“Be kind. Keep other people’s feelings in mind. Do what you can to give back.” Amanda Watson is a devoted mother, Girl Scout troop leader, and Cub Scout den leader, and kindness is just one of the qualities she teaches her troops.
When Watson’s daughter was in kindergarten, she asked to join the Girl Scouts. Seeing an opportunity to serve the community, Her son is also in Cub Scouts and when the den leader left last year, she quickly jumped in as a the new den leader. Watson uses these serving opportunities to instill quality values in the children she works with.
“Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence, and character. As a troop leader, it’s my job to help guide them in building those skills,” Watson said.
Watson, marketing director at Holladay Properties, uses her connections to teach girls about the multiple opportunities within the construction field. She discusses STEAM with her Girl Scouts and takes them on construction site tours.
“I want to encourage girls to consider positions that have been thought of as a ‘man’s job.’ We're trying to eradicate those words - ‘man’s job,’” Watson said.
One of Watson’s favorite things about being a troop and den leader is modeling the emphasis of conservation. “I’m a bit of a tree-hugger at heart,” Watson said. She is working with her Girl Scout troop to produce a video on tips to save energy. This is yet another opportunity where Watson can show her troops how to be kind and caring humans.
Everything from selling cookies to camping is a teaching opportunity for Watson. When selling cookies, she’s teaching goal-setting and math skills. When she plans volunteer events, she’s teaching to give back to the community. As she explains, “I want the kids to work when they volunteer.”
When working on projects, Watson teaches positive collaboration and ways to build each other up. She gives her troops this advice: “We don’t shoot each other down. We don’t say bad things about each other.”
Watson is also an active member of the American Marketing Association, Michiana Chapter, and less than a year ago became a board member. Whether it’s helping to recruit new members or planning events for current members, Watson finds it fulfilling to be part of the association. It is especially important to her as it helps her to keep up with current marketing ideas.
With such a busy schedule, Watson still makes it a priority to spend time with her husband, two children, two dogs, two cats, two rabbits, one gecko, and multiple fish. The family takes bike rides together on the Prairie Duneland Trail, finishing up with a sweet treat at the local Dairy Queen. Watson emphasizes spending time with each child, doing something they love, even if it is just a whole day of playing video games. Her family is important and despite working and volunteering, she does her best to be home to tuck her kids in at night and get them on the bus in the morning.
Being a part of the community in Chesterton has helped her keep active with her family. Watson appreciates the small-town feel of Chesterton and loves being close to work and her scout meetings. With multiple parks and trails nearby, she encourages her family to be active and outside.
If you were beginning to wonder if Watson ever took time for herself, the answer is yes! She loves to read and finds herself picking up a book (usually something in the young adult genre) when she has a spare moment. “I love fairytales”, Watson said.
Watson is a shining example of someone who works hard, gives back, and truly wants to better the next generation.
“I’m trying to build a community where everybody is friendly, if not friends.”
Great advice for us all.