Stefanie Scott

Hollywood’s Do-Gooder, One Cookie at a Time

How would you like to be a Cookie Ambassador? That’s actually the official title Stefanie Scott holds with her favorite charity, Cookies for Kids Cancer, an organization dedicated to helping children with cancer. You probably know Stefanie from the very popular Disney Channel show A.N.T. Farm, where she played Lexi Reed, the show’s fashion-obsessed “mean girl,” who was accepted into the A.N.T. (Advanced Natural Talents) program as a math prodigy (which Lexi claims is from all the shopping she does). This role has won Stefanie a Young Artist Award (she also won this award for her role in the hit movie Flipped). In real life, this talented 16-year-old actress and singer from Melbourne, Florida (home of the chocolate-covered potato chip!) is anything but mean, with a shy, quiet nature and a heart for charity work.

• Read Stefanie Scott’s full interview in the August/September 2013 issue of BYOU Magazine for $3.95 + shipping! (Order a print hard-copy here!)
• Digital (PDF) versions of Stefanie’s issue are available for $2.99 (Order a digital copy here!)
• Download Stefanie’s issue for only $2.99 when you install the free BYOU Magazine app available on iTunes, Android, & Amazon!

Stefanie Scott was BYOU Magazine’s August/September 2013 cover story. Here’s an excerpt from her exclusive interview with publisher Debra Gano:

Debra: Stefanie, you have a role on one of the most popular Disney shows, yet from what I understand, you were very shy as a young girl. How were you able to work through your shyness to become a performer?

Stefanie: Yes, I was painfully shy when I was younger; so shy, in fact, I often wouldn’t even smile when getting my picture taken! I loved to dance and was obsessed with Broadway, theater, music, and Disney, but being so shy held me back from doing what I wanted to do. When I was in 4^th grade, a flyer came in the mail announcing a showcase coming to town with singing and dancing, and I decided I wanted to audition for it. My mom couldn’t believe it! I made my own little stage in the garage, and for months I would practice every day until I had it right. I made a checklist on poster board and would give myself a star every time I did something on the list, like vocal warm ups, dance, sing, or practicing my interview. I took it very seriously. When the day came for the showcase, all the work paid off because I ended up winning it! I had crossed over the shy barrier because I really wanted to reach my dreams – and I had lot of them. I was a dreamer with a lot of goals.

Debra: Good for you! Practice, preparation, and determination definitely helps. Then what?

Stefanie: After that, I started getting involved in school plays and theater on the beach. On a commercial I did in Orlando, I met a manager who invited me to Los Angeles with her for a week when I was 11 for auditions and to meet agents. There I got an agent and took every acting class I could possibly get. I went to LA a few weeks at a time, and kept trying and trying until I reached my dream. I did a few movies (which were great experiences) and then after 21 different callbacks from Disney, I finally landed a show. They had said ‘no’ to me many times, and I don’t think I would’ve been right for some of those other shows. A.N.T. Farm happened to be the right fit for me and it was meant to be!

Debra: We’ve dedicated this issue to the very important topic of bullying, so let’s talk about that. Have you had any bullying experiences?

Stefanie: I’ve had a lot of issues myself being bullied, especially since I wanted to be an actress. One girl in particular gave me a really hard time and I never understood why. I found out later that her parents had gotten a divorce and things in her family had fallen apart, and then I understood why she acted like that toward other people and I kinda felt bad for her. I wanted to help her. Bullies are often being bullied themselves and don’t know how to handle it, so they in turn bully others to make themselves feel better. Of course, I don’t think that’s the right way to handle things, and it sure is not healthy for you or your mind.

Debra: What advice do you have for a bully?

Stefanie: You know who you are. You know if you’re hurting someone – if you have talked down to someone or ignored someone. As hard as it might be, try to apologize and talk it out. Once something mean is said, you cannot take it back, so you can at least apologize and talk it out to make up for the pain you’ve caused. There is no reason to hurt people the rest of your life – or for you to be hurting. You CAN live happily and help each other.

Debra: And what can you say to help the girl being bullied?

Stefanie: Don’t take it personally or take every word someone has said to you to heart. It know it hurts, but try not to think about it. Understand that the bully is mean probably because they are hurt themselves, and try to understand where that person is coming from. Don’t fight back or bully back. Be mature, and respond with something like, “That wasn’t very nice. You don’t need to use your words like that.” And if it gets bad, tell an adult.

Debra: We believe one of the ways to help resolve the bullying issue is turn bystanders into upstanders. What suggestions do you have for someone witnessing a bullying experience?

Stefanie: Don’t turn it into a worse situation by gossiping about it, because that’s bullying also. Check to be sure the victim is ok – it really helps if they know someone cares. Try to help them through their situation and help them figure out how they can get the courage to stand up to the bully in a mature way, not in the childish way the bully is acting.

Debra: The cool thing is that with your courage and empowerment not only are you living your dreams, but you’re also making a difference in the lives of so many others. Please tell us about the charity work you do and why you think it’s important.

Stefanie: I’ve been really involved in charity work since I was a kid. I remember helping the homeless, decorating hospitals for Christmas, having bake sales, and getting involved with projects like Shoeboxes for Haiti. I sponsor girls in Haiti and Zimbabwe, and donate my time to many organizations, like Cookies for Kids Cancer. I think it’s extremely important to get involved in charity work, especially when you’re young – it helps build a better YOU. Every time I do charity work, I feel it puts things in perspective. You become less self-absorbed and less affected by the “drama.” You realize how grateful you are for your life, and if you’re going through a tough time, you realize your problems may not be so bad after all. Knowing how much you helped someone feels really good. Being able to brighten someone’s day will brighten your day as well – it helps them and helps you too. It changes the world!

• Read Stefanie Scott’s full interview in the August/September 2013 issue of BYOU Magazine for $3.95 + shipping! (Order a print hard-copy here!)
• Digital (PDF) versions of Stefanie’s issue are available for $2.99 (Order a digital copy here!)
• Download Stefanie’s issue for only $2.99 when you install the free BYOU Magazine app available on iTunes, Android, & Amazon!

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