Krystal, your typical teenager, in her class photo.
	Krystal at A.S.I.A. in Montana, July 2003. It was here where her dream became a reality.
	I am of the Tsi'naajínii (Black Streak of the Forest People) clan and the Ta'néészahnii (Badlands People) clan. My maternal grandfather is of the Táchii'nii (Red Running into the Water People) clan and my paternal grandfather is of the Tl'izi ani (Manygoats) clan. My mother is from White Cone, Arizona, and my father is from Wide Ruins, Arizona.

Jumping On Board
Being a Youth Leader in the American Indian Community

By, Krystal, 17
American Indian Scouting Association, Youth Board Chairwoman

My name is Krystal. I am seventeen years old and a junior in an Arizona high school. As a young child living on the Navajo reservation, I never had the opportunity to travel far from home—usually it was only short distances with my family to take care of family business.

Without knowing the opportunities Girl Scouts had to offer, I made up my mind to join. Little did I know that I would begin my travel adventures as well as my involvement in the American Indian Scouting Association (A.I.S.A.) because of this decision.

The First Trip

During my seventh-grade year, my troop was offered a chance to attend the A.I.S.A. Summer Seminar in Rapid City, South Dakota. I was very excited—the butterflies fluttered as the time neared for our departure. I was scared because I had never flown on an airplane, but I secretly hid my feelings so that my mom would not worry about me.

Once there, we unpacked, hung around, and greeted the many Girl and Boy Scouts as they arrived. That evening we attended a youth welcome session. During the session we learned about the A.I.S.A. Youth Board members and got to meet them. As the week full of activities continued, I got acquainted with the Youth Board members and wondered how they got to be on the Board.

The first requirement caused me great disappointment—one must have attended the A.I.S.A. conference in prior years. I was hoping to qualify as a Vice-Chair, but it was my first time attending an A.I.S.A. seminar, so I was out of luck.

A Few Years Pass

Each of the following summers, I attended the A.I.S.A. seminars and it was during my fourth seminar in Montana, that I was finally nominated (along with two others), to become Vice-Chair! We had to leave the room so that the youth could vote. When we were called back into the room, I was told that I won. I remember one of my friends from New York stood up and said, "You got it girl!" I was in shock, yet overjoyed all at the same time.

My mom picked me up at the conclusion of the seminar and I left knowing that the following year I would be an A.I.S.A. Board Member. I talked about my victory all the way home to Arizona!

Finally Acting as Vice-Chair

At the A.I.S.A. Board meeting in Phoenix, Arizona, I got to meet all the adult board members and the board elders. We discussed the events that had taken place at prior conferences and discussed the logistics and plans for the seminar to come in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

A Case of the Nerves

It was a long wait, but worth it because my dream of serving as a Vice-Chair was finally reality. On the first day of the seminar in South Carolina, I was nervous. I knew I would have to introduce myself to a lot of people, but after a while it was a breeze. On the last day we nominated and voted in a new Vice-Chair…and I was voted to be the Youth Chairwoman for this year's seminar in Duluth, Minnesota.

Future Plans

This summer, I will serve as the Chairwoman for the Youth Board and I am looking forward to it. I am very excited to be going to Minnesota to learn about the host tribe—the Fold du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa—and to meet old and new friends.
It has been a long journey for me. I am proud and fortunate to have been associated with Girl Scouts. Without Girl Scouts I do not know if I would have learned the leadership skills and grown into the person who I am today.