I am a Scout, and enjoy every minute of it. The sisterhood I experienced as a Scout is the reason I pursued membership in a greek Sisterhood. That, and the fact that two of the Scouts I admired most went greek in college - something that (at the time) surprised me - I didn't think they were the "type". I figured out pretty quickly though that greek like offered the same chance of sisterhood that we experienced as Scouts.
It's really unfortunate that girls don't stick to Scouting once they get to middle/junior high school. I really think that's when they need Scouting the most. But the ones who stick to it through Cadette and Senior Scouts are real winners.
I'm proud to have earned the Silver and Gold awards - I think I learned as much as I taught (both of my projects involved educating my peers about my heritage and culture). It's interesting to learn that people can be very open to differences and new things, or very closed to the same things - it really depends on how you present things.
I suppose that's why I never tire of educating people about my heritage.
I remember, when Artimis and others and I were founding our Chapter, we were seeking an advisor. One lady questioned why it was that we chose the sorority structure, as opposed to a student organization. She didn't have a positive image of greeks, she really didn't want to advise a sorority, and she didn't want to have to do anything with some "frivolous minded-females." I didn't like her point of view, but I couldn't help being sympathetic to her as well. She'd worked hard to acheive her success, and didn't see how a social greek organization would help us do the same.
I gave her the example of Scouting and sisterhood (she had some association) with them, and how much Scouting taught girls...and she understood. She didn't end up advising us, but I'm satisfied that I changed someone's perception of greeks, and our sorority.
The nicest thing of all, is that I think of my Sister Scouts and my Alpha Sigma Kappa Sisters when I here the following lines:
"Make new friends, but keep the old,
One is Silver and the others' Gold.
A circle is round, it has no end,
That's how long I want to be your friend!"