Schuylerville High School senior Sierra Rechak is hoping to wrap up her girl scout career with a personal best in cookie selling. Rechak is aiming to sell 10,023 boxes of cookies to beat her previous record of 10,022, set two years ago. As of last week, she had sold more than 5,500 boxes.

“It would be a fantastic way to end my Girl Scouting career,” Rechak said. “If I don’t make it, sure that’s ok, but I would be disappointed in myself if I didn’t try to beat my personal best.”

Rechak, a member of Troop 3519 in Schuylerville, has been using that determination since she started selling cookies in first grade. Her grand total, prior to the 2019 season, was 42,853 boxes of cookies. For six years running, she has been the top cookie seller among the Girl Scouts of Northeastern New York and was fifth in the country last year.

“I will admit it is a lot of work and hours, and I’m not a fan of the cold,” Rechak said. “But I wouldn’t trade selling cookies for anything else. I think it has taught me persistence and how to be more personable.”

Cookie selling has also allowed Rechak to travel the world. Through incentives offered by the Northeastern council, she visited Disney World and New York City. She was also able to use earned proceeds to pay for trips to Costa Rica, London, Paris and Switzerland.

When Rechak isn’t selling cookies or traveling, she’s giving back to the community. Rechak has earned both her Bronze and Silver Awards through Girl Scouts and is currently working on her Gold Award – the most prestigious award through the organization.

Rechak, along with fellow Schuylerville classmates and Girl Scouts Rachel McInerney (senior), Sophie Macchi (senior), Bella Macchi (junior) and Aleia Hastings (grade 7) have volunteered their time to several activities throughout the years, from sending more than 3,000 boxes of cookies to Operation Adopt A Soldier to creating pet emergency preparedness kits and donating decorated Christmas trees to support Schuylerville Community Theater. Rechak says Girl Scouts has given her opportunities to help others and to grow as a person.

“I’ve built valuable life skills, interacted with hundreds of people and have had the opportunity to do things and see places I would never have been able to without Scouts,” Rechak said. “Everything I’ve learned will be something I use in my future.”

This fall, Rechak will attend Pennsylvania State University, where she will major in hospitality management and minor in French.

Where to find cookies

Rechak will be selling Girl Scout Cookies at her cookie booth in the parking lot of Rite Aid in Wilton through Sunday, April 28. Her hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. today through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.