Cookies and Confidence
Girl Scout Troops at Parker
Photo credit: Sofia Brown
“On my honor I will try…” The Girl Scout Troop #24523 takes the Girl Scout pledge at one of their after school meetings.
As spring rolls in, boxes of cookies are stacked in the front Alcove waiting to be sold by Parker’s own Girl Scout troops. The classic cookies, including Thin Mints, Samoas, Tagalongs, represent the skills learned to be a Girl Scout. As Girl Scouts sell cookies, they learn business skills, how to deal with money, and gain confidence.
Within Parker are five Girl Scout troops: First grade Daisies, Second grade Brownies, Fourth grade Juniors, Fifth grade Juniors, and Seventh grade Cadettes.
The Girl Scouts organization strives to teach members life skills, outdoor skills, STEM, and entrepreneurship. The mission of the Girl Scouts is to help prepare girls to be leaders, risk takers, and solve problems. “It gives the girls a sense of sisterhood, and it gives them values that they can hold onto and experiences that are meaningful,” Middle School Spanish teacher and Girl Scout troop leader Marcie Frasz said.
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Troop 20310, the Seventh grade Cadettes, has four Girl Scouts and meets during Monday lunches. The troop is run by Frasz and Intermediate and Middle School Counselor Reyna Smith. “The women who were my troop leaders did so much for me in so many ways,” Frasz said, “I recognize that I need to do that too.”
Frasz, a leader for two troops, was a girl scout from second grade until when she graduated high school. “It was one of the most important experiences I ever had,” Frasz said. “It really helped me grow and become a better person.” During her time, Frasz earned the Gold Award, the highest award for a Girl Scout. To earn the Gold Award, the Girl Scout is challenged to change the world. Frasz earned hers by helping with house rebuilding efforts and donation drives after a hurricane.
Fifth grade Juniors are in Troop 24523. Frasz and Parker parent Sasha Earle run the troop, and it meets as an after-school enrichment class as part of the Parker P.L.U.S. program on Wednesdays from 3:15 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Fourth grade Juniors, Troop 20268, meet on Wednesdays from 3:10 p.m to 4:30 p.m. “It’s fun to see them come back every year and get excited about the things that we do,” Parker parent and Girl Scout Troop leader Johanna Rahal said. “I come because I like seeing all the smiles on their faces.”
Troop 25583, the Second grade Brownies, meets on Thursdays from 3:10 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Rahal’s older daughter wanted to be a Girl Scout, and Rahal’s younger daughter followed in those footsteps. Rahal leads both the second-grade and fourth-grade troops.
Daisies, the first-grade students, are Troop 25711. They meet every other week from 3:10 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and start their meetings with by enjoying a snack, reciting the Girl Scout Promise, singing a song, and reading over the agenda. They are working on a “Take Action Project,” a troop led project created to solve an issue in their community. This year, they are trying to keep the playground clean and promote awareness on what can be recycled. “We are focusing on what it means to be a girl scout and how to make the world a better place,” Troop Leader, Parker Parent, and former Girl Scout Demi Brand said, “Even if you are only six or seven years old, you can make the world a better place by the choices that you make.”
While selling cookies, Girl Scouts learn how to manage money and other business skills. They start selling boxes over winter break and will continue selling at booths within and outside of Parker. Boxes can also be bought in room 349. The Seventh grade Cadettes sold over 120 boxes this year. The Fifth grade Juniors sold around 500 boxes so far this year. The Fourth grade Juniors have sold over 1500 boxes of cookies so far this year. The Second grade Brownies have sold around 2000 boxes of cookies this year. The First grade Daisies sold more than 900 boxes.
“My favorite part about selling is making people happy when they buy cookies, and sharing our message with them,” Seventh grader and Girl Scout Cadette Emily Evans said.
Proceeds from cookie sales contribute to an end of year event or a project. Girl Scouts can earn badges based off of grade level while selling cookies such as the Cookie CEO badge or the marketing badge. Girl Scouts can also benefit from selling cookies by taking part in the Cookie Pro Contest – a contest in which girls answer questions about their cookie selling and create their own graphic novels. Each year, there are 24 winners that have the opportunity to visit California to have a Cookie Entrepreneur Experience and visit Warner Bros. Studios.
Troops set goals for cookie sales and Girls Scouts can win prizes for amounts of boxes sold. Prizes include bracelets, pillows, desk organizers, season passes for Six Flags, a MacBook Air, or a trip to Disney World, depending on how many boxes they sold.
“I think selling cookies is important because selling lets us practice selling things, marketing, money management, and people skills,” Seventh grader, Girl Scout Cadette, and daughter of Frasz, Eva Vitacek said.
Girl Scouts gain confidence while selling cookies and gain business skills. More than half of businesswomen who were girl scouts say that the Girl Scout Cookie Program was beneficial to their skills, and over half of female business leaders were Girl Scouts.
“This is not just about cookies. It’s about what they stand for,” Frasz said, “When you support Girl Scouts, you are supporting female empowerment.
