Paxton Long, a Newberry Academy student, will be participating in Lemonade Day.
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Benjamin Devette, and his family, during Loan Day.
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Lucas Banks and Sally Simmons are two Newberry County youths participating in Lemonade Day.
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Lemmy with two Lemonade Day participants.
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NEWBERRY — Venture Carolina, a nonprofit dedicated to bridging the funding gap between investors and entrepreneurs, is bringing a one-of-a-kind experience to young people in South Carolina.
On May 6, 2022, from 4:30-7:30 p.m., downtown Newberry will serve as the hub for Lemonade Day, a well-established global national youth entrepreneurship program that teaches leadership and business skills by encouraging children to launch a lemonade business in their community. More than 30 young people are registered to take part in this inaugural event.
“We could not be more excited to bring Lemonade Day to South Carolina,” said Venture Carolina Executive Director Charlie Banks. “Youth entrepreneurship is gaining momentum around the country and we’re proud to take a proactive step to introduce kids to the idea that being an entrepreneur is a great career path. In fact, studies have proven that introducing kids to entrepreneurial experiences at an early age makes a measurable impact on their future decisions related to education, training, life, and work.”
Mentors and parents are currently working with the kids to develop their business plans. This is done through an engaging and fun app that walks them through the steps of creating a successful business, such as planning, budgeting, and managing inventory. All of their hard work will culminate on the afternoon of May 6 as downtown will be lined with creative lemonade stands. In addition to generating real income, the young people compete for awards such as Best Tasting Lemonade and Best Lemonade Stand. Participants will also report their business results to Lemonade Day officials for the chance to earn the title of Entrepreneur of the Year.
City Director for Lemonade Day South Carolina, Alene Willingham, says it has taken all facets of the community to make the event successful.
“We have engaged community leaders, financial institutions, local businesses, and non-profit organizations who are already demonstrating their commitment to helping kids learn valuable lessons that will benefit them for a lifetime,” said Willingham. “We chose the Newberry community as the location for this inaugural year because we know the City of Friendly Folks will rally behind these young people.”
The impact of a program like Lemonade Day is four-fold as it:
• Teaches financial literacy to kids, something that is mostly absent in school curriculum.
• Promotes entrepreneurship, which is key to economic growth in the state.
• Teaches kids to be responsible and self-reliant.
• Fosters mentorship and brings families together.
Paxton Long, a kindergartener at Newberry Academy, is one of the participants who is working hard on his business.
“It’s a secret family recipe that everyone will love,” he said.
While he won’t divulge the secrets of his lemonade, it will be for sale, along with many others, on May 6.
Registration is closed for this year, but young people in South Carolina can expect the event to return annually. Lemonade Day South Carolina and its organizer, Venture Carolina, would like to thank the following sponsors for making this year’s event possible: 1000 Feathers; Bowers and Floyd; Chapin Pediatrics; Laila’s Place; Mill and Crate; Nutrien; Pope Parker Jenkins; Stokes Trainor; and VentureSouth.
For more information, visit www.venturecarolina.org/lemonadeday.