The North Webster Kids Business Fair took place Saturday, March 16. The event allows kids to practice both business sense and creativity by imagining and setting up their own business. Pictured is Caleb Wilson, who was given an award for Most Originality in the Grades 3-5 category with his 3-D printed products, including some dragon and axolotl figures.

Text and Photos
By Lilli Dwyer
InkFree News

NORTH WEBSTER — Doors to the North Webster Community Center Kids Business Fair opened at 10 a.m. sharp. Within the first half hour, NWCC Director Emily Shipley said, all 100 free shopping bags were gone.

The Saturday, March 16, event saw a substantial turnout, with the center’s gym full of shoppers from around the community ready to support their young entrepreneurs.

Mike Kissinger started this event 17 years ago and has seen it continue to grow since then.

“We started out with 12 (kids) and last year we had 107,” he recalled. This year, the event was scaled down to 90 kids, with 70 businesses between them. “Some of the kids were kind of getting lost in such big crowds. We’ve tried to keep it in one area.”

Kissinger stated he was motivated to start an event like this because, “It’s never too early to teach kids the value of money. Obviously, there’s more to life than money but I think it’s valuable for them to get it at an early age. … I’d rather them make business mistakes now than when they’re adults. Some of them learn a valuable lesson; they have this great idea of what they want to sell, but well, not many people want to buy that. So they learn you’ve got to have a product people actually want to buy.”

While the participants are allowed to get help with making their products and setting up, decisions are ultimately up to them.

“I want it to be a family thing. Kids are in charge, they’re the CEO. They certainly can use their parents, their grandparents or brothers and sisters as business partners, but they’re the CEO,” Kissinger explained.

Kids have an opportunity to flex their creativity when deciding what kind of good or service they want to offer.

“You see all kinds of stuff in there, and there is no limit. I told them, ‘I’m not gonna turn you down for anything. You come up with a business idea, try it.’ It runs the whole gambit,” Kissinger said.

Indeed, handmade pencil cases and baked goods shared space in the gym with 3D-printed animals and home-tapped maple syrup. In past years, kids have also offered their services as musicians, with shoppers being able to book them to sing or play piano at family events or nursing homes.

“I think one day someone is going to try to have a petting zoo in there,” Kissinger said with a laugh.

Along with a lesson in business sense, kids can gain a sense of empowerment from taking charge of their business.

“I see such a difference in their confidence,” Kissinger said.

Charitable donations are encouraged at the Kids Business Fair, but not required. Many kids chose to give a portion of their proceeds back to the community. Several booths could be spotted with collection containers for Riley Children’s Hospital or the local animal shelter.

At the end of the event, winners were chosen in three categories: Most Business Potential, Best Presentation, and Most Originality, with at least one winner in each grade range.

This year’s winners are as follows:

Most Business Potential

• K-2 Grade: Mila Collier

• 3-5 Grade: Graysen Shipley

• 3-5 Grade: Payton Schreen

• 3-5 Grade: Ryan Lafollette

• 6-8 Grade: Lilly Howard

• 6-8 Grade: Carter Edgar

• 6-8 Grade: Emily Stookey and Kara Owens

Best Presentation

• K-2: Evora Pressler

• 3-5: Lillian Walker

• 3-5: Kennadee Brock

• 3-5: Jasmine Privett

• 6-8: Lydia Plikerd, Katelyn Plikerd and Clarie Jagger

• 6-8: Addison Barger

• 6-8: Moriah Carr

Most Originality

• K-2: Adalynn Shock

• 3-5: Caleb Wilson

• 3-5: Brie Tusing

• 3-5: Zachariah Carr

• 6-8: Merrilee Denney

• 6-8: Zephr Louee

• 6-8: Quin Dawson

Additionally, the Don Minear Memorial Award was given to Adam and Amelia Wallach.