To many people, Girl Scout cookies are simply an annual treat to look forward to 7 tasty Caramel deLites, rich Thin Mints, feather-light Lemonades.

But for Girl Scouts like 17-year-old Miranda Rich of Lompoc, they are a training ground for future careers and a ticket to educational experiences in other states and even other countries.

Miranda has been in Girl Scouts for 12 years, and for nine of those she was involved in door-to-door cookie sales 7 the classic fundraiser for the organization 7 like thousands of other Girl Scouts on the Central Coast.

But for the last three years, the Cabrillo High School student has been part of the Girl Scouts/ CEO in Training program that takes cookie sales to a whole new level for older Scouts.

&#8220Girl Scouts realized that older girls were not participating as much in door-to-door cookie sales due to the fact they were competing with the younger girls,C Miranda explained. &#8220It/s much easier for us to be rejected than it is to reject a 7-year-old.C

So, she said, the Girl Scouts organization came up with the CEO in Training program that allows older girls to learn business principles and marketing strategy.

Rather than selling door-to-door, the Senior Girl Scouts create their own &#8220cookie companies,C developing business plans and sales goals and even creating sales presentations using a Microsoft PowerPoint program.

Then they market their cookies 7 not by the box but by the case 7 to local businesses.

Miranda has been an apt pupil. In her three years in the CEO in Training program, she/s sold 375 cases of cookies. That/s 4,500 boxes.

This year alone, she sold 1,000 boxes 7 half of the total 2,000 boxes sold by her troop (Troop 1234), which consists of seven Scouts.

Her strategy?

&#8220Usually, I explain what the funds are going to go to 7 what the trip or program will be 7 and what Girl Scouts has done for me,C she said. &#8220Then we negotiate on case sales.C

Funds from the sales go for a variety of educational purposes as chosen by the troops.

Last year, Miranda noted, Troop 1234 used the proceeds on two educational trips, including one to New York where the members visited museums and participated in special events.

But this year, the troop decided to forgo one trip and use the money to pay for a single bigger trip 7 to Europe. The Scouts will visit Girl Guides 7 the British equivalent of Girl Scouts 7 and stay in a camp in England.

Besides just telling business owners where the cookie money will go, Miranda works those trips into her sales pitches in another way.

&#8220One thing I personally do 7 and I encourage everyone in our troop to do 7 is I tell the business owners I am more than glad to come back afterward and make a presentation on the trip, with pictures, to show and explain what I learned,C she said. &#8220I find lots of companies like to know where their money goes.C

Overall, Troop 1234/s cookie sales were down this year compared to last year, she said, but that/s because many of the members 7 including herself 7 are high school seniors facing graduation and got caught up doing senior projects and other fourth-year school work.

Still, she came up with a method that helped her sell those 1,000 boxes.

&#8220This year, I made up cookie fliers and took then to all the little businesses in Lompoc and gave them a little sales pitch,C she said. &#8220Then, if they were interested, I went back in a week and picked up order sheets. It/s more time-consuming, but it worked.C

Last year, Girl Scouts started a new program called Operation Gratitude, which lets businesses, as well as individuals, buy cases of cookies to be shipped to U.S. troops overseas.

The businesses pay for the cookies, and the Girl Scouts do the shipping.

Miranda had a sales strategy for that program, too.

&#8220Tri-Valley Roofing in Lompoc bought two cases (for Operation Gratitude), so I went to other businesses to see if they wanted to match that,C she said.

While the CEO in Training program has helped Miranda visit places and learn things she might not have otherwise, she said it has also helped prepare her for the future.

&#8220Actually, I/d like to pursue a career in marketing, so it/s helped me learn to stay organized, call businesses and get back to them, to be in front of a big crowd of people and be able to talk to them,C she said. &#8220It/s really helped me out with my communication skills.C

&#8220It/s a good program for girls,C she added. &#8220I/ve had many life-changing experiences.C

Mike Hodgson can be reached at 739-222 or mhodgson@santamariatimes.com.