Decades after Oncor’s Melissa Jarvis built her first campfire, paddled her first canoe and rode her first horse, she still revels in reliving those moments.

Girl Scouts gave her, and Oncor colleagues Megan Sauter and Kathryn Rice, a range of life experiences and opportunities they might never have had otherwise.

“I truly feel that everything I learned in Girl Scouts has helped form who I am today,” said Jarvis, a Records Specialist in Waco. “You learn how to help your country through volunteering. You learn about working hard to get what you want.”

This Oct. 11 is the International Day of the Girl Child, a day recognized by the United Nations to remember girls who, if given the skills and opportunities, can accomplish many things in their lives and communities.

The International Day of the Girl Child tries to create awareness about girls’ rights. Oncor’s Rice believes the Girl Scout Promise and Law instilled in her a number of values, such as being honest, fair and friendly and respecting herself and others.

“The law tells us to be a sister to every Girl Scout,” said Rice, Program Manager, Energy Efficiency. “I’ve changed it to be a sister to everyone. To be that support group for everybody and being there when needed. I learned in Girl Scouts to find the inner strength to go a little bit further.”

Jarvis, who grew up in Arlington, came to Girl Scouts naturally. Her grandmother and mother were active Girl Scouts and leaders. In fact, her grandmother once ran the annual cookie drive for the Chicago area.

“I started as a Brownie,” she said. “I earned all the badges in all the books. I went on to earn the Silver and Gold Awards.”

Jarvis also became a troop leader when her daughters were old enough to join.

Megan Sauter’s Girl Scout career followed a similar path. A Senior Manager in Data Management for Oncor in Dallas, Sauter joined Scouts in the first grade in Maryville, Tenn., and achieved the Silver and Gold Awards. She’s now a leader for her daughters’ troop. 

She leads a multi-age troop of Daisies, Brownies and Junior Girl Scouts, whose members range in age from kindergarten to fifth grade.

“I really enjoy that the Girl Scout organization focuses on allowing troops to be ‘girl-led’ from the very beginning,” Sauter said. “This means that girls, starting as 5- and 6-year old Daisies, are active participants in choosing activities and projects for their troop.”

Sauter said selling cookies helped improve her communications skills. And it teaches girls to be courageous and confident. She takes her troop on door-to-door sales visits.

“I think it’s a great way for the girls to meet people and talk to people,” she said.

Jarvis said what she learned in Girl Scouts has continued to guide her as an individual, a parent and an Oncor employee.

“The slogan is to do a good turn daily and that always stuck with me,” she said. “You learn that you can make a difference everyday by doing something good. I’ve lived my whole life like that.”