How the 5 Skills of the Girl Scout Cookie Program Shape a Girl’s Future

When a Girl Scout has learned the five skills (goal setting, decision making, money management, dealing with people, business ethics) of the Girl Scout Cookie Program she’ll be ready for success!

Think about it. These skills will help a girl through her academic career and are also skills that employers seek –whether it’s a bank, a high tech company, a hospital, a publishing house, a car dealership, an accounting firm or even the local pet store.  Every teacher and every employer wants:

• Someone who sets goals and meets deadlines. Blowing a deadline can jeopardize a grade and it can mean blowing a deal. 

• Someone who works well with others. As a boss, I know that I don’t want to deal with strife and complaining amongst my team!

• Someone who understands about money. There is a real difference between earning your way and getting an “allowance.” People who understand the relationship between earning and buying make better decisions with their own money. And, they learn how money affects the global marketplace. 

• Someone who understands customers. It doesn’t matter whether the “customers” are fellow students, hospital patients, TV viewers, a retail store or other companies. Every business has to know its customers and what they want. And in school, students need to know what their teachers expect and how things work in their school.

• Someone who can influence others. This doesn’t just mean selling a product.  Teachers and employers want people who can sell ideas, pitch projects and make deals.

• Someone who is honest, trustworthy and reliable. This kind of goes without saying, or it should!  

These are the skills that the Girl Scouts of Nassau County learn as they participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program. And every year a girl is in Scouting, she has the opportunity to build on these skills. So, when you buy a box of our Girl Scout cookies, you are really helping a girl build these skills and learn from her selling experience.




This article originally appeared in the Garden City Patch.