We have all had the pleasure of picking up a box of Thin Mints around February every year from a few smiling girls asking, "Would you like to buy some Girl Scout cookies?"

But what do Girl Scouts REALLY do?

Growing up as a Girl Scout, I did so much more than just sell cookies every February, but somehow, the first question I get asked every time I tell someone I'm a Girl Scout is "Do you sell cookies?"

Yes, I do. But I also do a lot more.

From a very young, age, Girl Scouts has broadened my view of possibilities. Scouting has helped me become a ~very~ ambitious person

. From Daisies, to Brownies, Juniors, Cadettes, and Seniors to Ambassadors, we were always pushed to open out visions to new heights.

Eventually, once we were Ambassadors, it was time to brainstorm our individual Gold Award projects. It was time to put our years of community service to the test and take on a project that would give back to the community around us.

It was what all those years had let up to, and it truly paid off.

Along the way, we developed leadership and teamwork skills, and learned about the world around us and how we can shape it, one person at a time.

And perhaps most importantly, I made my best friends through Scouting over the years. We grew up alongside each other, and helped one another through tough times and saw the other grow up into a bright woman, with the values of a Girl Scout.

So, yes, there is so much more to Girl Scouting than those colorful boxes set up on a folding table outside of Walmart. We are not only "cookie dealers," but the young female minds of the world we live in. And we hold the Gold Award to prove it.