Meet Mariah: Cookie Entrepreneur Officer

Mariah with GSCCC CEO Tracy Keller
at the Cookie Entrepreneur Officer luncheon

Mariah may look like your average sixth grader, but when she is not in the classroom, this 11-year-old is an entrepreneur and a businesswoman. This winter, she is on a mission to hit a new sales goal and once again take the title of top Girl Scout Cookie seller in Camden County. Last year, Mariah sold 1,555 boxes of the sweet treats, and she has set her sights even higher for 2017, with a goal to sell 2,000 boxes of cookies.

As an experienced cookie seller, Mariah knows how much work it takes to be a CEO—cookie entrepreneur officer. She always asks everyone she sees if they would like to buy cookies. She even takes her order form to school and asks her mom to take her around to local businesses to sell cookies. This year, Mariah is planning to take her sales into the digital age by setting up her Digital Cookie account, her own online store that her friends and family members can use to order cookies online.

“I have been the top cookie seller for the last couple of years,” Mariah said. “My troop relies on the cookies we sell to fund our projects for the year. We want to be able to help our community more and more each year with our cookie earnings.”

Last year, Mariah and her fellow members of Troop 5970 used their cookie money to sponsor local children during the holidays. They purchased toys and clothing for the children through an Angel Tree program. The troop members hope to be able to bring smiles to the faces of more children on Christmas this year.

Girl Scout Troop 5970 also participates in the Gift of Caring program, through which they ask customers to purchase and donate a box of cookies that Mariah and her troop members then send to military personnel serving overseas.

Cookie season is not the only busy time of year for Mariah. Last year, volunteered her time to help care for animals at the SPCA, and she collected cleaning supplies and animal food to donate to the shelter. For her efforts, she earned the Girl Scout Bronze Award, the third highest honor and achievement a girl can earn in Girl Scouting.

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.