Being a Girl Scout is all about paying it forward to help others

I am a Girl Scout. We believe in paying it forward — doing good deeds with no expectation of having it paid back. Instead, we hope the people that we help will be inspired to do good deeds for someone else. In Girl Scouts we donate food, raise money for soldiers and make PB&J sandwiches for the needy.

One way we help others is by collecting nonperishable food from people who are shopping. We sit outside King Kullen to get food donations from shoppers for food pantries. People donate food or give money, which we use to buy canned food to donate. We always ask for donations during holiday seasons, because it can get so cold. However, we feel warmer when we have so many people helping others by donating to us.

We raise money for soldiers while we sell Girl Scout cookies. That’s when I really speak up. Most of the time I am really quiet, but I will yell to make sure the people hear we are collecting. It is important to support our soldiers who are helping to keep our country secure.

Once or twice a year the troop goes to a church and makes peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. The sandwiches are donated to homeless people who don’t have enough to eat and to people who come to the food pantry to get food for their family. Girl Scouting has been a time of service and fun for me.

Sue Casey, Debbie Dombrowski, Heather Mason and Kerstin Murphy’s seventh- and eighth-grade students, Jonas E. Salk Middle School, Levittown