Girl Scout Gives to Community, Looks Out For Classmates

At 12 years old, Michaela Reynolds is already volunteering for Pinellas County and is helping create a support group for middle school students victimized by bullies. Those leadership experiences help explain why she pictures a future as a teacher.

For the seventh summer Michaela attended summer camp at Southwest Recreation Complex.

“All the counselors are so nice.  We get really active and I like to run,” Michaela said.  She is in the Kid City teen group, but also took courses on photography, cake decorating, and CSI camp.

Through a Girl Scout program, this year the Osceola Middle School student also began volunteering at as a junior docent.  “It’s fun,” she said, “We give tours to groups.”

Although Michaela is busy with all that and ballet class, she still makes time for friends.

“I can make them laugh.  I’m very friendly and I am a peacemaker.”

When it comes to school, she takes her role as a student seriously.  “I get mostly A's.  Occasionally I get a B,” she said.  Michaela said she does about four hours of homework a night.

That’s what makes summer so sweet.  “(I like) just being able to do whatever I want and not have to do any homework,” she said.

This school year, Michaela will take advanced art to indulge her love of painting.  She’ll be the first seventh grade student to take the eighth grade art class.  “I took art a little bit last year and the teacher said if there was a spot in 8th grade art that I should try to take it.”

Someday Michaela hopes to become a kindergarten teacher. 

“I love working with little kids.  I have my own school set at home that I pretend-teach,” she said.

While still a student, Michaela is working with the Girl Scouts to create an anti-bullying support system at her school.  It’s something she’s hoping to do that will keep students from feeling anxious or sad. The idea came to her when she watched a kid get pushed around and no one stood up for him. 

“When I saw that I decided to do something about it,” she said.