The centre of Pleasant Corners Public School (PCPS) was again transformed into a busy marketplace for the fourth annual Kidpreneurship Business Fair on Thursday, June 18.

The school was open to welcome families, friends, and community members for an evening filled with creativity, entrepreneurship, and fun. Over the past several months, grade five and six students have worked hard to develop their own businesses from the ground up, learning valuable skills in planning, budgeting, marketing, problem-solving, and teamwork along the way.

Visitors enjoyed a wide variety of student-run businesses. There was a strong focus on fun food and treats, but there were also activities including mini golf, face painting, photo opportunities, and more.

While the fair is a celebration of student learning, it is also an opportunity to give back. This year’s event raised funds in support of Jenny’s Breakfast Program, which helps ensure that students at PCPS have access to healthy snacks throughout the school year. Jenny’s Breakfast Program is run by Jennifer Stone, a longtime Educational Assistant at the school.

“At PCPS, we believe that some of the biggest ideas come from the youngest minds,” said Jennifer Anderson, the teacher who coordinates the Kidpreneurship program and Business Fair.  

Anderson said 80 students were involved in this year’s event.  She said one group from the previous school year asked to return as Grade 7 and 8 students to promote their birthday catering business which took off after last year’s Business Fair.

“This particular party-planning-entertainment team creates animal balloons, face painting and friendship bracelets for events and has even booked an event for this summer already,” Anderson said.

All of the students began preparing in March for this year’s Business Fair.

New products this year included soft serve ice cream, tanghulu, homemade freezies, soft-baked pretzels and unique services such as an exotic pet information session and photo opportunity.

During the preparation and planning process, a new addition this year was a collaboration with Vankleek Hill Collegiate Institute (VCI) Business students. The VCI mentors visited with the Grade 5 and 6 Kidpreneurs on three separate occasions to help with concept development, advertising and set up.

“Ideas are completely student generated and they do get the choice whether they would like to sell drink items, savoury or sweet snacks or offer a particular product or service,” Anderson explained.

One of the businesses this year was the Spas Sisters who were mentored by Tara MacWhirter the owner of Garden Path Homemade Soap.

“Tara assisted the girls in how to make homemade soap and sugar scrubs for their product and after several weeks of tutelage, the girls developed a completely natural, homemade product ready to sell at the event,” Anderson said.

Photos: Andrea Belcham