Wiliams/Ledger 5th graders learn entrepreneur skills with lemonade stands
By PAMELA GRANT
Cove Leader-Press
The outstanding Williams/Ledgers students had a hoot at this year’s Lemonade Day where the 5th grade students were able to create and sell their lemonade for Hoot Loot (school “money” earned by the students) while they competed to see which team had the best product.
Wednesday afternoon, three teams of J.L. Williams/Lovett Ledger Elementary 5th grade students competed in an open market scenario in which the children from the school’s Kindergarten through 4th grade classes were able to spend their Hoot Loot to purchase lemonade and help pick which group they thought was best.
In addition, special guest judges were present to include Mayor Bradi Diaz, City Council member Marc Payne, Miss Five Hills Emerald Bentley, and Ms. Five Hills Lorianne Luciano. These guest judges voted for winners of three categories, Best Tasting Lemonade, Fastest Service, and Best Salesmanship/Best Presentation.
School principal Marla Sullivan said that the 5th graders have been preparing for the event since April. She said that the Lemonade Day teaches the students several skills including building financial literacy, learning how to sell and market their product, and how to deal with the chaos of serving customers.
“That hustle and bustle is a real thing,” said Sullivan.
Sullivan said that after all the testing that comes with the end of the year, it’s good for the students to get to do something fun and to be able to de-stress.
“I love helping people and giving them something,” said Joseph Diaz (12) from Team English, Language Arts, and Reading (ELR) whose favorite part was getting to serve the lemonade. “It was one of my best days that I probably will never forget.”
His team made the choice to offer normal cups or decorated cups (which the team members drew various designs upon), offering both pink and orange varieties, and offering a free Dum Dum with purchase of lemonade while supplies lasted.
“I always like to support anything the kids are doing,” said Mayor Diaz who added that this event was her first since swearing in as mayor and that she was glad it was something so good for the kids. “It’s teaching kids about economics, it’s teaching kids about money, and they’re doing something fun while learning all of that. I think Lemonade Day is an amazing program for fostering all of those things.”
She said that she liked to see how the students were able to be creative and what each team did to make themselves stand out. She said that she was especially impressed with Team ELR’s presentation in decorating their cups and making their product stand out.
Winners of the competition, voted on by the guest judges were as follows:
Team Science led by teachers, Mr. Baney and Mrs. Raysor, won Best Tasting Lemonade. Team Math led by teachers, Mrs. Stickler and Mrs. Carpenter won the award for Fastest Service. Team ELR led by Mrs. Jefferson and Mrs. Blackburn won the award for Best Salesmanship/Best Presentation.
Each of the winners received a coupon for a free meal from Raising Cane’s.