Indiana State University. She joined The Woods after teaching at Harrison College for 18 years. With over two decades of experience in Higher Education, Watson loves to instill skills in students that they can take into the world. Additionally, Watson is also a devoted volunteer troop leader for Girl Scouts. The organization has been a part of her life for over 40 years.
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