It’s that time of year again — not Christmas, but Girl Scout cookie season! Before New Year’s resolutions have a chance to take hold, many people indulge in a box (or two) of the iconic treats. From January to April, Girl Scouts nationwide aim to sell cookies while developing critical social skills. With a variety of flavors to choose from, Lakewood High School students weighed in on their favorite, casting votes for the one that typically catches their eye.
Thin Mints were the top choice in the school’s cookie poll, receiving 95 votes (34%). Samoas followed with 27% of the vote, and Tagalongs received 9%. Regardless of favorite cookie or where you get them from, all sales benefit the same group of hardworking, determined young girls.
Some of us may be fortunate enough to know a Girl Scout who can hook us up with our favorite cookies. Reaching cookie-selling goals is always an accomplishment for these girls, such as 5-year-old Maddie Ragone, a Girl Scout for one year whose favorite cookies are Tagalongs.
When asked what her cookie-selling goal was, she replied “150!” with a huge smile shining on her face. (That smile must be how she sold so many cookies.) She specifically had gone to her neighborhood, local stores, businesses, friends, and family. Girl Scouts bring communities together by selling and sharing their cookies for everyone to enjoy, but what are the Girl Scouts learning from this?
“Learning the prices [and] helping people,” Ragone said.
At just 5 years old, Ragone already recognizes the skills she is developing as a Girl Scout, from something as simple as learning prices to more significant actions like helping the community’s fire department. These things will most likely stick with her for her whole life.
Like the Girl Scout motto, “Do a Good Turn Daily”, it’s a good reminder for Ragone and thousands of other Girl Scouts to make a positive change every single day.
The Girl Scout Cookie Program is about more than just indulging in delicious treats; it provides young girls with opportunities to develop social skills, manage money, set goals, meet deadlines and work collaboratively with others in their community, allowing them to apply and refine these skills in real-life scenarios and carry them into adulthood.
Zoey Serna, a past Girl Scout, credits selling cookies with teaching her about teamwork and organizational skills. “The experience helped me put theory into practice,” she said.
Learning these skills at a young age is beneficial and can be used in the future, such as in customer service, basic social interactions, and leadership. Serna’s favorite Girl Scout cookie is the Do-Si-Do.
When it comes to these cookies, everyone has a favorite: S’mores (Elaina) or Samoas (Teddie). Elaina recommends splitting the S’mores cookie to eat the chocolate filling, while Teddie enjoys the caramelized coconut with the chocolate and crunchy cookie. Regardless of individual preferences, the most essential part is supporting young Girl Scouts in reaching their goals.
“I don’t buy Girl Scout Cookies for the cookies actually, I just can’t walk past those Girl Scouts at the grocery store and not help them reach their goals,” Caroline Purcell, an annual consumer of Girl Scout Cookies said. “But those cookies still don’t go to waste in my household.”
Girl Scout cookies season is undoubtedly one of the best times of the year, but behind the Girl Scout Cookies is what is essential—giving young girls a chance to develop necessary skills that they will use for the rest of their lives and accomplish a goal that means so much to them while also getting a delicious box of cookies in the meantime. While they sure are tasty, let us remember the hard work these girls do to sell them. We wouldn’t have them to enjoy without the Girl Scouts!
