Author: Tammy Lane • First Posted: Wednesday, February 17, 2010

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Yates Elementary fifth-graders have learned how to run a business, selling cups of soup to staff and parents.

Despite the frigid temperatures outside, the foyer of Yates Elementary was cozy as fifth-graders served steaming cups of homemade soup. Wrapping up an economics unit with a group project, they learned the ins and outs of actually running a business.

“We got to handle money and experience what a business would be like for a day,” said 10-year-old Emily Wilson, who was president of Carter’s Crew, one of the three soup companies. “I didn’t think we’d sell out, but we did,” she added.

Each class created a company to market different kinds of soup, which the kids sold in 12-ounce cups to visiting parents and Yates staff. The cream of broccoli and cream of potato soups went for $2 apiece, and the chicken noodle, chicken tortilla, beef vegetable and chili for $2.50 per bowl.

“It’s for the kids, and that’s all that matters,” mom Meri Howard said after writing out a generous check as she and her 3½-year-old son sampled the chicken noodle.

The net take from the Feb. 11 soup bar – nearly $160 after repaying the capital investment and start-up cash – will go toward a class field trip. The students plan to attend the Feb. 26 performance of “Dance SCAPA” at the Opera House, visit the Mary Todd Lincoln home and have lunch at the Lexington Center.

The soup bar was the brainchild of Connie Jordan, the social studies lab teacher at Yates. It grew out of her enrichment course, Beyond The Classroom, which tackles economics and other topics more in-depth.

“It’s so real-life on so many meaningful levels – them as consumers and them as retailers,” she said. 

Jordan guided the students in creating three soup companies, each with a president and vice president and VP’s for production, advertising, sales and distribution. They designed logos and advertisements, chose the type of soups to sell and the market prices, covered safety training and food-handling techniques, and talked about supply-and-demand factors.

The kids also practiced math skills, making change for customers and figuring out how many bowls of soup they would need to sell to repay Jordan and make a profit.

Dakota Mehrzad noted how talent in the advertising cadre was important – pointing out a colorful, wall-size banner behind one of the soup tables. “If they draw pretty cool pictures, people will want to check it out,” he said.

As vice president of production for the Souper Star Soup Co., Dakota focused on such details as the paper tablecloths, seating at rectangular vs. circular tables, and access to electrical outlets for the crock pots.

Emily, who took a turn working behind the counter, said she and her classmates discovered that even the little things matter. For instance, they opted to set up a stack of napkins and spoons rather than hand them out individually with the soup because the line of customers would move along more quickly.

As the lunch hour closed out, Emily declared the hands-on economics lesson a big success.

“You got to experience things you might not get to do in the classroom,” she said.