The council finally dropped the sales quota requirement for our highest awards. It has been a draining road to get here but I am relieved that we can finally focus on the girls instead of the numbers. We need to stay watchful to ensure this policy shift actually holds steady.
September 30, 2019
Preserve the tradition of cookie sales by focusing on participation and not sales results
Final supporters
Dear Girl Scouts of Central Maryland,
We are deeply disturbed by the requirement of meeting a minimum sales quota for any girl who aspires to earn Girl Scout’s highest awards or pursue other fundraising efforts.
While we understand that Council programming and services provided to girls and to adult volunteers are supported by cookie sales, the emphasis on sales results defeats Girl Scout's stated goals of building girls of "courage, confidence and character."
This council-wide, top-down mandate is inconsistent with the values of Girl Scouting:
- It is not girl-led. It does not teach the valuable lessons of goal-setting and self-motivation that have been hallmarks of the cookie program.
- Girls who are not able to meet the sales requirement - regardless of the reason and regardless of whether they participated in cookie sales - will be barred from all means of raising funds and from being eligible for highest awards. This will serve ultimately to demotivate girls.
- It is not sensitive to cultural differences that may preclude a girl from participating in cookie sales due to differences in beliefs. It punishes entire troops for such sincere differences in perspective - whether it is among all members or only one.
- Equally important, this sales quota would have the greatest impact on the very populations Girl Scouts desires to empower: the girls from families burdened with too many cares, too few hours, too little money and who live in neighborhoods too dangerous for door to door cookie sales.
We urge you to do the following:
- Allow all girls who participate in the cookie sale program at any level to be eligible for the highest awards and other fundraising, regardless of the results of her cookie sales efforts, as in years past.
- Engage the Girl Scout volunteer community in dialogue and deliberations on this and similar policy decisions. Adopt a transparent means of making such policy decisions.
- Reaffirm GSCM’s commitment to its girl and adult-volunteer members and to Girl Scout values by making decisions consistent with these values.
If there is a need to increase the sale of cookies, we would be willing and eager to contribute ideas that are consistent with the values that are taught in the Girl Scout program, and the values of diversity and inclusion that GSCM espouses.
Volunteers, Friends & Family of Girl Scouts of Central Maryland,
Please sign this petition to share with GSCM the impact of the new cookie sales quota policy on inclusion and diversity. If you are comfortable doing so, please include your zip code and your role in Girl Scouting in the comments to show our diversity and commitment to Girl Scouting! (ie, Jane Smith-Wang, Parent of a Cadette Girl Scout, 20759)
Updates
September 11, 2019
Reaching this milestone feels heavy because it confirms so many of us feel the same exhaustion regarding these quotas. I am tired of fighting this battle but seeing this level of support makes it impossible to turn back now.
35 Comments
As a mkm of two Girl Scouts, I believe strongly that Awards should remain focused on the achievements and accomplishments of the girls and their projects, not their fundraising ability. Please reconsider.
I have had girls in scouts for 13 years I have been a cookie manager of three Tripp’s I have been leader and coleader of 2 troops The minimum is discrimanatory against children whose families do not have as much time to volunteer for canvassing and booths, and girls in areas with less disposable income.
I have four high school girls who are in above grade level classes doing extracurricular activities while still participating in scouts and beginning their Gold award. They need to be able to choose reasonable goals for themselves regarding cookie sales considering they have limited time and heavy demand. If the girls are required to sell 48 boxes of cookies each, and they fall short - and are not eligible for their Gold, then Girl Scouts has essentially told them they’re efforts are just not enough period.
My husband and I work from home and we do not live in a neighborhood with houses to sell to. This number would be impossible for us to reach without me having to pay for these boxes myself. This requirement puts an added burden on my daughter and myself and would lead us to not participate at all.
Co-leader of Troop 10329 - we have never limited the girls' ability to participate in activities based on their cookie sales and do not agree with this policy.
This divides the haves from the have nots and is completely unreasonable
It is important to keep girls in scouts and give them opportunities to reach for high achievements, regardless of their ability to sell cookies (especially if friends and family can't afford them)
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The council finally dropped the sales quota requirement for our highest awards. It has been a draining road to get here but I am relieved that we can finally focus on the girls instead of the numbers. We need to stay watchful to ensure this policy shift actually holds steady.
