One hundred nine years ago
the first Girl Scout cookie was sold
by an enterprising Scout troop
in an Oklahoma school lunch room.
By 1928 eager girls went in pairs
selling on foot in sashes and beanies
spreading cheer and sugar while
accruing sales and confidence.
Echoing my elders, I rolled my
Radio Flyer wagon down streets
hawking Samoas and Trefoils,
Golden Nut Clusters and Snaps.
A generation later, now a Leader,
I'm still behind the booth rallying
with calls of "Cookies for Sale!" and
"Support female entrepreneurs!"
As I stomp my chilled feet, warm
my numb hands and focus the girls
on tactics, I summon eleven decades
of girls baking into business leaders.
How many impactful corporations
and organizations were founded by
these girls who learned negotiations
on local streets pushing cookies?
As my eager Scouts break a twenty
for a shy elder, I smile at the sweetness
of leaders earning dough from dough;
future CEOs forged from cookie cred.
