Spotlight on Schools: Second grade students in Marana develop student-run business

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Tucson News Now posted a great story about second graders at a Marana Unified School District school that have started their own business to raise money for charity.

Second grade teacher, Aimee Katz, and her students at DeGrazia Elementary, within the Marana Unified School District, have embarked on a unique journey and are learning real-world business skills. 

Made possible through a Real World Scholars EdCorp grant, these young hard working, entrepreneurial thinking students have developed their own student-run business, Corky Kidz, making a variety of creative designs and items out of reused corks!

Learning entrepreneurship skills through real-world learning, students developed their business from the ground up. After creating their business name, Corky Kidz, and tagline, "Fun, Funky, and creative cork designs made by Kidz," students spent months seeking cork donations from local businesses, family and friends; researching and developing product prototypes; and learning various aspects of business.

"I wanted to start an EdCorp to provide my students with the opportunity to do some real-world learning but also do something that they will remember," states Aimee Katz, second grade Degrazia Elementary teacher. "I want students to be able to understand that what they are learning is and will be used in their life. While students are having fun, they are learning. They are learning real-life skills and if there is something they don’t know how to do, we research it."