Image by Amber Rhea via Flickr
I just read an article in Newsweek magazine about an entrepreneurial, tech savvy girl named Wild Freeborn who has a goal of selling 12,000 boxes of her troop's girl scout cookies so her troop can afford summer camp (article by Kurt Soller). Her initiative is being criticized by other parents who feel that Wild's YouTube video promoting her cookies and online order form are giving Wild an "unfair advantage" over other Girl Scouts.
Turns out Girl Scouts, the organization, does not allow online sales and cites "safety reasons." Hey, looking at the world today, I personally feel their old-fashioned door-to-door approach - while still endearing - is unsettlingly dangerous. Cute, young, innocent girls knocking on doors in the neighborhood doesn't necessarily scream "SAFE" to me.
Digression...On an even more personal note, I had just moved to rural Alaska and got a knock on the door at night. I was hesitant to open it because I had no idea who could it be. I finally did once I saw a teenage girl at the door. I assumed an adult was in the car in the driveway, running their engine with their headlights on, but couldn't tell in the dark. In a flash, I thought of the woman who knocked on my friend's door in Virginia only to find himself face-to-face with home invaders. He, his wife, and two daughters ages 6 and 2 were brutally murdered. True story and not so far fetched to think that opening your door to a stranger - no matter where you live - could be...dangerous.
But back to my main point: Is Girl Scouts still relevant for girls today when they don't know how to integrate technology and the Internet into their offerings? In the Newsweek article, a Girl Scouts spokesperson said, "We still have to figure out how to do this."
If Girl Scouts lets each girl create her own web site to sell their cookies online, each girl gains invaluable Internet skills and with everyone doing it, the selling field is leveled and each girl has the same chance. It would be up to them to create the kind of page that will attract attention - and learn Web skills, internet marketing and social media skills as well as Internet safety along the way. What could be better?
And believe me - I would MUCH rather satisfy my Girl Scout cookie cravings by purchasing online!
What do you think about the Girl Scout Cookie Controversy? And is Girl Scouts still relevant for our girls when they don't even know how to bring them into the 21st century of technology and online communications in a safe, creative way?
![Reblog this post [with Zemanta]](http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=7e9bbaef-4490-4c0d-90a2-22b1bec59163)
Definitely a good point, kinda i was searching the answer....
Posted by: Blend | March 25, 2009 at 10:53 AM
Girl Scouts does integrate the internet and web based items into their curriculum. They do it gradually with a safe, controlled enviroment. While I do agree that door to door sales are not always the best current option, there are other routes to sell cookies. I think the more important thing to note is that Girl Scouts is more than selling cookies. They use this organization to teach their girls to be leaders and to provide community service to those around them. I think it is unfortunate that so many people lose sight of the greater picture of what scouting is.
Posted by: Terri E. | April 02, 2009 at 11:47 AM