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As new teacher in Houston, TX and a Girl Scout alumna, Amanda Hines represents a valuable role model for youth and a worthy candidate for the Real Girls, Real Women contest.

In 2003, Amanda received a joint degree in History and Spanish from Rice University and enrolled in a program called “Alternative Certification for Teachers” (ACT). Unlike most teaching certification programs that require an undergraduate degree in educational studies, ACT Houston provides qualified college graduates with training the and certification necessary to teach in certain subjects. ACT and its partner program in the Rio Grande Valley have provided qualified teachers for more than 12,000 students.

Amanda will finish her first year at Pin Oak Middle School this May. Amanda shows her students the compassion and dedication she has always shown her friends and family. In fact, she’s already making a name for herself – last January, Channel 11 news came to film her lesson on the Tsunami.

By using her education to educate others, and by approaching her role as a teacher with patience and care, Amanda is a tremendous example for current and future Girl Scouts of courage, confidence and character.

Amanda began Girl Scouts as a Daisy in 1986 at age six with a troop from Harvard Elementary in Houston. She became a Junior Scout, participating for four years in Houston and two years after she moved to Austin in 1990. She attended Girl Scout camp at Camps Arnold, Robinwood, and Peach Creek. Her leaders included Linda Pharris and Amanda’s mother, Kay Hines.

Courage is hard to have when “mean girls” are roaming the school and local hang-outs, ready to pick on anyone with a different sense of style or behavior. As a Girl Scout volunteer, I see it happening all the time.

It was a pleasant surprise when one of the girls in my troop, Natasha, who is considered one of the “cool” girls, spoke up to a bully at school, in order to protect a friend of hers. Natasha made the hard choice to step out of her comfort zone in order to protect a friend which takes a lot of guts whether you’re 16 or 46!

Courage means doing what’s right even if it isn’t the easiest thing to do and I think she gets it.