Market day is a three day event out of the semester in which youth entrepreneurship students learn about what it takes to make a business. The class gets into groups and tries to sell to the student body enough food to make a profit during the lunch periods.

Murray Moore is the teacher of the youth entrepreneurship class at Topeka High.

“It allows kids to run a business a day” said Moore.

The students experience all the pressures of running and planning a business. They learn how important the numbers are.

Moore said, “We have got 8 foundational values and 10 guiding principles. We encourage ownership and to step outside of their comfort zone and experiment. There are 42 programs similar to our in Kansas and 82 in the region surrounding Kansas.”

The program partners with high schools who are at an economic disadvantage. It is based off of free and reduced lunch. “They try to create opportunities for the kids to connect with our community,” said Moore.

A stand run by Angel Elliott, Junior, Starlette Blanshan, senior, and Brayan Ortega, senior, has had extreme success. Their stand is called Abuelitas Corner – “De Familia a Familia” – and their primary product are burritos.

Brayan Ortega said, “It’s a day that shows our ability to run a business and make money.” The programs has the students create a production log, pitch to a group of investors, and pay back loans. The students borrow from a group of investors and then go to Sam’s Club to buy the product in bulk.

Starlette Blanshan said  “The groups are determined by individuals who had the same ideas that aligned and had the same work ethic.”

Their product, burritos, are  made from an authentic family recipe that dates back centuries. Blanshan said “We got a loan of 242$, we have already started making profit. We make 80$ an hour.”

The stand flavor town, run by Madison Jacques, sophomore, Riley Mercer, sophomore, and Jose Gallegos, senior, was very busy during the lunch hour.

“We are selling BBQ turkey sandwiches and chili,” said Jacques. “My favorite part is getting to put it together, it is a fun experience and I like working with numbers.”