The Yorkton Regional High School’s Entrepreneurship 30 class is in business. The class was split into two groups for the Junior Achievement program, each putting together a business.
Those businesses were Sprouts! in a Jar and ReCreate.
Karlee Sidoryk is president of Sprouts! in a Jar, and explains that their business sells people everything they need to grow sprouts on their own. That means seeds, drainage mesh, and the jar itself, for a take-home sprout growing kit. The sprouts grow in 3-5 days.
“They’re really healthy, and they can have them on sandwiches, salads, smoothies, any kind of food that they want.”
ReCreate takes old wood, like barnboard and pallets, and turns them into decorative and practical wooden creations, like birdhouses and dog beds, explained ReCreate president Jaden Collins.
“It has a rustic vibe to it.”
The businesses have each student taking on a different roles in the business. The businesses were incorporated in October, with each business starting with a pitch for their idea in a ‘Dragon’s Den” format. Then, students campaign for different roles, create business plans, and produce and sell products.
“We’ve been working on marketing our product, producing our product, and getting people aware of what trade shows we are going to do and where we’re selling,” said Sidoryk.
“We definitely focus a lot on our production since we have to be in the shop. Everybody works hard in production,” said Collins.
Each business had their own challenges. Sprouts! had a rush for production early on, as many of their supplies didn’t arrive until a week before their first trade show, explained Sidoryk. ReCreate has struggled with communication, Collins said, and they have worked to get everyone on the same page and better organized, so they don’t have problems like someone forgetting something important before a trade show.
“That way, no more mistakes are made.”
Each business has ten per cent of their profits go to charity. Sprouts! will see their profits go to The Health Foundation, because they wanted a health food to support health care, explained Sidoryk. ReCreate will see a portion of their profits go to Brayden Ottenbreit’s Close Cuts for Cancer, and Collins said their goal was to pick a local charity to support.
Sidoryk and Collins say they have both learned the challenges and rewards of being a leader, and how they can’t do these projects on their own.
Sidoryk hopes to own her own business in the future, so she believes that the class is going to be very important to her future. Collins agrees, having been accepted into business school, he wants to run his own business in the future.
“Since Grade 9 I’ve wanted to take this class and see what business really wants. It has really helped me out in seeing what I want to do in business in the future.”
Teacher Kristine Tether said she’s proud of how the teams came together over the course of the year. Since she is supposed to be a mentor she admits that it can be difficult to stay hands off sometimes, but that’s part of the learning experience.
“It’s on them, it’s their companies, it’s what they choose to put into it.”
Sales are ongoing, which sales going until Christmas. After the Christmas break, the companies will be liquidated and students will prepare their final shareholders report.
Tether would like to thank Yorkton’s business community for their support of the project. Chamber of Commerce executive director Juanita Polegi, Leanne Woodhouse and Jasmine Drager from SaskTel and the people from LR Futures.
“It’s really nice to get the business community on board, because education and business doesn’t always go hand in hand, so it’s nice.”
ReCreate was sponsored by Cornerstone Fabricating, Sprouts! was sponsored by Double D Fencing, D & W Plumbing, and D’s Signs and Designs. Tether said the sponsors are important because they only have $20 per person.
“$160 doesn’t get you very far,” said Tether.
Sprouts! will be at local trade shows like the ReFresh Spa’s annual shopping party on Dec. 7, a wreath-making fundraiser on Dec. 8 at YRHS. ReCreate is busy getting their orders filled for the next week, and working on perfecting their assembly process. They are also looking for trade shows to attend in December.
