Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First
Handmade items were sold last week at the Banner County School Sixth Grade Entrepreneurship event. Eli Allen, at right, prepared to sell his horseshoe coat racks. "One of our friends, Zach, had started making these and gave me the idea that I could make something kind of like this," Eli said.
Sixth graders in Banner County spent a quarter learning introductory skills about business and how to start your own business. Items from the entrepreneurship project were marketed and sold last week at the Banner County Christmas concert.
Instructor Cameron Geary explained that the project, which has been a part of the school curriculum for many years, was created by retired business teacher Kari Gifford. The students' journey extended from creating a product, learning the basics of signage, designing a logo, pricing and conducting market research to finally calculating their overhead and profits.
Geary said the process is a testament to their growth and development. He said the students' decision to donate a portion of their proceeds to a charity of their choice is a reflection of their empathy and social responsibility.
The sixth graders made a variety of products, showcasing their creativity and entrepreneurial skills. This project not only provided them with hands-on experience in business but also fostered their creativity and problem-solving abilities.
Bronson McNeese made scented soap to sell: 36 lavender bars and 30 oatmeal bars. He explained the process from beginning to end and even listed the ingredients. While presenting, he changed the price from $5 to $3 and announced to the other classmates that he had just conducted his first transaction. His final parting pitch was, "You can use them to wash your hands or your body."
Other entrepreneurs included Roger McGown, who was selling colored pop corn and flour.
"We combine our wheat and grind our own flour," he explained.
Baily Gilfert made and sold "play dough," bracelets, corner bookmarks and cookies. Other products designed and sold by the sixth graders included Ray Masteth's sport pennants, including Huskers and Kansas City Chiefs pennants.
Each of the students presented their products with a level of professionalism that was impressive, a testament to their budding business skills.
