‘I have real-world experience’: North Kansas City students test entrepreneurial skills

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Students in the North Kansas City School District are raking in some extra cash before the holidays selling their own products.

Dozens of young entrepreneurs across the district are participating in the second annual Market Days. It started on Tuesday at Winnetonka High School but takes place at all four high schools in the district.

Market Days is a pretty common project seen at several districts cross-country. In North Kansas City, students come up with something to sell. Each group is then given $250 thanks to a NKC Schools Education Foundation loan.

“This is a project I just handed to them and let them take the lead,” Winnetonka High School Business Teacher, Kayce Corwin said. “Everybody in the group had to participate, everybody had to know their information, know their numbers as if it were a real-life scenario.”

Students have to give the full loan back, but anything they make on top of that is theirs to keep.

“We’ve already made our loan and we’re looking to make $30 each of profit,” Winnetonka junior, David Milosevic said.

Milosevic and his team took a unique approach to Market Days. The group bought dozens of bracelets and jewelry pieces in bulk, reselling each one for a profit. Like any other entrepreneur, he said coming up with the product is only half the battle.

“I used to have a hard time making eye contact and speaking with people but now I feel like I’ve progressed a lot,” Milosevic said. “How are you going to get someone’s attention without going out to them, instead of waiting for them to come to you.”

Milosevic said he plans to apply to the University of Missouri and several Ivy League schools where he’ll study business and marketing.

Most sales came from students and faculty, but several booths will also be set up this weekend during Winnetonka’s Annual Craft Fair 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, December 7.

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