There’s more than Spiderman and the Odyssey at the movies this month. And, The Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama hopes the message gets through. A theater in Daphne premiered a new documentary titled “Cookie Queens.” It focuses on the eight hundred million dollars in Girl Scout cookies that are sold every year. It takes more than charm to sell Thin Mints, Toffee-Tastics, and Tag-A-Longs. That’s the message explored in Cookie Queens.
It’s not quite 10 on a summer Saturday morning as Girl Scouts and their moms line up for concessions at a Daphne, Alabama movie theater.
They’re buying drinks, candy, and popcorn but they’ve come to see a movie about a different snack they know all about. Cookie Queens is a documentary following four tireless Girl Scouts ages five to twelve from across the country as they strive to be top cookie sellers. Ten-year old Reagan Schemer from Troop 8017 in Fairhope is here. Like the girls in the movie she’s something of a pro.
“My goal was one thousand two hundred, so, got past that by 50,” she said.
Her sales sent her on a troop trip to Washington D.C. this summer.
"Um, so you feel like a sense of happiness cuz you like, Yay, got my goal and also your trip is paid for cuz that would been a lot if, cookie sales didn't cover it,” Schemer noted.
Achieving your goals and how it makes a young girl feel are a big part of the movie Cookie Queens - like this clip from the movie trailer showing pint-size, five-year- old Ara as she practices Pilates.
It should be noted that the documentary Cookie Queens is independent from Girl Scouts of the USA. Alysa Nahmias directed the film with Meghan Duchess of Sussex, herself a former Girl Scout, and Prince Harry Duke of Sussex as executive producers. The movie highlights how a culture of cuteness sells - but also how cookie sales help girls form an identity and make decisions. Facing adversity is another issue. Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama CEO Karlyn Edmonds says themes like these show viewers, even after a hundred years, Girl Scouting matters.
“I hope that audiences will take away just the spirit of our girls. They're resilient, they're tough, they're learning things,” she said.
Things like money management, public speaking, and as North Carolina Cookie Queen Olive makes clear in the film – self-confidence.
The movie isn’t all about competition. Like the traditional Girl Scout song, Make New Friends, it’s also about relationships. Girls roast marshmallows, hike together, and celebrate when they successfully set up a tent. Fairhope troop leader Allison Marlow says for her girls, as in the film, building bonds is a big part of Scouting.
“We're just going to make friends and have fun and just have a place to just relax and be okay,” she noted.
Fifteen-year-old Baylee Reed from Saraland watched the movie. For her, those Girl Scout friends are bigger than cookies.
“I love them so much. They’re practically my sisters in every way,” she said.
Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama CEO Edmonds hopes girls and their parents will see the fun on the big screen and want to join in. Nationally, annual reports show membership in GSUSA is flat with numbers about the same as they were ten years ago. South Alabama membership also fluctuates.
“We did see a spike uh pre-COVID in our membership numbers and that was a really exciting thing and then COVID hit and much like many other youth serving organizations, we have struggled,” Edmonds said.
Selling cookies is voluntary. But the number of cookies sold makes a difference. Edmonds says cookie money stays local. After paying the bakers, girls get about a dollar a box to use on trips, programming, and community service projects.
“And we feel like that’s important. These girls are investing in their own experience,”said Edmonds.
On the council level, the rest helps pay for expenses such as camp properties, science and nature programs, and places where can troops meet. Marlow from Fairhope says the money makes sure girls have the tools they need to grow.
"It’s so much more than a single box of cookies. It's an entire world inside that box. It's the best six bucks you're ever going to spend,” she said.
Remember 10-year-old Reagan Schemer? She certainly hopes so. After watching Cookie Queens…
“My goal for next year would probably be two-thousand.
Sounds like a cookie queen to me.
Editor’s Note: APR Gulf coast correspodent Cori Yonge is a volunteer board member for Girl Scouts of Southern Alabama.
