TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — Leaders across Tucson are inviting 19 Girl Scouts for the entire week to spend a day with women and men at the heads of their organizations.
Some places include the University of Arizona, Tucson Fire Department and Tucson Medical Center (TMC).
TMC Health is where Girl Scout Juliette, Natali, spent her day shadowing leaders like the CEO and president, Jennifer Mendrzycki. Shadowing is to help young women understand what it's like to make real-life decisions as a woman in a position of power.
15-year-old Natali has been a Girl Scout for 10 years.
“I wanna be able to help people," Natali said. "That’s like my main motivation.”
She participated in key meetings and duties with TMC Health HR and worked alongside Mendrzycki—whose daughter was also a Girl Scout.
All Girl Scouts had to explain why female leadership is important to them when applying for the weeklong takeover.
“It’s really just an unreal opportunity," Natali said. "I just applied thinking, ‘I don’t know where this is gonna lead’ and all the sudden, I’m surrounded by this amazing group of leaders.”
Mendrzycki advises young girls like Natali, to find the right support system to surround themselves with.
“Find those people who want to be invested in you and want to provide you with guidance and a listening ear and mentoring," Mendrzycki said. "I think that that’s incredibly important.”
Girl Scouts of Southern Arizona CEO, Kristen Garcia-Hernandez, says Natali and the other scouts are put in places where girls’ voices are not usually heard.
“Yes, we love the camping and the badges, but what it's all about at the end of the day is to ensure that girls know there's a whole collective behind them supporting them," Garcia-Hernandez said. "Allowing them to fail forward and try new things and really embrace their dreams."
Natali says she wants to work in pediatric medicine when she gets older and how shadowing leaders at TMC is giving her a chance to see what that would be like.
“I'm really just hoping to learn as much as I can from all the women in amazing leadership positions here," said Natali.
Girl Scouts will spend the rest of the week with more leaders across Tucson.
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Jacqueline Aguilar is a multimedia journalist at KGUN 9. Born and raised in Yuma, AZ., she is no stranger to the unforgiving Arizona heat. Now this U of A wildcat is excited to be back in Tucson and is looking forward to involving herself in the community. Share your story ideas with Jacqueline by emailing jacqueline.aguilar@kgun9.com or connecting on Facebook, Instagram or X.
