Meet Anastasia and Lillian, Cookie Entrepreneur Officers

Anastasia and Lillian with GSCCC CEO Tracy Keller
and Dawn Glynn of TowneBank at last year's celebration
for Girl Scouts who sold at least 1,000 boxes of cookies.

For two Portsmouth first graders, it is their busiest time of year. These young businesswomen are in the midst of their annual entrepreneurial venture—Girl Scout Cookie season. Anastasia, a member of Girl Scout Troop 5717, and Lillian, a member of Girl Scout Troop 53, tied last year for the position of top Girl Scout Cookie seller in Portsmouth, each selling 1,127 boxes of the sweet treats. Both girls have now embarked on their second year selling cookies with their sights set higher—Anastasia intending to sell 1,111 boxes and Lillian with a goal to sell 1,500 boxes. Both girls are excited about being able to sell cookies during the 100th anniversary of Girl Scouts selling cookies and giving customers a chance to taste the new anniversary cookie—the Girl Scout S’mores cookie.

Despite being just six years old, both girls took away lessons from last year’s cookie season and have business plans in place for another successful sale. The girls know how important it is to ask everyone that they meet if they would like to buy cookies. Of course, they ask friends and family to buy cookies, but Anastasia makes sure to frequently go out in her neighborhood with her order card, even in the rain, and Lillian brings her cookie business with her everywhere, even to the doctor’s office.

“To sell cookies you have to smile and be polite,” Lillian said.

While Anastasia and Lillian are members of different troops, they have both had a year of fun and adventure in Girl Scouts, and they have learned about the importance of giving back to the community.

“Last year, we used our cookie money to purchase some toys for kids from the Angel Tree,” Anastasia said. “We also went to the pumpkin patch and had a lot of fun, and we had a Halloween and a Christmas party.”

Lillian and her fellow troop members threw a tea party, made pottery, took an acting class and saw a play together— just a few highlights of her Girl Scouting experience. They also made cards and ornaments that they delivered to residents at a local nursing home during the holidays, and Lillian hopes they get to do that again this year.

Powered by the Girl Scout Cookie Program, both Anastasia and Lillian are learning while they are earning. As experienced cookie sellers, they have learned how to count back change and work on a budget. They have also honed their teamwork skills and they work with their fellow troops members to decide how to spend their cookie money. As CEOs—cookie entrepreneur officers—they are learning to be go-getters, innovators, risk-takers and leaders.

The Girl Scout Cookie Program is the nation’s leaning financial literacy and entrepreneurial program for girls. Girl Scout Cookies not only help girls earn money for fun, educational activities and community projects, but also play a huge role in teaching girls how to be go-getters, innovators, risk-takers and leaders as they learn essential life and business skills.

Girl Scouts in southeastern Virginia and northeastern North Carolina are currently taking orders for cookies. Cookies will arrive to the region on February 18, and cookie booth sales will begin the following day. For more information, visit www.gsccc.org.