Written By: Janet Zelenak Director of Product Sales, Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore

Over the next few months, thousands of Girl Scouts will sell cookies. What you buy, however, isn’t just a box filled with a delicious treat, you’re helping each girl learn lessons that will last the rest of her life.

Each lesson that’s incorporated into the Girl Scout Cookie sale is age-appropriate. Daisy Girl Scouts, those in kindergarten and first grade, learn how to handle money, make change, and talk to people with confidence, even those they don’t know. Ambassador Girl Scouts, those preparing for high school graduation, create business plans and learn to work in a business environment.

By selling cookies, girls at all levels learn to set goals and achieve them. While younger girls may target a cute stuffed animal or a day-trip with their troop, older girls earn money to travel the world, visiting countries like England, France, Italy and Australia, all without paying a penny out-of-pocket.

Girls also use money earned from Girl Scout Cookie activities to fund other educational activities. In November, girls from Ocean County used money earned from the Girl Scout Cookie sale to fund their entry into the FIRST Lego League competition at Rowan University, Glassboro.

Created in 1989, FIRST, an acronym for For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, challenges students to specialize in areas of science and technology that are often overlooked in schools. “FIRST gives girls the chance to learn hands-on and come up with creative solutions,” said Rich Morgan, a high school science teacher and Girl Scout volunteer who works with the team.

During the FIRST competition, girls created robots with sensors that responded to light and touch. “This is important to me because one of my ambitions is to become an engineer and this is a pretty good start,” said Morgan’s daughter Hannah, a 10-year-old Junior Girl Scout.

The girls’ hard work paid off. They placed second out of 12 teams, only five points shy of first, and advanced to the FIRST champions tournament Jan. 30 at the University of Delaware. Their ranking includes a first place finish in the Robotic Design category. They were the only all-girl team in the competition.

Achievements like that are only possible with the financial flexibility that comes from Girl Scout Cookie sales. Just as important, purchasing Girl Scout Cookies supports other community organizations. This year, customers will once again have the opportunity to buy cookies for the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties, which helps provide food to 70,000 clients every year.

“This is an example to the community of how anyone can help the food bank, beginning with children helping children,” said Ellen Koment, FoodBank media coordinator. “It’s because of partnerships in the community with organizations like the Girl Scouts that the food bank can continue to offer [area food pantries] a wide variety of food to meet their needs.” All these needs can be met when you buy a box of Girl Scout Cookies.