Dave’s Diary: Selling Cookies Preps Girl Scouts for Future Careers

National Girl Scout Cookie Day is February 8, 2013 and thousands of Girl Scouts are gearing up for the Cookie Program with annual cookie rallies.  To get ready for the Cookie Program, which is the largest girl-led business in the world, Girl Scouts Eastern Washington and Northern Idaho hosts cookie rallies for participating girls and parents to share all the new information, selling techniques and provide all the tools needed for a successful program.  Rallies in Moses Lake, Yakima and Lewiston will take place Saturday, February 2.There’s more to Girl Scout cookies than what’s in the box! Though the Cookie Program,girls earn money to fund community service and leadership projects, attend summerday and resident camps, buy items and supplies in the Girl Scout store, travel to destinations near and far and provide events for girls in their community.

When girls participate in the Cookie Program they learn five essential skills:

Goal Setting: Girls set cookie sales goals and, with their team, create a plan to reach them.

Decision Making: Girls develop a basic business plan for cookie sales and work as a team to decide when and where to see cookies and what to do with the money they earn.

Money Management: Girls develop a budget, take cookie orders, handle customers’ money, and gain valuable practical life skills.

People Skills: Girls learn how to talk to, listen to, and work with all kinds of people while selling cookies.

Business Ethics: Girls are honest and responsible during every step of cookie sales.

The five skills matter because when a girl has learned these skills, she’ll be poised for career success. In a Girl Scout, future employers will find a girl who can set goals and meet deadlines, works well with others, understands customers, can influence others and is honest, trustworthy and reliable. What employer doesn’t want this?

This year, Girl Scouts in our council will be offering the most popular six cookies: Thin Mints, Samoas, Trefoils, Do-si-does, Tagalongs and Savannah Smiles. Each box of cookies will still be only $4 per box .