Imagine that on Wednesday, Dec. 14, 2022, children in Fountain Hills created their own businesses as part of a Children’s Business Fair. The Acton Academy, a leader in education that helps schools and communities all over the world make their own fairs, designed the concept. Congrats to FHUS for having this program and thank you to the Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce for sponsoring it along with the Inspiration Academy.

With guidance and support from their teachers and parents the children made original products. In addition, Betsy LaVoie, CEO of our Chamber, gave them special training. Then right outside on a beautiful sunny day on the patio of our Chamber of Commerce, these very talented, polite and well-prepared children were out selling their wares.

This program was held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., more or less the time of a regular school day. Because school is very important, missing a day has to be for a very good reason; and being a part of this program was one of the best.

Putting on this kind of fair is designed in such a way that the children have to figure out what to do, and then they do it. In education we value highly what we call “hands-on interaction,” and that is what stood out. Being an open-ended activity is what made it shine. No computers or iPads were there to call the shots. The children, who did it all and well, will benefit from this day for a long time to come.

Here is an old adage in education: “People remember 10% of what they hear, 50% of what they see and 90% of what they experience,” and there is a lot of merit to that.