Young entrepreneurs sell their wares at Freeport
BUFFALO TWP — Students from across Freeport Area School District joined in the holiday shopping rush Sunday, Dec. 7 — not as customers, but as merchants.
The school district hosted its first “Youth Entrepreneurs” winter market Sunday afternoon in the gymnasium of Freeport Area Middle School.
“This is the first year and, hopefully, we'll continue to do it annually,” said Nicole Saville, head of the parent-teacher organization at nearby Buffalo Elementary School.
Students from all levels of the district — elementary to high school — hawked handmade goods, from Christmas ornaments to snow globes to dog treats.
Unlike similar school sales, such as Buffalo Elementary School’s annual “Kids Helping Kids” fundraiser event, the Youth Entrepreneurs event is not a fundraiser for any entity within or outside the school. Instead, the students keep all of the profits from what they sell.
The stand of sixth-grader Raylan Berteotti specialized in 3D-printed figures, which he designed with his printer at home. His line of products included Christmas ornaments and bottle openers.
“I just started going crazy, doing about four prints a day and about 20 hours worth of printing,” Berteotti said. “I know I've used over half of a roll of filament, which is half a kilogram for over 50 items.”
High school student Molly Majersky’s stand sold “Scrabbl4yinz” — unique ornaments made up of completed Scrabble words. Majersky said she and her grandmother have been selling them for eight years at various events.
“My grandma and I came up with this about eight years ago,” Majersky said. “We go to multiple events. It depends on the crowd and what they really like.”
Mike Kleckner, principal of Buffalo Elementary School, estimates around 100 students across the various schools of the school district took part in the sale.
The idea for “Youth Entrepreneurs” came from a similar event that Saville used to organize at a small business she previously owned, the now-closed Emma + Jane Shoppe boutique store in Buffalo Township.
“I used to do this for adult entrepreneurs to bring them into my store,” Saville said. “This year, I thought we could use it for kids, and I know there's so many kids out there that love to make stuff. So I said, why don't we make it into a youth market right before the holidays so kids and parents can buy their Christmas presents here with friends?”
Both Kleckner and Saville said the amount of money the students pull in is secondary to the amount of life lessons they take out of the experience.
“It shows that their work pays off,” Kleckner said. “They get to produce something and it sells, so that gives them a little gratification. It gives them the ability to make a little bit of money too, because everything stays with them.”
“Kids will get a chance to learn what it's like to be an entrepreneur, to handle cash, to make their own stuff and get a chance to show it off to everybody,” said Saville.
