This year's theme for the Clover Park School District calendar is “Imagine.” Students approach everything they do without limitations, knowing they can achieve any goal they have for their future.
Last May, fourth graders at Custer and Idlewild elementary schools participated in Lemonade Day. This national movement takes place annually and is a unique way for young students to experience entrepreneurship.
Idlewild students worked with the Lakewood Chamber of Commerce to set up shop in front of different locations and small businesses throughout the city. Raul Martinez Hale, Ty Ockfen and Braeden Oubre worked as a team to run the “4th Grade Falcons” stand in front of Harry Todd Park. Their photo with Superintendent Ron Banner and the “lemon head” event mascot, also known as Principal Sheri Warrick, was selected as the May calendar photo.
Raul, Ty and Braeden learned about teamwork and small business ownership by building their lemonade stand from scratch. “We learned a lot when we built the stand because there were a lot of pieces, so we had to work together,” Martinez Hale said.
In this experimental program, students brand and operate their very own lemonade stand business. They learn marketing and calculating skills that are applicable to business ownership, marketing and future job opportunities. “We knew we would learn more about handling money, but we also learned how to get people to come to our booth by talking to them and using signs and T-shirts,” Ockfen said.
This year, Lemonade Day will be held on Saturday, June 3 at different locations throughout the city from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Community members can stop by to support a new group of students as they become entrepreneurs for the day.
“I learned a lot about teamwork working with Ty and Raul,” Oubre said. “I didn’t think we’d have as much fun as we did practicing our math and business skills, but it was great. I think other kids should do it if they can.”