Norman Helgason / Norman@thereflector.com
Young entrepreneurs in Southwest Washington can showcase their creativity and business skills by presenting their ventures at an upcoming local market.
The nonprofit Children’s Entrepreneur Market program provides tables for young people to launch and sell products and establish businesses in local markets across the county. Children between the ages of 5 and 17 will operate booths and sell products they bring or make themselves.
Kara Cadeau, the program’s local market manager, helped kids set up 20 vendor booths during the Home & Garden Ideas Fair in April in Ridgefield. Items sold included 3D printed toys, tie-dyed T-shirts, pressed leather materials, and other crafts.
“You get to see kids really get creative. Their confidence grows. [with] their resilience. It’s just a way for them to learn skills that they can continue into adulthood,” Cadeau said.
The program began in Utah in 2017 and is currently implemented in 25 states. Caddo brings a program to Southwest Washington that provides fun activities for local youth. She said the program teaches children important skills such as critical thinking, money management and problem solving.
“What we have seen so far is that children demand unprecedented attention, especially now that passive consumption of media has become dominant. The Child Entrepreneurship Market provides a family-centered outlet where children can seriously work on these projects to learn lifelong skills,” said Cadeau.
The cost for a child’s first table is $25, which will be reduced to $20 for future events. Children will receive T-shirts and learn the basics of entrepreneurship through the program’s website. Cadeau said the program features about 50 booths at each event.
Upcoming events for Children’s Entrepreneur Market include:
• Yacolt Farm Day: 20902 NE Lucia Falls Road, Yacolt, Saturday, June 1, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• La Center Farmers Market: Friday, June 14th, 4pm to 7pm at 111 E. Fifth St., La Centre
• Woodland Farmers Market: Friday, July 26th, 2:00pm to 7:00pm, 544 Goerig St., Woodland.
• Ridgefield Day of Festival: Saturday, Aug. 3, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., Overlook Park, 113-131 S. Main Ave., Ridgefield.
• Ridgefield 25th Anniversary Birdfest and Bluegrass: Saturday, Oct. 5, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Overlook Park, 113-131 S Main Ave., Ridgefield.
Parents can sign up to volunteer to supervise on the Children’s Entrepreneur Market website. For more information on upcoming events, visit childrensentrepreneurmarket.com/markets/?state=WA.
