2017 Girl Scout Cookie Program Top Sellers

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) recently wrapped up a successful Girl Scout Cookie Program, with more than 7,800 girls selling more than 1,038,000 boxes of delicious Girl Scout Cookies. 

“This year’s Girl Scout Cookie Program was a huge success! I’d like to thank all of our girls, their parents and the fantastic volunteers who contributed to the success of the cookie program,” said Kelly Jansen, Director of Product Program for GSSI. “The dedication and commitment of all those involved allow us to provide girls throughout southern Illinois with a great Girl Scout Leadership Experience.”

The Girl Scout Cookie Program helps girls gain five valuable skills – goal setting, decision making, money management, people skills and business ethics – that will benefit them throughout life. In addition, proceeds from the cookie program help Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois recruit and train adult volunteers, provide financial assistance so Girl Scouting is available to all girls, improve and maintain camp properties, and develop and deliver extensive program activities for girls.

Congratulations to the following Girl Scouts who were top sellers for their Service Units. Please note that girls are associated with Service Units based on where her troop is located, rather than her hometown. 


Top 3 Overall Sellers:

Claire Meininger from Shipman - 2,115 boxes

Eden McQuay from Medora - 2,100 boxes

Elisa Thomlinson from Collinsville - 1,503 boxes

Service Unit Top Sellers

Alton/Godfrey/Wood River/Roxana: Alyssa Herbst  - Troop #47, Alton

Belleville/Swansea: Kalayna Beskorovany - Troop #93,  Belleville

Bethalto: Hope Rosales - Troop #577, Bethalto

Bond County: Dalani White - Troop #8800, Greenville 

Centralia: Madaline Ruez - Troop #8338, Centralia

Clark/Cumberland Counties: Anastasia Turner - Troop #2170, Marshall

Clay County: Elizabeth Lagle - Troop #8829, Rinard

ClinClair: Lynn Shirley - Troop #734, Summerfield

Clinton County: Kaleigh Voegeli - Troop #8834, Carlyle

Collinsville: Elise Thomlinson - Troop #302,  Collinsville

Crawford/Jasper Counties: Kaylynn Paddick - Troop #2484, Willow Hill

East Marion County:Vanessa Dodson - Troop #8572, Salem

East St Louis/Cahokia/Centreville: Carre Webster - Troop #874, Granite City

East Williamson County: Jaycee Hill - Troop #8073, Marion

Eastern Coles County: Ariana Sluder - Troop #2643, Ashmore

Edgar County: Kadrianne Henry - Troop #2080, Paris

Edwardsville/Glen Carbon: Jayden Henschen - Troop #954, Hamel

Effingham County: Jeavenlee Lira - Troop #2300, Effingham

Fairview Heights/Caseyville: Mackenzie Watson - Troop #43, Fairview Hgts

Fayette County: Delaynee Ward - Troop #8383, Vandalia

Granite City/Madison/Venice: Hannah Groetecke - Troop #521, Granite City

Highland: Emmah Reppond - Troop #496, Highland

Jackson County: Abigail Fields - Troop #8158, Carbondale

Jefferson County: Sydney Fenton - Troop #8653, Mt. Vernon

Jersey/Calhoun Counties: Claire Meininger - Troop #235, Shipman

Johnson/Pope Counties: Sadie Hinkle - Troop # 8649, Cypress

Lawrence County: Zoe Booth - Troop #8704, Bridgeport

Massac County: Addyson Johnson  - Troop #8695, Metropolis

Millstadt/Columbia/Dupo/Smithton: Alexandria Kampmeinert - Troop 3303, Columbia

New Athens/Marissa/St Libory/Freeburg: Chelsea Sinn - Troop #356, Freeburg

North Franklin County: Paige Jennings - Troop #8924, Benton

North Randolph County: Alaina Smith - Troop #8081, Ruma

O'Fallon/Shiloh: Erin Hanny - Troop #595, O'Fallon

Perry County: Ellyette Ralston - Troop #8124, Du Quoin

Richland County: Alexandra Lomas - Troop #8345, Olney

Shawnee: Elizabeth Marshall - Troop #8287, Shawneetown

South Macoupin County: Kayleigh Trimm - Troop #628, Bunker Hill

South Randolph County: Addison Gottschammer - Troop #8791, Ellis Grove

Troy/St. Jacob: Leah Connelly - Troop #258, Troy

Union/Pulaski/Alexander Counties: Karleigh Ellis - Troop #8528, Alto Pass

Wabash/Edwards Counties: Presley White - Troop #8505, Mt Carmel

Washington County: Susan Kressin - Troop #8736, Okawville

Waterloo: Addison Koppeis - Troop #745, Valmeyer

