I never was a Girl Scout. I may have had one friend who was a Girl Scout, but I don’t remember it being a huge organization growing up.

Here in Warren County, the eight local Girl Scout Troops seem to be working hard to reach their mission to help girls discover their strengths, passions and talents and build their courage, confidence and character to make the world a better place.

Just a couple weeks ago, the local troops attended an annual engineering workshop hosted by the Society of Women Engineers at Hawkins United Methodist Church.

Scouts from kindergarten to high school learned through five different activities dealing with physics, chemistry and of course engineering. During the activities the girls created lava lamps, roller coasters with loops, rockets and towers made out of tennis balls.

What a wonderful message to let girls know they can succeed in science and they don’t ever have to be concerned with not being able to flourish in any subject. This kind of education, I hope, will inspire girls to look at any occupation and know it is open to them.

It’s so odd that equality is still an issue, but it is, and I think if we continue on this path we can eradicate anyone even assuming lesser of different genders or races.

One of the most important projects the scouts have is their annual cookie sale. I can tell you the cookies have arrived in Warren County. Orders were taken as early as January, but the cookies will be available outside of Kroger Friday through Sunday and Wal-Mart Saturday and Sunday for the next three weekends.

Even though I didn’t know much about Girl Scouts as a child, I’ve learned in my adulthood that these cookies are quite the hot commodities. People wait all year to purchase these cookies and sometimes even stock up on their favorite kind for the long months until they go on sale again.

In addition to just eating the cookies, people sometimes freeze them to eat them cold or to make them last longer. Several recipes can be found online in a simple search for ways to use the cookies to make a different dessert like caramel bars, smores, puddings or pies.

By selling cookies, the girls learn about money management, business ethics, goal-setting, decision-making and people skills. Leaders said this one activity helps teach the scouts about finances and how to balance a budget.

While talking to troop leaders Tuesday, I learned about how being a Girl Scout promotes individuality and acceptance of those who may be different than us. What a powerful message for young girls to hear.

They are also taught social skills and how to be leaders. The scouts are not limited by their choices but allowed to choose whatever they want to try. These girls break the norm and are not held to certain labels but are well rounded.

It seems to me like it would have been beneficial to be a part of an organization that does so much for one another and for the individual. To grow up reaching for their dreams and loving their neighbor seems to be a message more girls, and just people in general, need to hear.