Before walking the red carpet at the Sundance Film Festival and meeting Meghan Markle and Prince Harry, Shannon Elizabeth J. Stevens was already making a name for herself in El Paso. As one of the top-ranked Girl Scout cookie sellers in the area, Shannon Elizabeth was featured in the documentary “Cookie Queens,” directed by Alysa Nahmias and executive-produced by Meghan Markle. The film captures the joys, challenges, and pressures of the Girl Scout Cookies season.
For her participation in the film, the fifth grader at Myrtle Cooper Elementary School was honored by Congresswoman Veronica Escobar during the Congressional Commendation Awards Ceremony at the El Paso Mexican American Cultural Center on Sept. 9. Additionally, the El Paso County Commissioners Court declared August 31 “Cookie Queens Day” to honor Shannon Elizabeth and Girl Scout Troop 50063 for their significant role in the documentary.
The attention Shannon Elizabeth received extended beyond her appearance in a nationally acclaimed film; it also highlighted and celebrated her community.
“It honestly makes me feel really happy that I'm representing my troop and El Paso,” said Shannon Elizabeth, who has been a Girl Scout for six years. “It feels great to represent El Paso.”
In recognition of her outstanding accomplishments, Shannon Elizabeth was selected to recite the Pledge of Allegiance at the Socorro ISD Board of Trustees regular meeting in September 2026.
The documentary follows four American Girl Scouts as they face the ups and downs of a busy cookie-selling season. Shannon Elizabeth's journey began when she was seven years old and her mom, Amanda Zubiate Stevens, answered a nationwide casting call she found in Girl Scout Facebook groups. What began as a fun way to earn a filmmaking badge turned into something much bigger.
“So, when it started, I was just like, ‘Hey girl, you want to earn a badge?’ and she's like, ‘Yeah, let's earn a badge!’ And then the next thing I know is, ‘Hey, so we're going to be going to Sundance!’, said Zubiate Stevens, the law instructor at Libertas Academy at Americas High School.
For nearly two years, filmmakers documented Shannon Elizabeth's life as she transitioned from a Daisy Scout to a Brownie and pursued her goal of selling enough boxes to attend overnight camp for the first time.
“I love selling cookies. Even with the difficult challenges, it's really fun,” Shannon Elizabeth said, acknowledging that rejection can be hard. “I like to do it because it helps me learn, and it helps me grow. When it comes to rejection, I try to see what I can do to improve my tactics.”
The film premiered on Jan. 25, 2026, at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. For Shannon Elizabeth, whose family background is Latino and Native American, attending Sundance with her parents was a dream come true. Wearing a beautiful ribbon skirt that honored her Indigenous tribal heritage, she proudly represented both her community and her culture on a national stage.
“Every year she gives a Girl Scout presentation for Rock Your Mocs and Indigenous Heritage Month. Representing the community means something to her,” Zubiate Stevens said.
Being a Girl Scout has significantly influenced Shannon Elizabeth's life. The skills she has learned through cookie sales have made her a stronger student and leader.
She has been part of the dual language program at Myrtle Cooper Elementary since kindergarten, an educational initiative designed to help students become fully bilingual and biliterate in both English and Spanish. She currently learns science in Spanish and math in English. When she sells cookies around El Paso, she uses her Spanish skills to connect with more customers.
“Well, it's really fun because I love that we get to learn different subjects in different languages,” Shannon Elizabeth said.
Her experiences in Girl Scouts closely link to her passion for science. She often uses Girl Scout projects in her science fair work. For her Girl Scout Bronze Award, she created a science project that studies how planting trees in cities can help fight deforestation, pollution and climate change.
Her leadership extends beyond academics. Shannon Elizabeth serves as a Military Ambassador, helping welcome new military-connected students to the school. The values she practices as a Girl Scout, such as kindness, service, and teamwork, are the same values she brings to that role.
“I love helping new kids. I love to help them learn about their school and make school fun for them because I remember when I was here on my first day, I was a little bit nervous because I didn't know anyone very well,” Shannon Elizabeth said. “But when I actually got to know and look around the school and stuff, it was actually really cool and really fun.”
Outside the classroom, Shannon Elizabeth is a red belt in karate and regularly competes in martial arts tournaments. She is also active in Student Council and the National Junior Honor Society, where she supports her school community and encourages younger students.
Despite her starring role in “Cookie Queens,” Shannon Elizabeth's future goals are to become a photographer, a baker, or a lawyer like her mom. She also plans to remain a Girl Scout until she graduates from high school.
“I don't like to think of myself as a movie star, but as another Girl Scout who represents where we live, like a city that values its children and their dreams,” Shannon Elizabeth said.