Achieve Academy’s Christmas Market teaches students life skills

Achieve Academy's Christmas Market is the culmination of a six week project called 'Bored to Box.'

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT)— Achieve Academy hosted its Christmas Market Wednesday. While it might look like a regular school fundraiser, it’s actually a way for the school to teach students about entrepreneurship.

Tara Pvel, director and founder of Achieve Academy, says the market is the culmination of a six week project called ‘Bored to Box.’ She says the project helps students learn how to run their own business.

“They’ve been learning everything that you need to be an entrepreneur. Business skills, financial skills, how to innovate and think of a new idea,” she said.

The Christmas Market showcased products the students created from the project. They had sugar free lemonade and pastries, lotion bars, perfume, and even jewelry.

A student named Jeremiah made beaded bracelets to sell at the market. He says it took about two weeks to make 30 bracelets. By the end of the market, he sold almost all of them.

“Our teachers are teaching us about entrepreneurship and something that you could be when you grow up,” he said. “So I think it’s pretty cool.”

Crystal Moon is a new teacher at Achieve Academy. Moon helped her students Levi and Blayne sell produce at the market. She previously taught in public schools and says unfortunately, students don’t always learn valuable lessons that the market teaches students at Achieve Academy.

“This is something that they’ll be able to apply not only at school but outside of school,” she said.

Pvel wanted her students to learn business and financial skills. She says starting your own business is a more common path for people.

“I just felt it was necessary for them to learn these skills now before they got older, and they’ve really adapted to it well,” she said.

Half of the proceeds from the market went to the students, the other half went to the school to purchase a big item that will benefit the school. The school plans to host the market seasonally, with hopes of having the next one in March.