Future Entrepreneurs Show Their Business Know-How

Better than a day at the mall, Cedar Hill School's all-purpose room became a marketplace on Saturday afternoon as students opened their own "shops" to the public. Fourth and fifth graders had each developed a business plan from start to finish at an after-school program called TREP$. 

"We began the TREP$ program last year through a grant from the MEF," said Mary Sue Russinow, committee chairperson. "It's our second year running it at Cedar Hill. It’s all run by parent volunteers."

"The program was founded by two moms in New Jersey who saw a need to teach kids about entrepreneurs," Russinow said. "It consists of five workshops the kids can sign up for, where they learn about advertising, budgeting, what sells, how to greet customers–things not taught in school. 

"It’s creative. They had to come up with the idea for their business and how to fund it–take a loan, advertise, whatever." 

Sixty kids participated this year. Children had the option of going into business independently or with a partner. There were 40 booths, complete with products and services, advertising, pricing, specials, and shipping. 

"Everyone who signed up came through. This is the culmination, called the Marketplace," Russinow said. "Next week, a follow-up workshop will be held where the kids will talk about what they liked and didn’t like about the market.

"Parents said the kids had fun and did get the benefit."