Submitted by Linda Smith, Lakewood Chamber of Commerce.
Lemonade Day Lakewood is in the books and from all indications, it was a successful day and our youth had a blast! Makes me wonder if they plan to host a lemonade stand, or start another venture this summer? Maybe they’re brainstorming ideas to improve next year’s lemonade stand.
As we went around town to judge entrants (medals and prizes for Best Tasting and for Best Stand), we were delighted to hear how the kids came up with their booth theme and how they planned to spend their net earnings. Remember, they are encouraged to spend some, save some and give some. I loved conversing with these young entrepreneurs. The majority of them already had a charity in mind to share some (if not all) of their profits. I must admit, I got a bit misty when I listened and learned about their generosity…
I can imagine the conversations in homes throughout the community when an enthusiastic child asks for help to sign up for the app – and to set up a lemonade stand. Parents might think of it as a hassle. As the City Director of Lemonade Day, I see it as an opportunity. Not just to learn about and earn money ~ but to provide an educational experience that instills self-belief and teaches important life and character-building skills – all having a lasting impact on a young person’s life.
It’s important to give our kids a chance to dream and try their hand at a small business venture. Many of today’s successful entrepreneurs had their own youth entrepreneurship journey.
Early entrepreneurship education in children has shown to increase their motivation to work harder in school, give them a positive way to channel their talents, provide them with a stronger sense of community and learn the importance of financial independence. This program builds self-esteem and new mindsets that can propel youth to success they likely would not have pursued otherwise.
Parents, teachers and mentors involved in Lemonade Day watch a wonderful shift happen in a child who wanted a simple lemonade stand and became a full-fledged business owner! A lemonade stand becomes the vehicle to education, skills and character building. What we are teaching kids plays a critical role in both the education and business ecosystems.
We want every child to be prepared for life. Visit https://lemonadeday.org/lakewood and “like” our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Lakewood-Lemonade-Day-108193474040612 for more information on how we can continue to bring entrepreneurship into our community.
I would be remiss if I didn’t thank our sponsoring businesses: AA Meats, Columbia Bank, Umpqua Bank, Heritage Bank, Symmetry Financial Group and Hong’s Restaurant who helped make Lemonade Day Lakewood 2022 possible. We thank the numerous businesses who were kind enough to offer up their storefronts for the kids to have a safe business location to set up shop. We thank Clover Park School District, principal Warrick, the 4th grade teachers at IdIewild Elementary and their PTA for bringing Lemonade Day Lakewood into their classrooms. And we thank the individual parents who learned about Lemonade Day through traditional and social media posts and encouraged their children to learn from the app and follow through with their own lemonade stands. Your support and coaching are invaluable to the Lemonade Day experience.
It’s not too late to think about supporting next year’s Lemonade Day Lakewood. If you have a business, we need financial sponsors. If you’re a teacher, youth leader or parent, please consider getting your children involved. The Lakewood Chamber of Commerce believes in this program. And we believe in the unleashed potential it can bring about in the lives of our children.