Wayne/Hamilton/White Counties: Kayli Kohn, Troop #8779, Fairfield

West Frankfort: Katie Arview - Troop #8017, West Frankfort

West Williamson County: Laney Baltzell - Troop #8062, Carterville

Western Coles County: Madison Parks - Troop #2462, Mattoon

Kelsey Weatherford from Columbia Has Earned the Girl Scout Gold Award

Girl Scouts of Southern Illinois (GSSI) is pleased to announce that Kelsey Weatherford from Columbia has earned the Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can receive. 

For her Girl Scout Gold Award project, called Blooming Butterflies, Kelsey planted five butterfly gardens in Columbia. These butterfly gardens are a place where migrating butterflies can rest and eat and nest on their trip to Mexico. Kelsey said her Girl Scout Gold Award project was important because Monarch butterflies play a key role in our environment as pollinators. “Without pollinators like the Monarch butterfly, we wouldn’t have the vast variety of crops that we have today,” Kelsey shared.

“Through my Gold Award project, I learned the importance of being environmentally conscious, so that all creatures can continue to enjoy its wonders for many years to come,” Kelsey added.

Kelsey is the daughter of Gregory and Andrea Weatherford. She graduated from Columbia High School in 2017 and has been a Girl Scout for 13 years.

The Girl Scout Gold Award, the highest award a Girl Scout can earn, recognizes a Girl Scout's commitment to excellence as she develops skills and values to meet present and future challenges in her life. To earn the Girl Scout Gold Award, a Girl Scout Senior or Girl Scout Ambassador must design and carry out a project that fulfills a need within a girl’s community, creates change, and is sustainable. The project must be completed with a suggested minimum of 80 hours of work. Only about 5 percent of eligible girls earn the prestigious Gold Award.

GSSI STEM Camp Still Has Spots Available

Come out to Girl Scout STEM Camp for an experience that's out of this world!  To celebrate the coming total solar eclipse, this year's camp theme is SPACE!   There are two camp options - one for younger girls entering K-3 in the fall, and another for older girls entering 4th-12th grades.  Both camps offer tons of science, technology, engineering and math fun and a cool t-shirt!  Sign up by June 7 and get ready to have a BLAST (yes, we'll be launching rockets)! 

Mini STEM Camp
July 6-7, 2017
9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Camp Torqua - Edwardsville, IL
Ages:  K-3rd Grade (Fall 2017) 

Join us for our fourth Mini STEM camp, just for Daisies and Brownies! Let's explode rockets, build a Mars Rover, glow in the dark and a whole lot more! Cost includes lunch both days, two snacks and a t-shirt. 

Girl Scout Fee: $40
Non-Girl Scout Fee: an additional $15 per girl

Adult volunteers are needed to make this camp a success. Full time volunteers who work both days will receive a camp shirt and be reimbursed $20 for one camper at the close of camp. If interested in volunteering, a volunteer application and health history form should be mailed in with your payment and daughter's registration form. 

Deadline to Register: 06/07/17

STEM Camp: Destined for Infinity

July 17-21, 2017
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Camp Torqua - Edwardsville, IL
Ages: 4th-12th grade (Fall 2017)

How do you organize a space themed camp?? You PLANet! It only gets better at this year's space themed STEM camp. Let's shoot rockets, defy physics and get our inventor brains warmed up with more littleBits. If that doesn't sound like fun, how about an Escape the Room: Space Station module? We will also do a field trip to Boeing's Prolouge room to get a feel for aerospace and history. 

Girl Scout Fee: $74
Non-Girl Scout Fee: an additional $15

Adult volunteer are needed to make this camp a success. Full time volunteers who work five days will receive a camp shirt and be reimbursed $35 for one camper at the close of camp. If interested in volunteering, a volunteer application and health history form should be mailed in with your payment and girl's registration form.

Deadline to Register: 06/07/17