Students show business skills

PLAINFIELD -- Indian Trail Middle School students created and ran a Business Fair as part of last month's parent-teacher conferences, and part of a project to successfully run their own small businesses.

One hundred five sixth-grade students on Team B participated in the special event. The students were assigned to create a project to sell, which could include anything from snacks to arts and crafts, decorations and games.

Most students chose to hand-make items to sell with the help of relatives, teacher Jennifer Prokop said.

They sold handmade toys, jewelry, tote bags, paintings, jewelry boxes, bath soaps, picture frames, key chains, bookmarks, beanbags, pillows, T-shirts and pens. Other students sold lessons to play the guitar, speak Spanish and even play basketball.

The project spanned the curriculum. In science, the students learned and applied physical and chemical properties to the items they would sell.

In math, they determined the production costs and the sale price of their item. In language arts, students learned about advertising by making posters and business cards for their companies. And in social studies, the students organized and mapped out the fair.

Numerous items sold out on both days, but homemade food was the most popular with the shoppers, Prokop said. Students sold cookies, cupcakes, brownies and cakes.

After two days of conferences, the students made $560.

"The business fair allowed the students to showcase their different talents," Prokop said. "It was a full learning experience for the students."