Local Girl Finds Confidence Through Selling Girl Scout Cookies

It’s Girl Scout cookie time and Girl Scouts everywhere are selling the high demand bites of goodness. But who would have thought the cookies could change someone’s life. 

“I had to ask people to buy cookies. I had to go out and meet new people and open up,”14-year-old Girl Scout, Anna said. 

Growing up Anna was shy, but at 6 years old she found the thing that would bring her out of her shell. 

“I went and sold cookies with a friend, and that just kind of jump started wanting to go and sell and participate in Girl Scouts,” said Anna. 

Those cookies lit a spark. 

“I loved it. I wanted to keep doing it. Even though I was shy, I loved getting to meet new people,” Anna said. 

She now has memories of times that will stay with her forever. 

“We were late at night at Sam’s, and it was freezing cold, and mom and I just kept singing Girl Scout songs the whole time and snuggling together to keep warm,” Anna said. 

“Her drive and her will to keep going is incredible,” Jennifer Gibson, Anna’s mother, said. 

Now at 14, the confidence that Anna gained from selling cookies has impacted her life in other areas. 

“I love Taekwondo. I started when I was 7 years old,” said Anna. 

Anna is a second-degree black belt in Taekwondo.  

“Even through injuries, she’s pushed through, we’ve broken the ankle twice, bruised our arm, like a bone bruise, trying to get our second-degree belt type stuff, and concussions,” said Gibson.  

“In 2019 she was actually ranked number one in the country for sparring at her division,” said Gibson. 

The self-proclaimed shy kid also teaches a self-defense class to women of all ages. 

“It’s really fun to see them grow from not knowing how to throw a punch to being able to spar somebody on the ground for three minutes,” Anna said. 

“Young girls I think it is important to show them that they can do more than what they think,” Gibson said. 

Anna is on her final step of achieving her gold award, the highest level of achievement for a Girl Scout, and it all started with one box of cookies.