At Eagle’s Nest Christian School, the Gr 7 learners are proving that you’re never too young to step into the world of business and entrepreneurship. Last Friday, the school held its annual Entrepreneurship Day, a highlight in the calendar that gives students hands-on experience in creating, marketing, and selling their own products.
This year’s event was a vibrant showcase of innovation and creativity as students turned their ideas into profits, learning invaluable business skills along the way. But this wasn’t just about selling products; it was an exercise in real-world learning. Through crafting business plans, managing budgets, and marketing their products, learners walked away with a deeper understanding of entrepreneurship—lessons they’ll carry with them into the future.
Why Eagle’s Nest Prioritises Entrepreneurship
According to Bertie de Lange, principal of Eagle’s Nest Christian Primary School, this Entrepreneurship Day is an integral part of the school’s economic and management sciences curriculum. The event serves as more than just a day of fun and selling; it’s a core activity that aims to teach responsibility, stewardship, and the foundational skills of business management.
“From writing business plans to calculating budgets and marketing strategies, this event offers students practical, hands-on experience,” says De Lange. “It’s about more than just making money. It’s about understanding the value of resources, the importance of wise spending, and learning how to think critically as an entrepreneur.”
How Grade 7 Learners Develop Their Business Skills
The process of preparing for Entrepreneurship Day begins well in advance. Grade 7 learners work in groups or individually to come up with product ideas, and many of these ideas start at home. Whether they’re crafting unique items from scratch or sourcing products to resell, the students go through the entire business process, from concept to execution.
Some key skills the learners develop include:
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Business Planning: Each student writes a simple business plan that outlines what they will sell, who their target market is, and how they plan to price their product. This encourages them to think strategically about profitability and customer demand.
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Budgeting: Learners must manage a budget for their product creation or sourcing. This includes the cost of materials or purchasing items for resale, ensuring they understand the concept of cost vs. revenue.
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Marketing: Once their products are ready, the next challenge is marketing. Learners create posters, flyers, and even use social media to spread the word about their offerings. The ability to market effectively is a skill that will serve them in any future business endeavour.
The Big Day: Entrepreneurship in Action
When Entrepreneurship Day finally arrives, the school is transformed into a bustling marketplace. Students set up their stalls, ready to sell their products to eager customers, including fellow learners, teachers, and even parents.
The event is a flurry of activity, with stalls featuring a range of products from homemade crafts to pre-purchased goods. Some learners create handmade jewellery, baked goods, or DIY crafts, while others sell resold items like toys, stationery, or snacks. Each stall showcases the learner’s unique take on entrepreneurship.
One standout stall featured a team of students who turned recyclable materials into attractive household decor, demonstrating sustainability and creativity. This not only drew attention but also taught a valuable lesson in using resources wisely.
For most learners, this is their first real taste of running a business, and it’s not without its challenges. Some students experience the difficulty of pricing their items correctly, while others learn about the competitive nature of sales. But every challenge is a learning opportunity.
The Importance of Learning Through Experience
By participating in Entrepreneurship Day, learners gain a much more profound understanding of what it takes to run a successful business. They face real-world challenges, make on-the-spot decisions, and have to engage with customers in a way that goes far beyond classroom learning.
This event serves as a stepping stone for their future endeavours in business management and resource stewardship. The students are not only learning to be entrepreneurs but also developing skills that will benefit them in whatever career paths they choose to pursue.
As De Lange proudly shared: “We’re incredibly proud of our learners. Their hard work, dedication, and entrepreneurial spirit have been amazing to watch. This event is an important milestone in their development and will undoubtedly serve them well in the future.”
Supporting the Next Generation of Entrepreneurs
The success of Entrepreneurship Day wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of the teachers, parents, and community members who contribute their time and support. From helping learners plan their products to guiding them through the budgeting process, these contributions ensure that the event is a learning success.
Parents, in particular, play a key role in supporting their children, often assisting with product creation or providing advice on marketing strategies. It’s a great example of how a community can come together to help nurture young talent.
Moreover, Entrepreneurship Day has a lasting impact on the learners beyond just the event itself. The experience plants the seed of financial literacy and business acumen, skills that will benefit the students throughout their lives.
The Road Ahead for Eagle’s Nest Entrepreneurs
As the learners wrap up their Entrepreneurship Day, the event leaves them with much more than just a few profits in their pockets. It leaves them with valuable life lessons about money management, resource stewardship, and the reality of running a business.
Many of these young entrepreneurs will take the skills they’ve learned and apply them to future ventures, whether it’s starting a side business in high school or simply understanding how to manage personal finances more effectively.
At Eagle’s Nest, the commitment to developing entrepreneurial skills doesn’t stop at Grade 7. The school continues to offer opportunities for learners to grow, learn, and develop their business acumen, setting them up for success in whatever field they choose.
In today’s world, the value of entrepreneurial skills cannot be understated, and events like Entrepreneurship Day help students take their first steps toward becoming future leaders and innovators.
