Each morning before school, they open the door and wait for the rush.
Fourth-graders at Webb Elementary School sell their classmates pencils, folders, ear buds and other school supplies they need to get through the school day.
They count out change for kindergarten students, who occasionally try to pay with fake money.
High-ability fourth-graders have taken over the school’s bookstore. Each day, they open the doors, sell school supplies to their peers and get lessons in real-life situations.
Principal Cheryl Moran had the idea to make the book store a fundraiser for the school’s PTO.
PTO organizers do the ordering and decide what should be stocked, with the suggestions of the students running the book store. Students are in charge of taking and counting the money, helping other students when the store is open and returning the keys and the day’s money to the school secretary.
Having students run the bookstore allows the school to get rid of smaller fundraisers and gives fourth grade students a life lesson outside the classroom, Moran said.
“Collectively, we don’t want to do fundraisers that aren’t purposeful,” she said. “The kids are capable of this without a lot of supervision.”
Part of having students run the bookstore is allowing them to get lessons and peer-to-peer interaction that might fit real-world scenarios, Moran said.
“It just empowers them to be leaders in the building,” she said.
Overall since the bookstore fundraiser has started, students have made about $400 in profit for the PTO. That money goes back into their classrooms for parties and teacher appreciation.
“Since it is helping the PTO, it is helping us earn money,” said Maggie Eickhoff, a fourth grade student.
And students are getting lessons along with the money that is filtered back into their education, Moran said.
“They are very resourceful, they just do it on their own,” Moran said.
For example, they deal with kindergarten students who may not have enough money to get what they want or try to hand them fake classroom bucks or money from a board game. And students have access to items and places that most students in the school don’t. The office of their bookstore shares room with teachers’ supplies and the power switch to the entire school.
“I learn how to actually be responsible,” said Edgar Tisdale, a fourth-grader.
Older students waiting in line help kindergarten students count out their money and tell them what they can purchase with the amount of money they have.
“Kids are starting to get the meaning of money,” Moran said.
