For Troop 60187 in Upper St. Clair, Girl Scout Cookie season is an opportunity to build skills and sisterhood not just among peers, but with younger Girl Scouts, too!

This Allegheny County troop has a yearly mentorship program where older Girl Scouts mentor a younger Girl Scouts Daisies and show them the ropes of cookie season. Girl Scouts Western Pennsylvania spoke with Kara B., a Cadette who has spent two cookie seasons in the mentor program, and she had to tell you in her own words what the program means to her.

Be a Cookie Mentor This Year (It’s Fun!)

By: Kara B.
Girl Scout Cadette

My name is Kara, and I am a Girl Scout Cadette with seven years of cookie-selling experience. 

Two years ago, during the 2024 cookie season, I mentored a first-year Girl Scout Daisy who had never sold cookies. It was a fun experience, but also helpful, as most Girl Scout activities are. Me and my (temporary) apprentice went door-to-door in her neighborhood, alternating who sold cookies. I went first, to show her how it’s done, and then I let her try. When it was her turn, I gave her some tips, then stepped back to let her sell. Each time, she got more confident and better at answering questions. And each time, I was proud. In between the houses, I would give her more tips based on how things were going. 

The second time I was a cookie mentor, I went with two Girl Scouts who live around the corner from me. They were nervous, and their troop leader asked if any experienced Girl Scouts would help them go door-to-door. Whenever I’m asked to help a younger girl, I agree. Teaching others helps me feel prepared and confident, too. And it’s not just Daisies who need some help. Brownies sometimes need guidance, or Juniors who are shy can benefit from going with a more outgoing friend to help them get some sales and build their courage up. 

Lots of younger Girl Scouts are excited about the idea of a middle school or high school girl helping them learn the speaking skills they need, but sometimes, very few older girls sign up to be cookie mentors. Maybe they don’t have a lot of free time, or simply feel like they won’t enjoy going door-to-door like they used to when they were younger. But here’s the secret: helping someone else makes everything more fun! It feels great to know that I can teach things I learned when I was a younger Girl Scout, and that their troop will use cookie money to do many of the same activities that I remember doing with my troop. 

I think that more older girls should offer to be cookie mentors—not just because it helps the younger Girl Scouts, but also because it helps us. It improves our leadership skills, and besides, going door-to-door is a lot more fun with a buddy. Even when it’s a younger buddy! Also, it will give you a sense of pride when you see that you helped someone else succeed. Some girls (me included) have confidence in their own skills, but don’t often get to feel the pride or impact of teaching someone else. Being a cookie mentor has been a great way for me to feel that pride, even though I’m still young, too. 

If there’s not an official cookie mentor program in your service unit, consider this your sign to start one this year!