When people ask me to define myself, one word I always use is “marketer.” Marketing has been a passion of mine since I was a little girl. I couldn’t figure out what shaped the passion of mine until one day at the grocery store I realized, cookies! Girl Scout Cookies – the Tagalongs, Samoas, Thin Mint goodness – was the reason I am so intrigued with marketing and decided to pursue it as a career. Girl Scouts and their famous cookie program, played a much larger role in my life than I ever thought it would.

I was a Girl Scout throughout my school years with six years being the highest cookie seller in my troop. The more I look back on my life experiences, I can confidently say that Girl Scouts taught me how to think independently, be confident in my thoughts and actions, and shape my ability to make critical decisions. The cookie program in particular, taught me at a young age the responsibility of money management and embedded a strong work ethic to achieve what I want.

I grew up in a small town in Alabama. When I reached my high school years, I became a registered independent Girl Scout to continue working at day camp over the summer – a job I loved and made friends, most of whom, 15 years later, I communicate with regularly. Unfortunately, due to various circumstances, I never earned the coveted Girl Scout Gold Award.

As I’ve grown older, I’ve looked for those defining moments of what shaped me into the strong independent woman I’ve become today. I can confidently say – Girl Scouts. Because of this, I decided to give back to the organization that taught me so much, and in this past year, I’ve contributed and experienced opportunities I never imagined possible.

Today, I am a founding member of one of the first Girl Scouts associate boards in the country. I’ve met with Sylvia Acevedo, CEO of Girl Scouts of the USA. But can I tell you the most exciting thing I’ve done this year?

On this year’s International Day of the Girl, I filed my paperwork to become a lifetime member of Girl Scouts. An action that I’ve worked up to for so many years and take such pride in completing. I can now officially loudly and proudly say that I will forever be a Girl Scout.

Amanda Modelski is a member of the Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana Associate Board. To learn more about this exciting leadership opportunity, click here.