Philly Girl Scouts Have Awesomely Memorable Experience
What an honor for us! This summer Liz Rose, songwriter and two-time Grammy award winner, and Emily Shackelton, singer/songwriter on the popular TV show Nashville, combined their awesome skills to write “Watch Me Shine,” our new, inspiring Girl Scout anthem—yes, we have our very own anthem!
With the help of three remarkable girls from Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania, and their mom, Juliet Shavit (cofounder of Breakthrough Music and business producer on the song), Liz and Emily (the vocalist on the song) were able to make “Watch Me Shine” come to life to inspire millions of girls around the country—amazing!
Maya, 13, Eden, 12, and Ariel, 9, are sisters and lifelong Girl Scouts who embody everything it means to be a G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader)™. When they heard their mom was involved in the making of “Watch Me Shine,” they were moved to take the lead like a Girl Scout, and join in on the adventure. “They all love to sing. They love the song, they love Liz and Emily, and they love Girl Scouts, so they were thrilled to sing the background vocals,” said Juliet.
The girls felt excited and lucky to have the opportunity to be part of the project, and they were even more excited that they got to do it together as a family. “The experience was very memorable for all of us. It was something I will never forget—going into this recording studio [Blackbird Studio in Nashville owned by Martina McBride] with all of these fancy microphones and not knowing what to do,” Maya said. “It just goes to show you, if you really think you can do something, you can. You’re just as capable as anyone else.”
For Eden, being part of the project was really a dream come true. “I’ve been a Girl Scout for so many years, and I always wanted to record a Girl Scout song. I always thought it would be really cool to do something like that, and now I actually did it,” she said. And Ariel, a little shy going in, found her stride in no time, just like a Girl Scout does. “I was really nervous, but when I started singing, I just felt really confident.” We’re so proud!
When asked what the song means to them, and how they think it could help girls around the country (and beyond!) be more confident in their power to change the world, it’s no surprise the girls had a lot to say.
“I think this song means that girls can do anything they want to do. I have a passion for engineering and I really like to build things. The song reminds me that I can do that and anything else I want to do!” Eden said. “We don’t all want to be the same thing. We don’t want to have our lives planned out for us. We want to be able to help others, be happy, and be ourselves.”
For Maya, the song is truly inspiring because the entire project was woman-powered and girl-driven. “Everyone involved had a really strong sense of what they wanted the song to mean. They wanted it to have a strong message,” Maya said. “I think this song is very uplifting. It’s the type of song that you don’t really hear a lot on the radio. It shows the drive and abilities that a girl can have and how we are unafraid and ready to fight anything that comes our way. Such a motivating song!” The best part is, this awesome song isn’t just for Girl Scouts. As Ariel said, “The song is meaningful for anyone, relates to all of us. ‘Watch Me Shine’ doesn’t just apply to girls.”
At Girl Scouts, we’re so proud of this incredible project and these amazing girls, and the power of this one-of-a-kind leadership program—something Juliet also firmly believes in. “I think that at an early age, Girl Scouts gave them [Maya, Eden, and Ariel], a great social environment to be with other girls their age,” she said. “I think the lessons of confidence, of leadership, of standing up for what’s right, of being a doer, as opposed to a talker—these are all things I respect and admire about the Girl Scouts. There’s just a very strong emphasis on action, and especially in today’s environment where everyone seems to have something to say, it’s great to be someone who is doing, like my girls.”
We hope that “Watch Me Shine” will inspire you to lead like a Girl Scout, and awaken the G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-Taker, Leader) in you, regardless of your age, gender, or background. There’s an opportunity for anyone and everyone to get involved!
You can start now by getting your very own copy of “Watch Me Shine.” Share the good news far and wide. We’re ready to shine, together, now more than ever!
