With a countdown down from three, students representing 14 area schools raced toward business shops and product displays. There, they met their peers, and the real-world experience of producing and selling goods, keeping inventory, earning profits and buying consumer goods came to life.

The Kids’ Day Entrepreneurship market, held Feb. 28 at the Irvington Conference Center, gave hundreds of students hands-on instruction in money management. The long-time initiative with Harris County Department of Education’s (HCDE) Center for Afterschool, Summer and Enrichment (CASE) for Kids uses the market as a culmination of a 6-week financial literacy and entrepreneurship learning unit within programs across the county. Participants earned “CASE bucks” for their contributions to their respective projects, which they could use for currency as buyers in the market.

From jewelry, scented candles and bath bombs, to bedazzled phones cases and even admission to carnival games, the market offered something for everyone. The aspiring entrepreneurs also heard from businesswomen and author Crystal Victoria, who gifted her Teen Biz Box – a small business starter kit she produced – to three CASE programs.

At day’s end, winners were chosen based on profit, marketing and overall performance. This year’s Kids’ Day Entrepreneurship winners were:

• Best Pitch: Crespo Elementary
• People’s Choice: Royalwood Elementary
• Most Innovative: Drew Elementary
• Best Marketing & Advertising: Ross Sterling Middle School
• Best Customer Service: Sanchez North Charter School
• Social Impact: Promise Community School-Ripley House
• Best Teamwork: Visual and Performing Arts Academy
• Top Sales: Cloverleaf Elementary

To learn more about CASE for Kids, visit www.hcde-texas.org/afterschoolzone.