WOODCLIFF LAKE, N.J.—Games, plants, s’mores pizza kits, custom jewelry and Woodcliff Lake spirit wear were among the items that appealed to shoppers of all ages at the TREP$ Marketplace, held April 28 at the Woodcliff Middle School gym.
The TREP$ Marketplace is a unique flea market-style event in which all vendors are children ages 12 to 14. Over the past 10 weeks, 55 local middle school students participated in the award-winning TREP$ program, learning the basics of entrepreneurship before putting their lessons to the test by launching their own businesses for the night.
Originally sponsored by the Woodcliff Lake Education Foundation, the initiative is designed to inspire young people to think creatively and put their ideas into action by creating a new business.
Stanford-educated Ted Dintersmith, an education philanthropist, co-author of “Most Likely to Succeed: Preparing Our Kids for the Innovation Age” and producer of the documentary “Most Likely to Succeed,” has argued that the U.S. education system should be reimagined around cross-disciplinary, project-based learning that gives students freedom to develop core competencies.
English teacher Michael Kaplan, facilitator of the Woodcliff Lake program, told Pascack Press, “I am impressed with the creativity that our students possess! There were some unique items for sale for the general public and school community. It was a wonderful opportunity for children to purchase original products and gift before Mother’s Day.”
This was the seventh TREP$ event Kaplan has brought to the Woodcliff Lake community.
Kaplan told us that forward-thinking educators have chosen to offer students true project-based learning experiences, like TREP$, that help children build communication skills, practice informed decision-making, use creativity and problem-solving, and strengthen their understanding of money.
“Part of the beauty of TREP$ is that the kids are so engaged in starting their businesses, they don’t even realize the lessons they are learning,” said Hayley Romano, co-founder of TREP$. “Regardless of the career path each chooses, the ability to think like an entrepreneur will serve them well.”
Members of the school community engaged with young entrepreneurs, heard their sales pitches and checked out the products they made. Those who attended enjoyed a unique shopping event and met some of tomorrow’s business leaders.
— School submission