Newton Student Wins Award for Eco-Friendly Product

NEWTON, MA — Youth around Newton, Boston, and across the globe are serious about stopping climate change, as they proved during September’s Global Climate Strike. At the Acton Children’s Business Fair on September 21, Newton resident and 10-year-old entrepreneur Andrew Yum won the “Judges’ Choice Award” for a product he hopes will disrupt the plastic bag industry.

Andrew’s “Earth Bags” are cloth pouches that function as a reusable alternative to zip-up plastic bags that are often used to pack lunches. He produces the bags himself with fabric, Velcro, and a sewing machine at home. The idea began last spring when Andrew engaged in a similar project to make “Lunch Skins” in his Design Lab class at Wellan Montessori School.

Wellan Design Lab specialist Merav Rosen recalls the conversation that started her original lesson: “The students discussed the wide implication that Lunch Skins can have on reducing landfill waste, saving money on wrapping materials, and improving the taste of the food we eat.”

In addition to discussing the environmental impact of the project, students learned and put into practice the technical skills required: “They were introduced to a few important sewing tools, such as a seam ripper, sewing pins, flexible measuring tape and a tailor’s chalk. Each student chose fabric and started by sewing their name patch, using a decorative stitch of their choice. Next, each student used a running stitch to sew both sides of the bag, and finally the students ironed on a special Velcro tape.”

This school project resonated with Andrew because, as he says, “Plastic is harmful to the environment. It usually ends up in the ocean, which turns into microplastics which plankton eat.” Since he learned about this problem two years ago, he has been taking action in his personal life to reduce plastic, such as remembering to bring reusable bags to the supermarket. Michelle Leung, Andrew’s mother, describes him as “an advocator for recycling and a kid who will dig through our recycle bins to ensure doing the recycling properly. He will absolutely remind us to bring our own mugs to Starbucks.”

Andrew got an idea that the project could turn into something bigger when he heard about the Acton Children’s Business Fair. He wrote a paragraph on why he should be enrolled; his application was accepted and he borrowed his aunt’s sewing machine. He had to think about how many bags to make and what the price should be, so he did “market research” by watching a video of past fairs to see what other items cost. He chose $5 per bag at first, then lowered the price to $4 and then $3 so that he could sell more.

When customers ask why they should buy Andrew’s Earth Bags, he responds, “Plastic bags are only one-time use, and they are not environment-friendly. They also cost you money. If you buy my fabric bag, you don’t have to buy it again and again. They’re also easy to clean.”

Reflecting with pride on her son’s experience, Leung remarks, “I truly think the school and the teachers have done fabulous work to nurture the kids to be empowered to make a difference no matter how small. They can be as creative as they want to be and are given room to create! We thank the class teachers and everyone at the school for their hard work and effort.”

After Andrew earned the Judges’ Choice Award at the Acton Children’s Business Fair, a judge offered to showcase his work at a young artist entrepreneurs exhibit in her store. Earth Bags will be available for purchase at Periwinkle Art and Glassworks in Acton during November and December.

For all coverage requests, please contact Wellan Montessori School Director of Marketing and Communications, Ashley Robinson at ashley.robinson@wellan.org.