September 30, 2019
Preserve the tradition of cookie sales by focusing on participation and not sales results
Final supporters
Dear Girl Scouts of Central Maryland,
We are deeply disturbed by the requirement of meeting a minimum sales quota for any girl who aspires to earn Girl Scout’s highest awards or pursue other fundraising efforts.
While we understand that Council programming and services provided to girls and to adult volunteers are supported by cookie sales, the emphasis on sales results defeats Girl Scout's stated goals of building girls of "courage, confidence and character."
This council-wide, top-down mandate is inconsistent with the values of Girl Scouting:
- It is not girl-led. It does not teach the valuable lessons of goal-setting and self-motivation that have been hallmarks of the cookie program.
- Girls who are not able to meet the sales requirement - regardless of the reason and regardless of whether they participated in cookie sales - will be barred from all means of raising funds and from being eligible for highest awards. This will serve ultimately to demotivate girls.
- It is not sensitive to cultural differences that may preclude a girl from participating in cookie sales due to differences in beliefs. It punishes entire troops for such sincere differences in perspective - whether it is among all members or only one.
- Equally important, this sales quota would have the greatest impact on the very populations Girl Scouts desires to empower: the girls from families burdened with too many cares, too few hours, too little money and who live in neighborhoods too dangerous for door to door cookie sales.
We urge you to do the following:
- Allow all girls who participate in the cookie sale program at any level to be eligible for the highest awards and other fundraising, regardless of the results of her cookie sales efforts, as in years past.
- Engage the Girl Scout volunteer community in dialogue and deliberations on this and similar policy decisions. Adopt a transparent means of making such policy decisions.
- Reaffirm GSCM’s commitment to its girl and adult-volunteer members and to Girl Scout values by making decisions consistent with these values.
If there is a need to increase the sale of cookies, we would be willing and eager to contribute ideas that are consistent with the values that are taught in the Girl Scout program, and the values of diversity and inclusion that GSCM espouses.
Volunteers, Friends & Family of Girl Scouts of Central Maryland,
Please sign this petition to share with GSCM the impact of the new cookie sales quota policy on inclusion and diversity. If you are comfortable doing so, please include your zip code and your role in Girl Scouting in the comments to show our diversity and commitment to Girl Scouting! (ie, Jane Smith-Wang, Parent of a Cadette Girl Scout, 20759)
Updates
September 11, 2019
Reaching this milestone feels heavy because it confirms so many of us feel the same exhaustion regarding these quotas. I am tired of fighting this battle but seeing this level of support makes it impossible to turn back now.
35 Comments
Although our family supports our daughter and our troop with the cookie sale, I find putting a quota demotivating! The girls should channel their energy and time doing more impactful activities that embody the goals and spirit of being a Girl Scout. Mother of a Cadette, Treasurer of GSCM Troop 1242
As a mkm of two Girl Scouts, I believe strongly that Awards should remain focused on the achievements and accomplishments of the girls and their projects, not their fundraising ability. Please reconsider.
I have had girls in scouts for 13 years I have been a cookie manager of three Tripp’s I have been leader and coleader of 2 troops The minimum is discrimanatory against children whose families do not have as much time to volunteer for canvassing and booths, and girls in areas with less disposable income.
I have four high school girls who are in above grade level classes doing extracurricular activities while still participating in scouts and beginning their Gold award. They need to be able to choose reasonable goals for themselves regarding cookie sales considering they have limited time and heavy demand. If the girls are required to sell 48 boxes of cookies each, and they fall short - and are not eligible for their Gold, then Girl Scouts has essentially told them they’re efforts are just not enough period.
My husband and I work from home and we do not live in a neighborhood with houses to sell to. This number would be impossible for us to reach without me having to pay for these boxes myself. This requirement puts an added burden on my daughter and myself and would lead us to not participate at all.
Co-leader of Troop 10329 - we have never limited the girls' ability to participate in activities based on their cookie sales and do not agree with this policy.
This divides the haves from the have nots and is completely unreasonable
It is important to keep girls in scouts and give them opportunities to reach for high achievements, regardless of their ability to sell cookies (especially if friends and family can't afford them)
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Although our family supports our daughter and our troop with the cookie sale, I find putting a quota demotivating! The girls should channel their energy and time doing more impactful activities that embody the goals and spirit of being a Girl Scout. Mother of a Cadette, Treasurer of GSCM Troop 1242