Sussex Middle School holds TREP$ market
SUSSEX BOROUGH — Sussex Middle School held its 2nd Annual TREP$ Marketplace on Monday, Dec. 7, from 6-8 p.m. at the Middle School.
Even with a scheduled 6 p.m. start, doors opened at 5:45 p.m. because there were customers already anxiously awaiting their shopping experience.
Shoppers were greeted by parents of our TREP$ participants, who gave them reusable bags supplied by our own Sussex-Wantage Education Association, to carry all of their new found treasures. There were more than 34 tables of items, with about 50 student entrepreneurs.
The program was founded by teachers Pamela DeWaal and Haley Romano of the West Milford School District, and it now marketed to middle school age children. A series of 6 workshops, attended weekly, teach the students the steps to creating their own businesses. Each week has a Powerpoint presentation for the first part of the workshop, focusing on a specific topic like creating a budget and business plan, to defining and describing the differences between publicity and marketing. The workshops also address how to present the product or service, as well as developing communication skills that will ensure success. After the mini-lesson, students are put into groups to participate in a “challenge” that is related to the topic of the day.
The MarketPlace is where students then exhibit and sell their creations or services, and it is a great culminating activity after the five workshop sessions. Following the MarketPlace, the group meets for one last time to evaluate how they did and to see if they met their goals.
From handcrafted dog collars to candles and soaps, ornaments and speakers for iPhones, to snow globes, Mindfullness jars and items created with duct tape, napkin rings and sugar scrubs, there was something for everyone. Handcrafted signs from pallet wood were for sale as well, along with other home decorating items. God’s eye designs, comic books, and even personally designed tee shirts were available for sale. One student will also recreate a picture of your pet from a photo. Jewelry and Worry Dolls were also available to shoppers.