Family Stories - Girl Scouting Part 6

Family Stories

Girl Scouting Part 6

   One of the highlights of my Junior year was my CIT II experience.  Probably due to the number of girls wanting to take part in the Counselor in Training experience they added a CIT program at Camp Cielo.  I had a choice.  Take a CIT II program at a place that was experienced, or return to my beloved to take part in a pilot program?  Not much of a choice really.  Application turned in, interview done, and I was selected to return to Camp Cielo as a CIT.  Made me really happy.

   Towards the end of the year I attended a council wide senior scout program.  I remember spending time with Shane and our friends.  Shane had us falling down laughing with her story about her big debutante ball.  She was normally graceful, but that night, walking down the stairs at her family home, she tripped and almost fell.  Her parents were embarrassed and her escort didn't know what to do.  The evening got better once the two of them left for the event, but it was still pretty epic.

Going back up to Cielo was odd and wonderful.  I was so glad to be going back to a place that had so many happy memories for me.  Unlike Singing Pines, instead of being one of a dozen CIT IIs, I was one of 4.  I was the only CIT II.  We had our own unit and counselor.  Instead of being assigned as a junior counselor for one unit, I was all over the place.  Where ever they needed an extra junior counselor they'd send us.

   One of the highlights was introducing a new generation of scouts to "Tajar Tales."  I've since introduced that book to others, but that was the first time.  The whole time I was up there I got to see the camp as a staff member.  I even got to go into the staff only areas.  After working with a whole troop of girls for a year I was much more relaxed with the campers.  I was hopeful that my goal was in sight.

My senior year of high school was pretty awful.  It started with elections at my troop.  Mrs. B3's younger daughter was now starting her second year in the troop.  Mrs. B3 wanted her and her friends to start moving up in leadership.  Monique didn't get any leadership position.  She was ok with that.  I was up for president against Pat.  It was close, but Pat won.  I ended up Chantyman (song leader) a mostly honorary position.  Not even patrol leader.  I felt overlooked.  I did get to keep my position of Gam rep, though Mrs. B3's choice had to come with me ("to be trained").

   Although it wasn't directly related to scouting, my parents marriage was in bad shape (though I wasn't aware of it at the time).  It hurt when my dad told me that they couldn't afford to send me to a 4 year college.  I would have been ok with being turned down, but my parents didn't even give me that chance.  So community college was my only option.

   Soon after the first of the year rumors started that the Boy Scouts had sold Camp Cielo and that our Council would not be able to rent it anymore.  I was so hoping the rumors were false.

   I was caring less and less about my Girl Scout Troop.  Gam was ok.  I barely attended Newport Dunes.  My mind was looking forward.

   And then the news came about which camps our Council would be staffing that year.  Cielo was not on the list.   I could have applied for Singing Pines, but  I knew the competition would be still and my heart just wasn't in it.  No more Cielo.  A dream couldn't come true.

  Before I knew it, the school year was over and the 5 of us had out "bridging" ceremony.  It was supposed to be a "welcome to adulthood" thing.  It felt more like "don't let the door hit you on your behind as you leave."  Scouting was moving on, but I was no longer part of it.

   I think I would have been more depressed, but that summer I started working my first job (that wasn't working for my parents).  Between that and hanging out with Monique and friends, I was too busy to mourn the loss of a dream any more.

I never have forgotten though.  I did work as a church camp counselor many years later.  And as an adult counselor for science camps.  It wasn't the same.