Elmont Elementary Schoolers Free Market To The Phys Ed Floor

ELMONT, NY — As stock tickers rallied and flagged throughout the spring, a group of Stewart Manor School fifth graders were getting involved in the business world in their own way, taking part in a months-long entrepreneurship program that culminated on June 11 in what the school district has dubbed “market day.”

The entrepreneurial efforts began in April, with students creating handmade products like stickers, keychains, plushies, stress balls and puppets, drafting up a reason they believed their product might appeal to customers.

Once the product existed in concept, students had to calculate production costs, figure out their pricing model and develop budgets to make it exist in reality. District officials said each student was tasked with creating at least 20 of their handmade products, tracking expenses and possible profits at a per-unit basis.

While students had leeway to come up with their product, some of the costs of bringing it to market — mimicking the real life costs businesses pay every day — were non-negotiable. Things like “purchasing” a table space for market day, securing a business license, creating a commercial and buying supplies were all mandatory, district officials said.

So, where did the entrepreneurs sell their wares? Market Day, a rotating exercise that allowed students to act as both business owners and shoppers, keeping stock of their stores, organizing products and handling transactions.

While the student businesses have yet to appear on Shark Tank, district officials said the exercise was an important way to teach students about economics while allowing some room for creativity.