Ninety fifth and sixth graders from Provo's Timpanogos Elementary School will be testing their business acumen during the first-of-its-kind mini-business fair at Brigham Young University Friday, April 4, from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on the plaza between the BYU Bookstore and Harold B. Lee Library.
For several weeks, the students have been working in teams of six to select products, determine prices and create posters for marketing. Products and services the students will vend include shoe polishing, break dancing, music CDs, candy-filled eggs, friendship bracelets, date kits (with gum and breath mints), cookies and carnival-type games.
The mini-business fair is the culmination of a mentoring program that paired student volunteers from BYU's Marriott School of Management with elementary school children. Each week since October 2002, the young entrepreneurs have met with their mentors to learn about basic financial principles like saving and interest, play games and receive help on homework.
The goal of the mentoring program is to give elementary school students exposure to a college environment and future educational opportunities. Program planners hope preparing for and participating in the mini-business fair will help the young students understand some very basic financial principles.
Though making money is not the reason for the mini-business activity, any profits will be donated to Timpanogos Elementary.
The Marriott School is located at Brigham Young University, the largest privately owned, church-sponsored university in the United States. The school has nationally recognized programs in accounting, business management, public management, information systems, organizational behavior and entrepreneurship. The school’s mission is to prepare men and women of faith, character and professional ability for positions of leadership throughout the world. Approximately 3,000 students are enrolled in the Marriott School’s graduate and undergraduate programs.
