Hollister
– Monica Tyler wants young girls to know they, too, can be
leaders in their communities.
Hollister – Monica Tyler wants young girls to know they, too, can be leaders in their communities.
As a volunteer Brownie leader, Tyler teaches the girls in her troop just that.
“I love the fact that we’re nurturing girls to become leaders,” Tyler said. “When they see women in an authority position, it’s great and a great role model (for them).”
Tyler, 31, decided to become a troop leader two years ago so her 5-year-old daughter Lailani could become involved in Girl Scouts.
Lailani had a tracheotomy and is home-schooled, so Tyler wanted to give her the opportunity to interact with other girls her age.
“I always wanted to be a Girl Scout as a kid but I was never able to, so I thought it would be fun to be a leader,” Tyler said.
As a troop leader, Tyler works with 23 girls in her Brownie and Juniors troop – whose members range from first-graders to sixth-graders. She teaches the girls about community involvement, cultural awareness and other topics.
“This is a great opportunity to teach the kids that school is not the only place to learn about things and the world,” Tyler said.
Tyler tries to incorporate lessons that help students learn firsthand, she said. For Chinese New Year, the students dressed up in traditional clothing, read stories and celebrated the event. Tyler also taught the girls about her own culture, having grown up in Puerto Rico.
“You can’t be tolerant to other people if you don’t know them. I try to teach the girls as much as I can. Not just ‘let’s have fun; let’s go camping,’ but also who different people are,” she said.
Of course, the troop does have fun as well.
“The goal is for them to have fun but at the same token, to learn things,” Tyler said.
Lailani said she enjoyed making friends with the other Brownies in her troop.
“My favorite part is playing games with the troop,” she said.
Tyler’s hard work earned her the respect and admiration of other troop leaders.
“She’s been an outstanding volunteer and really done some important things for Girl Scouts this year,” said Brenda Weatherly, another troop leader. “She really goes above and beyond.”
While the volunteering started out as a way to get her daughter involved in her community, Tyler said she is now committed to the organization. She plans to continue volunteering for as long as she is able, she said.
“It helps me give back and it gives me something because I enjoy being with the girls,” Tyler said.
