WILLARD — Utah’s Girl Scout cookie sales champion has a simple formula for her success. Be polite and kind and don’t lay on any guilt trips.
“When I call someone, I always try to sound positive and not pouty or angry,” said Maya Moody. “If they say no, I tell them thank you anyway.”
The 12-year-old cookie diva has sold 5,166 boxes of cookies so far, making her the top seller in the state. She was also last year’s state champion, selling 5,024 boxes, and the year before she came in second.
“I just like selling the cookies, and I have a lot of really good customers,” she said. “I go door to door and call my previous customers. The most popular cookie that I sell are the Thin Mints, but I really like the Trefoils the best.”
This year the Girl Scouts sold 1.6 million boxes of cookies, said Cathleen Sparrow, chief executive officer of the Girl Scouts of Utah. That’s a 6 percent increase from last year. The top-selling cookies are Thin Mints and Samoas.
“The money goes back to the girl, her troop and to the community,” Sparrow said. “The girls can use the money for uniforms and camp, and the troop uses the money to help fund various activities and programs. One nice thing, also, is that the girls donate cookies to local food banks, senior centers and overseas.”
The girls start taking orders for cookies in January, Sparrow said. Then during the latter part of February they start delivering to their customers. Then the cookie booths open up and run until the end of March.
That means Maya still has time to sell even more cookies.
“So far I’ve made $2,066 for my troop, Troop 2010,” Maya said.
Sparrow said Maya is a very polite, tenacious and determined girl.
“It’s been fun to meet and get to know her,” Sparrow said. “Not only is she the top cookie seller, but she’s modest about her success. I asked her how she did this year, and she said she thought she did OK, and I was thinking, ‘I know you did more than OK.’”
In June, Maya and other Girl Scouts who sold more than 250 boxes of cookies will be honored at a cookie party in Davis County. Maya will also receive an iPad, special jacket and a patch for her uniform.
“I think it’s really neat that she has the drive to sell so many cookies,” said Maya’s mother, Brandy Moody. “She’s been in the Girl Scout program since she was 5 years old, so this is her seventh year selling cookies. She loves to raise money for her troop, so they can get together and do fun things.”
Maya said she loves being involved in the program, and cookie week is her favorite activity of the year.
“I just think it’s really cool to be a Girl Scout. I’ve made over 100 friends,” she said. “Anyone can join. It’s a very diverse group, and we have so much fun together. I would do it all over again.”
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