‘I absolutely love it’: Girl Scout leader works to empower troop members around Merrimack County

Sheena Corbett remembers her short stint as a Girl Scout years ago as a passive time full of reading and coloring, so when she became a leader in her daughter’s troop, she organized a group actively involved in the community and the girls’ futures.

“I was like ‘We’re going to do things … We are going to be hands on, we are going to go out and do whatever we can do, whenever we can do it,’” she said.

And now, Loudon Troop 60180 is anything but boring.

When it comes to either making Christmas ornaments to raise funds to buy presents for foster kids or organizing a trip to White Sands National Park in New Mexico, the girls are constantly moving.

“As much as we raise money for the fun things for us as a reward for the hard work, if we’re not doing things for our community then I don’t feel like we’re growing,” Corbett said.

Corbett, 41, began as a Girl Scout leader when her daughter was in first grade. A year later, she started a Loudon troop to involve her daughter and kids in the surrounding area.

“I didn’t know how much I would really fall in love with it. I just love everything that is Girl Scouts,” she said.

For eight years, Corbett has run Loudon Troop 60180 with the help of her fellow leaders with the goal of helping girls get involved in the community and preparing them for the future.

“I really want these girls to be well-rounded, strong girls,” she said.

Every Monday from September to July, the troop meets at the American Legion in Loudon to organize their community service, earn badges, plan field trips and have fun. A mix of ages make up the group of 19-21 girls from Loudon, Pembroke, Bow and Boscawen.

“The group of girls we have, I don’t think they’d all hang out if they all were in school together. … This has allowed them to make relationships with people from different schools and different ages,” Corbett said.

With the varying ages in one troop, Corbett depends on the four other troop leaders working with the Daisies, Brownies, Juniors and Cadettes. When the leaders ask the girls if they want to split up into age appropriate groups, they quickly dismiss the idea.

When it comes to this troop, everything is a vote. Corbett explained the leaders act like facilitators, while the girls make the decisions on what badges they want, the community service they do and the trips they go on. Corbett uses this opportunity to help grow confidence in the group.

Amanda Berube, one of the co-leaders, said Corbett “really lives the mission of Girl Scouts, which is supposed to be girl-led.”

One of the many ways she helps the girls is by pushing them out of their comfort zones. After she noticed the youngest generation struggles with talking on the phone, Corbett started having the girls call local businesses to set up cookie booths instead of depending on their parents to make the calls.

“It’s really important to be comfortable with yourself, especially for girls and women,” Corbett said.

She also enjoys exposing the girls to different job opportunities and women succeeding in various careers because of her own experience.

At 17 years old, Corbett started in the retail industry and worked her way up into a management position. Although she never dreamed of being a retail manager, for years she worked and her career allowed her to accomplish her goals of buying a home and starting a family.

Corbett is “constantly showing the girls what female empowerment looks like and what their opportunities are for careers, which is anything. Girls can do anything,” Berube said.

A dental hygienist, EMT, state representative, personal trainer and mechanic have visited the troop and shared their experiences as women in their respective fields. The girls even question working women on the job.

“We put ourselves out there anytime we see a woman doing anything. We’re like ‘What are you doing and why?”’ Corbett said.

To recognize Corbett’s dedication, the Girl Scouts of the Green and White Mountains chose her as Volunteer for the Month in April.

Outside of Girl Scouts, Corbett works as the accounting coordinator at the New Hampshire State House.

Here, she feels proud of her contributions to her home state while she learns behind the scenes what keeps the state running.

“I never watched a Senate or House session in my life before this. And now I find myself being like, ‘Oh, I wonder what what’s gonna happen with that bill,’” she said.

She applies this civic-minded exposure to her leadership in the troop. The girls often visit the state house with their group, and whenever the fourth graders make their trip out to the capital, Corbett is ready to greet her Girl Scouts.

“I always run out and see them and find them on their tour and that’s always really special for kids because [they] know someone who works here,” she said.

Corbett can talk about the Girl Scouts and the girls themselves for hours. She said she feels very proud of the work they accomplish and their growth as individuals.

“We’re just helping the girls be really strong, independent little people and however I can help a little bit or a lot of bit, I’m happy to be part of it,” she said.

Kiera McLaughlin can be reached at kmclaughlin@cmonitor.com