Michael Tannebaum/Journal Scene

Trinity Williamson (left) uses a Beech Hill School dollar to buy a bracelet from Lauren Smith at the school’s Market Day.

Michael Tannebaum/Journal Scenes

Halley Volpe, a second-grader at Beech Hill Elementary School, recently “sold” bookmarks to other students at the school’s Market Day. Second-grade students at Beech Hill have been learning about how the country’s economic system works.

Michael Tannebaum/Journal Scene

At Beech Hill Elementary School’s Market Day, second-grader Nicholas Crepeau sets up his car store. Crepeau’s classmates could purchase the cars for one Beech Hill School dollar.

Second-graders at Beech Hill Elementary School appear to be immune from the reeling economy.

Recently, the school held their annual Market Day for second-graders – an event in which hundreds of dollars exchanged hands between buyers and sellers.

“The kids are learning about the economic system including supply and demand,” said Principal Rene Harris. “They had to create a marketing plan and today they are selling their wares.”

With fists full of Beech Hill School dollars, which the students earned from teachers and administrators by meeting behavioral and academic expectations, the excited children scattered throughout the school’s cafeteria to see what their fellow students, who were set up as vendors, were selling.

The buyers came to the market prepared as each student brought a shopping bag, which although empty when they arrived at the market, were filled with products such as toy cars, beaded necklaces and bookmarks by the time the students had spent their cash.

Some of the children elected to forego toys and jewelry and instead opted to purchase artwork, such as drawings, that their classmates had made.

Other students decided to become artwork.

For one Beech Hill School dollar, a student could have his or her entire face painted by student Hunter Cushman. Like a veteran salesperson, Cushman knew that customers have different preferences so he brought more than one dozen colors of paint to make sure that buyers could have their faces painted the favorite color of their choice.

Vendors advertised their good or service with poster boards that featured clever slogans and eye-catching designs.

All of the second-graders had the opportunity to be both sellers and buyers so that by the event’s conclusion, the students, who although now broke, carried with them an assortment of new goods and a better understanding of how the country’s economy works.

Contact Michael Tannebaum at 873-9424 ext. 215 or mtannebaum@journalscene.com

Journalscene.com ® is pleased to offer readers the enhanced ability to comment on stories. We expect our readers to engage in lively, yet civil discourse. Journalscene.com ® does not edit user submitted statements and we cannot promise that readers will not occasionally find offensive or inaccurate comments posted in the comments area. Responsibility for the statements posted lies with the person submitting the comment, not Journalscene.com ®. If you find a comment that is objectionable, please click "report abuse" and we will review it for possible removal. Please be reminded, however, that in accordance with our Terms of Use and federal law, we are under no obligation to remove any third party comments posted on our website.

Users can now build user-to-user connections, follow friends' recent posts, add an avatar that fits their personality, and more. If you have posted here before you'll need to sign up again, or if you've never posted before, start now by reading our terms and conditions, and then signing up below!

• Santee Cooper announces 2012 refunding bond sale
• Santee Cooper announces organizational changes in operation and finance departments
• Santee Cooper employees pitch in on Day of Caring
• Aerial herbicide treatment on lakes under way
• Santee Cooper Board Authorizes Rate Study
• Santee Cooper announces refunding bond sale
• Santee Cooper, Florida Municipal Power Agency enter into letter of intent for share of planned V.C. Summer Station units
• Santee Cooper, Duke Energy Carolinas enter into letter of intent for share of planned V.C. Summer Station units 2 and 3