WARWICK — Tote bags, jewelry, freeze-dried candy and candles will be among the products showcased at the 35 booths at the third annual Warwick Children’s Business Fair.
To be held at Warwick Community School on Saturday, April 18, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., the event encourages students to develop and introduce to the public a startup business entirely on their own. Participating children are coming from as far away as Enfield Connecticut, and range in age from 7 to 16 years old.
“I just like to see these kids thrive,” said Amber Holloway, the event coordinator. “They open up, they get confident, they’re making friends with kids they might not know already, they’re talking to the public and building their social skills, and they are making money, which is awesome.”
Holloway was inspired to launch the Warwick Children’s Business Fair following the cancellation of a similar event that her child was supposed to participate in. She is the sole organizer, though additional volunteers help out on the day of the event. Last year’s fair attracted more than 200 attendees, and Holloway’s goal is to grow the number of shoppers.
River Gammon-Rainville, 11, has been 3-D printing for about three years, and has participated in the previous two business fairs. He makes toys and jars with lids that help trap flies, and enjoys making designs that involve “anything with cats.”
“I design pretty much all of my stuff,” he explained. “My dad helps me with a lot of it, but slowly I do more and more stuff myself.”
River highlighted the other booths at the fair, such as his friends who are selling jewelry and plants.
Myndi Ellwood’s children have likewise participated in the fair for the past two years. This year, her daughter Mallory is running a booth called “Mold to Magic,” where she makes candle holders, pens, jewelry trays and bookmarks out of resin.
Mallory’s favorite part of the fair is creating the products ahead of time, explaining that she likes to craft them by herself.
Holloway echoed the importance of students running the booths completely on their own. While she stated that “parents can help in small ways,” it is up to each of the children to create their business model, fill out the application and decide how to price their products.
“They learn so much. Building a business anyway, regardless if it’s for the fair or not, you’re learning so much math and critical thinking and people skills, and building your confidence,” she said. “I love to see the kids flourish in that way.”
After Saturday’s fair concludes at 2 p.m., there will be an awards ceremony with prizes distributed by Holloway. Providing some examples, Holloway said awards will recognize participants for Most Business Potential, Best Business Fair Application, Best Customer Service, and Best Branding and Packaging.
“I really love to see how excited the kids get, and I love to see the community come out and support them,” she said. “Some of these kids are super shy and quiet, but when they’re talking about the products that they made, and the things they love, they just come out of their shells and they thrive.”
