Girl Scout Cookie Season is officially underway, the 100th year of the first known sale of cookies by Girl Scouts.

A century ago, girls started participating in what would evolve into the largest entrepreneurial training program for girls in the world: the Girl Scout Cookie Program. Through the program, girls learn the 5 essential skills: Goal Setting, Decision Making, Money Management, People Skills, and Business Ethics.

The sale of cookies by Girl Scouts had humble beginnings, born as a way for troops to finance activities. The first known sale of cookies by Girl Scouts occurred in 1917, when the Mistletoe Troop in Muskogee, Okla., baked cookies and sold them in their high school cafeteria as a service project.

As the Girl Scout Cookie Program developed and evolved, it not only became a vehicle for teaching five essential skills, but it also enabled collaboration and integration, as early as the 1950s, among girls and troops of diverse backgrounds as they worked together toward common goals.

Today, nearly 1 million Girl Scouts participate in the Girl Scout Cookie Program, generating nearly $800 million in cookie sales during the average season. All of the net revenue raised through the Girl Scout Cookie Program — 100 percent of it — stays with the local council and troops. With over 50 million households purchasing cookies every season, the irresistible treats can be found nationwide and will hold a beloved place in Americana for years to come, continuing to help girls take the lead and, ultimately, change the world.

Girl Scout Cookies not only help Girl Scouts earn money for fun, educational activities and community projects, but also play a huge role in guiding girls to discover their inner G.I.R.L. (Go-getter, Innovator, Risk-taker, Leader) as they learn essential life skills that will stay with them forever.

With the emergence of the Internet and rise of ecommerce, girls were eager to harness the power of technology to expand their communication channels. In December 2014, Girl Scouts responded by launching a scalable electronic addition called the Digital Cookie platform.

The new online expansion of the Girl Scout Cookie Program provided a platform for girls to market and sell cookies to customers online and via mobile devices. Digital Cookie made its official debut at the annual 2015 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES)—where Girl Scouts was one of the first youth-serving organizations to present and one of, if not the first, to provide a booth run entirely by girls.

Girl Scouts is thrilled to announce that Dell and Visa Checkout will continue their support of the platform, which continues to grow across the nation.

The celebration of 100 years of Girl Scouts selling cookies will kick into high gear during National Girl Scout Cookie Weekend 2017. From Feb. 24-26, Girl Scout councils around the country will be hosting events and cookie booths for cookie enthusiasts to get their hands on the iconic treats and join in the fun.

To volunteer, reconnect, donate, or join, visit www.girlscouts.org. Locally, we can be found at www.GSGMS.org, on Facebook as “Girl Scouts of Greater Mississippi,” and on Instagram as “GSGMS.