The Girl Scout Cookie Program teaches Girl Scouts life skills such as goal setting, decision-making, money management, people skills, and business ethics. Through selling cookies, Girl Scouts gain confidence in themselves and their abilities, setting them up for success in all aspects of their lives. We are so proud of what our Girl Scouts accomplished this cookie season!
First and foremost, we’d like to introduce you to this year’s top cookie sellers. Please join us in congratulating our new Cookie CEOs.
- Giada G.
- Giuliana G.
- Bristol S.
- Syd B.
- Elizabeth R.
Our cookie season started on December 15, 2023. Girl Scouts were quick to create their Digital Cookie online site and send emails to their customers. Did you know Girl Scouts in our council sell about 300,000 boxes within the first two weeks of cookie season? Those first few weeks are crucial in reaching sales goals. Check out Girl Scouts Zoe and Syd who appeared on Fox 32 Chicago to share the news that cookie season had started.
On January 6, 2024, Girl Scout family and friends celebrated the start of cookie season at the 2024 Cookie Rally. Carnival games, face painting, cookie-inspired treats, and more lined the halls of the Allstate Arena. Attendees then hit the ice for a cookie pep rally before the Chicago Wolves game hosted by Girl Scout, Anne. Thank you to everyone who came out and celebrated our cookie kickoff with us!
In February 2024, Girl Scouts brought cookies to neighborhood storefronts with their cookie booths. They braved the cold weather and enjoyed the sunny days as they went out to reach new customers. Over 50 troops participated in our Bling Your Booth Contest. It was so awesome to see each troop’s blinged-out booth. Thank you to all the troops who participated, and congratulations to Troop 75916, who won the contest.
National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend took place from February 16-18, and Girl Scouts of Greater Chicago and Northwest Indiana partnered with PAWS Chicago to promote the spirit of volunteerism and service. Girl Scouts participated in an orientation detailing the work PAWS does at the facility and participated in light cleaning, organized donations and socialized with the dogs and cats.
The end of Cookie Season was announced and celebrated during Girl Scout Week with local troops. Girl Scouts joined local broadcast stations to share what they love about being a Girl Scout and what their troop plans to use the cookie funds for, like going to Paris! On CBS, Girl Scout Jocelyn shared how she feels empowered being a Girl Scout by trying new things, and Amalia said she loves going to summer camp with friends in a judgement free zone and learns a lot of real-life experiences on ABC.
After all the hard work from Girl Scouts this cookie season, it was only fair to celebrate! Girl Scouts who reached certain cookie sale levels received rewards such as a visit to Brookfield Zoo, the iconic Cookie Cruise, and even a trip to New York City! Way to go, Girl Scouts, on earning these incredible experiences.
We want to thank all Girl Scouts, troop leaders, cookie managers, volunteers, and all those who participated in the 2023-2024 Girl Scout Cookie Program. You made a difference, one cookie box at a time! Thank you for your countless hours of hard work and determination in making this year’s program a success.
We’d love for you to meet some more goal-crushers from this cookie season:
Meet Girl Scout Samantha, who had big goals set for this cookie season. She was on a mission to sell 5,000 packages to earn a trip to Denali National Park in Alaska, and she did just that!
So, how did she accomplish this mighty feat?
5-7 days a week, Samantha would work cookie booths or take her wagon of cookies out to sell. She started planning in October, writing out ideas to sell more cookies. Taking examples from other high sellers, she wrote a Zoom presentation, created a Google phone number to text previous customers, and designed a business card to hand out and leave at neighborhood doors. She wrote down her goal and tracked it every night on a goal thermometer. It was not always easy for Samantha. Many weekends consisted of bouncing between cheerleading at basketball games and cookie booths, but she persisted and worked towards her goal.
Meet another goal-crusher, Girl Scout Megan, who took her cookie business nationally and was determined to sell Girl Scout Cookies in all 50 states. Megan accomplished this by sharing the word with her friends and family and sharing flyers with everyone who stopped at her cookie booth. The more she shared about her goal, the more support she received. As Megan checked states off her list, she noticed North Dakota still lingered. Megan didn’t shy away from this challenge. Instead, she rallied with help from her family and friends and finally found a customer in North Dakota. It happened to be a friend, of a friend, of a family friend. WOW, talk about the power of networking!
Last but not least, meet Cookie CEO Bristol, who, on March 20, 2024, officially sold her 100,000th cookie box! Bristol accomplished this impressive milestone after 7 years of hard work.
“Keep trying, even if you fall down. Keep going because you’ll eventually get there someday,” said Bristol. Bristol spent long hours going door-to-door and selling at cookies booths. With strong family support, Bristol also used her cookies proceeds for various philanthropic efforts, including purchasing a service dog for a veteran with PTSD. In an interview with Chicago Sun-Times, Bristol shared she wants “to be a veterinarian, a police officer, a firefighter – or everything combined.”
Congratulations again to all our goal-crushers. You definitely owned your magic, and we can’t wait to see how you embrace all the possibilities ahead.