Girl Scouts did not end for Becky Beaman when she graduated from high school. She simply changed her designation from "girl" to "adult" and became a lifetime member.

Beaman, a program assistant for Davis Honors Challenge on campus, is the leader of a local eighth-grade Girl Scout troop. She has worked with the same girls for eight years — since she was in 10th grade — planning activities and accompanying them on trips. She has been a Girl Scout since she was in fifth grade, when several of her friends got involved. She decided to join herself, and asked her mother to be her troop leader.

To this day, she appreciates her decision to make a difference. For her numerous volunteer efforts, especially on the Girl Scout front, Beaman on May 10 received a 2006 Human Corps Community Service Award. (For more about Human Corps, see http://humancorps.ucdavis.edu.)

"I had so many opportunities with Girl Scouts that I probably wouldn't have had otherwise," said Beaman, who took trips to Kansas and Washington, D.C., with her troop. "I had so much fun working with the girls my age and the adults too."

Now, she gets to tag along on the trips that her own troop plans. Beaman said she will continue to be a troop leader at least until her group graduates from high school.

When she is not with her own girls, Beaman finds plenty of other ways to volunteer her time. She directs a day camp for junior high and high school girls that debuted last summer and will continue this year. She also works for the Yolo County Red Cross–her mother serves on the chapter's board of directors. And, Beaman joins other campus employees in making quilts for foster children.

Beaman's penchant for service is in her blood.

"My family members are all compulsive volunteers," she said. "My parents have always been involved in one way or another."

Beaman graduated from UC Davis in December 2004 with an anthropology degree. She did not expect to return to campus so quickly, but wanted to stay in the area and realized that the university was the largest employer around. She has been with Honors Challenge for more than a year now, providing administrative support, assistance with course scheduling and registration help for students.

"I haven't found a least favorite part to my job yet," she said.

Beaman grew up in Davis, attending North Davis Elementary School and Davis High School. She said she is considering attending graduate school in sociocultural anthropology, but has not made up her mind yet.

One thing Beaman has decided though, is that she will be staying involved with Girl Scouts.

What's your favorite type of Girl Scout cookie?

Thin Mints. After all, they're America's favorite Girl Scout cookie. Samoas come in a close second though.

Who inspires you?

Both of my parents inspire me because of their openness and willingness to help other people. They always go out of their way to help where they see a need. Also the founder of the Girl Scouts, Juliette Low, inspires me in the same way. Before women had the right to vote, she conceived an organization that is now the largest for women and girls in the U.S.

Do you have a favorite spot on campus?

On the Quad, just because everything goes on there. You can just hang out and lounge.

Read any good books lately?

I haven't read them for a while, but I enjoyed the Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. I liked the movie, too; I thought it stayed true to the book.

What's your philosophy?

The Girl Scout Promise and Law, the organization's guiding principles. The Girl Scout Promise is the way Girl Scouts agree to act every day toward one another and other people, and the law outlines a way to act toward one another and the world. It sounds cheesy, but Girl Scouts have been such an important part of my life. I feel like I live my life by the values of that system.

If you were granted three wishes, what would they be?

That the pollen count would go down and there would be no allergens in Davis; that there was more time in the day; and that my girls would decide to go someplace cool on a trip so I could go with them.