By Emma Xerri
Local business owners are now facing some serious competition from the students at Harkaway Primary School, who have been hard at work creating and operating their own businesses to fundraise for Scleroderma Australia in honour of former Harkaway teacher Mrs Walford.
From milkshake stands to dutch pancakes and gift shop goods, the school’s grade five and six students put their thinking caps (and wet weather jackets) on, proving their business ideas could beat even the worst of Victorian weather at their school’s Harkaway Show.
“My business was called Gift Shop Mayhem. We sold bubbles, stress balls, small aeroplanes, and mystery prizes which included books, pens and bouncy balls. And we sold out of the mystery prizes in under 30 minutes,” student Mia said.
Fun Crumbles business owner and student Mila added that her business sold “cookies, chocolate milk, ice cream sandwiches and toasties,” which Principal Leigh Johnson confirmed were delicious.
For Caleb, who successfully ran a tasty burger and sausage sizzle, food was also on the brain when coming up with his business idea.
“We sold burgers and sausages with help from some of the dads who were behind the barbecue cooking all day,” Caleb said.
“It was quite successful. I think we made over $400.”
Principal Johnson said they had lots of burger options, but when asked what the crowd favourite was, Caleb did not hesitate before saying “the burger with everything in it except pineapple.”
Meanwhile, Archie, with the help of his family, adopted an environmentally friendly approach with his business Milky Way Milkshakes.
“My dad, who I’m very grateful for, helped with the biodegradable cups and the equipment that we used,” Archie said.
“Me, my dad and my sister also went to Henry’s Mercato at Waverley Gardens, and we got a donation of milkshake syrups and milk from them.
“It was a lot of work, but we ended up raising over $150 in just that one day, and then we raised a further $260 from events and milkshake days we ran by ourselves.”
While every business was a hit, it was Aliyah’s second business, Spongebob Throw, that had the crowd lined up to watch, despite Principal Johnson’s insistence that it was “the worst one,” because, as Archie describes, “he got shot in the head with a sponge covered in paint.”
But with each business different from the last, it wasn’t only the business ideas that were unique, but the experience itself, with student Ava noting “I don’t think any of us have done anything like it before.”
And with the wet weather requiring the students to think on their feet, the students put on an exceptional display of resourcefulness, rounding up gazebos from home storage, and prioritising their warmer food options.
“Our warm, fluffy poffertjes were good for the weather, but sometimes the rain would leak through,” Aliyah said.
Ava similarly noted that while “the weather kind of ruined our ice cream sandwiches, because it was so cold, our toasties went really well.”
“For my store,” Archie said, “it was relatively smooth sailing until we realised it was going to be pouring with rain. But my Mum’s partner rushed home to get an old gazebo for us, which was great.”
“But that’s a useful lesson. We’ll definitely plan for the weather next time.”
Employing real world marketing and business skills that would rival any seasoned business owner, the students were also sure to offer desirable discounts, rounding out a busy day of sales with a rush of last minute customers.
“The main special for the barbecue was offering $1 sausages instead of $2,” Caleb said.
Caleb’s end of day specials also included a limited edition menu item called the ‘halfway special’ – a burger with the lot plus a sausage cut in half – which Principal Johnson enthusiastically claimed “tasted amazing.”
“We offered free thick shakes for all the teachers, and about a 50% discount for everyone else. So our loaded milkshakes dropped from about $4 to about $2.50 at the very end,” Archie added.
“It was one of those frantic, panic moments. I think we all noticed the time and thought we’d just launch some specials and hope something good came out of it.”
And something good certainly did.
Raising a total of $1500 through their businesses, the students were honoured with a visit from Scleroderma Australia representative Louise Inglese at their end of year assembly, where they had the opportunity to present a cheque to Ms Inglese in front of their school community.
“It was a very proud moment,” Aliyah said.
But despite their tremendous accomplishments, these students aren’t rushing to get back into business.
When asked by their principal if any of them would start their own business one day, the answer was unanimous: a choir of very reluctant maybes.
