Amanda Pevey
Elmore Autauga News
Young entrepreneurs are preparing to open their doors to the community, as gifted students from Millbrook Middle School and Airport Road Intermediate School turn months of creativity, problem-solving, and determination into real businesses for the upcoming Student Entrepreneur Market Day.
This year, students didn’t just learn about business, they lived it. From brainstorming product ideas to designing logos and branding, each student built a small business from the ground up. Their work will be on full display during Student Entrepreneur Market Day, set for May 6 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at 17 Springs, where community members are invited to shop and support these young creators.
“To support this work, our classroom was transformed into a flexible, workshop-style space,” said Sarah Porter, gifted specialist at Millbrook Middle School. “Students could work in ways that fit their projects. Some needed outdoor areas for ventilation while making items like resin crafts, hydro-dipped products, or all-natural bug spray. Others worked indoors using heat presses, sublimation tools, or digital design programs to create candles, bath products, jewelry, tote bags, aprons, mouse pads, and 3D-designed games. At any given moment, the room reflected the diversity of their businesses and the authenticity of the experience.”
Beyond production, students stepped into the role of business owners, setting prices, developing marketing strategies, and planning how to present their brands. A partnership with local business Tees by Taylor helped bring their logos to life on shirts, while a small business scavenger hunt through downtown Prattville gave students a firsthand look at how local entrepreneurs operate.
Students say the experience has been both challenging and rewarding.
“I am most excited about seeing all the people at Market Day willing to buy our products we have worked so hard on,” said Evelyne Frith.
“I loved being able to choose what product I made and designing my logo in Canva,” said Evelyn Smith.
“I am excited for Market Day because we have worked so hard to make everything,” said Tommy Brown. “The final stage of putting my product together has been the most challenging for me. The ideas and design was easy for me.”
“I liked making mistakes so I could learn from them and do better next time,” said Summer Jackson.
“Making my products and designing my logo were my favorite parts of building my business,” said Mia Smart.
“I’m most excited about earning money and selling a product people will actually use,” said Liam Harris.
The process hasn’t been without obstacles, but those challenges have been part of the lesson. Students revised designs, reworked products, and learned persistence, gaining confidence along the way as they prepared to launch something entirely their own.
“The Student Entrepreneur Market Day is a celebration of all their hard work,” said Porter. “It gives students real-world experience with customers, a chance to see their efforts pay off, and the opportunity to use the money they earn to plan an end-of-year celebration honoring their businesses and everything they’ve accomplished.”
At Airport Road Intermediate School, students followed a similar path, embracing both creativity and critical thinking throughout the process.
“This year, our students have worked really hard to not just learn about entrepreneurship but actually create their very own businesses,” said Zoie Frasier, gifted specialist at ARIS. “They’ve done everything from create business plans, to designing logos, to actually manufacturing all of their products to sell. They have worked so hard and done a lot of creative problems solving to get their business up and running for Market Day. We are really excited about Market Day because it gives the students a chance to run their business in a real setting. They will be running their own booths, selling the products they created themselves, and interacting with actual customers.”
Students echoed that excitement.
“The thing I like most about this year is that I get to be really creative,” said Rhian.
“I am most excited about interacting and connecting with people at Market Day,” said John.
The Student Entrepreneur Market Day will accept cash only, and smaller bills are encouraged.
As the event approaches, these young business owners are preparing not just to sell products, but to share their ideas, creativity, and hard-earned lessons with the community, inviting neighbors to be part of a marketplace built on imagination, resilience, and the promise of what’s possible when students are given the chance to lead.
