More than a box of cookies

The Girl Scouts of America are much more than an organization that sells fantastic cookies. 

Rather, they are a network of female leaders instilling the values of courage, confidence, character, and the ability to make a difference. 

Kate Dolan, the founder of Troop 3032 here in Kootenai County, got involved as a Girl Scout leader 11 years ago with her daughter Clare. Now a freshman at the University of Arkansas, Clare said her 12 years in the organization played a significant role in developing the woman she is today. 

“Before Girl Scouts, I was super shy, and after going through Girl Scouts, everybody saw a huge change,” Clare said. “It taught me how to be more outgoing, compassionate and thoughtful in my everyday life.”

The Dolans are two of Girl Scouts over 2.5 million members that believe in developing the power of every G.I.R.L. — go-getter, innovator, risk-taker and leader. In the 109 years since its founding, Girl Scouts has moved away from the traditional arts and crafts to S.T.E.M., outdoor education, entrepreneurship and general life skills, Kate said. 

“Unfortunately, a lot of people felt until quite recently that Girl Scouts was all about crafts and Boy Scouts were camping and adventure, but Girl Scouts does all of that stuff too,” she said. “I think Girl Scouts took that to heart and worked hard to develop tremendous outdoor badge programs and teach girls that they can do whatever they set their minds to.”

Service Unit Manager for the Girl Scouts of Eastern Washington and North Idaho Monica Preciado was a troop leader in Japan and North Carolina before moving over to Idaho. In her position, Preciado gets to help organize activities for troops, including a S.T.E.M. Academy at Washington State University, where the scouts designed makeup and perfume.

“We have about 18,000 people in Kootenai County that live under the poverty line. Those kids don’t get to experience the same opportunities for higher exploration. In Girl Scouts, we do things to expose girls to those possibilities, to show them they can do anything,” Preciado said. “It’s character building, and it’s empowering.”

It’s no surprise that entrepreneurship and business knowledge are a significant component of the Girl Scout experience, E.W.N.I. Council Chief Executive Officer Brian Newberry said.

“Over 50% of our girls go on to be business leaders in some form,” he said. “It starts with the cookies and leads to being one of the largest female-led businesses in the world.”

Learning how to market those cookies — which sell about 200 million boxes a year — has been a significant source of confidence for Zoë Wood, a Troop 3032 member. 

“During last year’s season, I was selling cookies, and nobody was buying them,” Wood said. “So I started projecting my voice, kind of like an auctioneer might. That’s something I might not have been about to do without the confidence of cookie selling.”

Due to a mental disability, Wood said she has always found it more difficult to socialize, but being a part of Girl Scouts and having the support of her group has significantly helped that. 

“I’m super grateful that my Girl Scout troop are just excellent, wonderful people,” she said. “As most Girl Scout troops are.”

It’s from Juliette Gordon Low’s, the founder of Girl Scouts, passions for the outdoors and science that Girl Scouts has cultivated S.T.E.M. programs. Those values are represented locally by the Lake Coeur d’Alene Camp Four Echoes, GirlCon, and the traveling S.T.E.M. education mobile. 

“We know that when girls are exposed earlier in their lives to S.T.E.M. that they are 20% more likely to be involved in that industry in the future,” Newberry said. “All girls need to have the opportunity to become leaders because their voice is so precious.”

Claire Dolan is now a biology major with a love for science. She believes that being a Girl Scout and having exposure to those programs played a significant role in developing her morals and guiding principles. 

“As your brain is developing, it is important to drill in what is a good choice. We shouldn’t shelter girls, we should show them that this is what happens and it can be scary, but they need to know,” she said. 

It is almost too perfect that the Girl Scouts of America was founded in March, a month recognized internationally as Women’s History Month. Accepting and equally providing opportunities to girls from all races, religions, and personalities, Kate Dolan believes Girl Scouts inspire a new wave of women. 

“Girls nowadays need every opportunity for support, allow them to shine, and be a part of something bigger,” she said. 

To find Girl Scout cookies near you: https://www.gsewni.org/en/cookies/find-cookies.html