It's Girl Scout cookie time again - KNOE 8 News; KNOE-TV; KNOE.com |

MONROE, La., (KNOE 8 News) - Girls began selling this year's crop around the middle of the month, and the drive is in full swing now.

The Girl Scout Cookie Program plays a critical role in teaching girls about financial literacy and entrepreneurship. "The Girl Scout cookie program is so much more than just selling cookies. The girls learn business skills that they will take with them through many different paths in life. They learn about selling products, marketing that product, budgeting money they earn, planning activities, and working together with other girls to reach a common goal," says Micki Blakely, Program Director for Girl Scouts of Louisiana – Pines to the Gulf. By selling cookies girls learn five essential life skills: Goal Setting, Decision Making, Money Management, People Skills and Business Ethics.

Local Girl Scouts kicked off this cookie season with cookie rallies, where they played games, learned about the five skills, got to sample the products, and learned about safety procedures and marketing techniques to run their very own business. There are eight different varieties of cookies this year including all-time favorites Thin Mints, Samoas and Tag-alongs, as well as Do-Si-Dos, Trefoils, Savannah Smiles, which were introduced last year, Thank You Berry Munch and Dulce de Leche. The cookies cost $4.00 per box and this year the Girl Scouts are introducing a package redesign which highlights the five skills and other important benefits of the cookie program.

The cookies should be ready to be delivered and at booths around town March 1- 17.