By Kristine Thomas
Grace Hawkins didn’t believe it was possible for one person to change the world when she began her International Studies class at Butte Creek Elementary School this spring.
An eighth-grade student, Hawkins’ perspective shifted as she researched social entrepreneurs “who were working to create social change.” From her teacher Garron Lamoreau, she learned about Mano Amiga, an organization working with homeless, orphaned and abused children in Ecuador.
“All the things I was learning made me realize there were many people hurting out there and even helping one person helps change the world,” she said.
Hawkins and her fellow students are eager to put into practice what they learned about being social entrepreneurs.
Butte Creek Giving Fair
Thursday, May 27, 5-8 p.m.
37569 S. Highway 213
Tickets: $1 in advance, $2 at the door.
Available at the school, Silverton Coffee Station
and Almquist Studios. Proceeds benefit Mano Amiga,
an organization helping homeless, orphaned and
abused children in Ecuador.
www.mingainternational.org
The students are inviting the public to the inaugural Butte Creek Giving Fair Thursday, May 27, 5-8 p.m.
Lamoreau said his students have created about 20 businesses. Some students will sell handmade items such as bracelets while others will sell homemade food, including authentic Russian dishes. Students also will provide games such as a putt-putt challenge, cake walk and bean-bag bocce. Lamoreau taught his students how to create a business, including writing and implementing a plan. Students were asked to create expense reports, detailing what they bought for their business and how they paid for it. The profits made from each business will be donated to Mano Amiga.
Students also connected with business partners who will match their proceeds. Business partners include Kraemer Farms, Figaro’s Pizza, Roth’s Family Market, The Oregon Garden, Markum Inn, Silverton Dance Studio, Rava Christmas Tree Farm and Silverton Coffee Station.
Hawkins partnered with Almquist Studios. She plans to have a photo booth where people can dress up and have their photo taken against a background. She’s considering charging $2.50 a photo.
“I want to make a profit,” she said, adding a “profit is after you paid yourself back for the supplies you bought, a profit is what you have made.”
Sixth-graders Domnika Reutov and Rosie Konovalov are selling homemade cheesecakes and coconut cream pies.
“We think it’s cool that kids our age can do something to help,” Reutov said. “We want to raise a lot of money to help the kids in Ecuador.”
Brandi Teeney, an eighth-grader, is working with her business partner, Figaro’s Pizza, to sell pizza slices.
“Helping others makes me feel good,” Teeney said. “This class has taught me there are people in the world suffering and we can do something to help them out.”
Robbie Thagon, an eighth-grader, is selling four varieties of ice cream and Kara Atay is making bracelets. Noah Franks is offering miniature golf.
Sixth-graders Tanya Nikiforoff and Neonella Egoroff are creating Russian food with recipes that have been handed down “generation to generation.”
Seventh-grader Noah Clemmons invites guests to try his Bean Bag Bocce Toss where he is charging 25 cents for one toss or $1 for five tosses.
“I like starting a business and being able to help others,” he said. “We have a lot so it’s good to give back.”
Lamoreau said he hopes his students learn to make a difference in the world doesn’t mean they have to solve the entire problem.
“Everybody can change the world even if they do a little,” he said. “Raising money to help an organization can make a difference.”
