Middle school students pitch idea to support local economy

Community
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The markets could help community members and small businesses stay afloat amid the COVID-19 pandemic. | Pixabay

A group of middle schoolers are finding ways to support their community, News West 9 reported. 

According to News West 9, a team of sixth graders from Andrews Middle School have invested their extra time in helping their community, taking their big ideas all the way to the city council. Perhaps the largest of these ideas is to host market days once a week in order to help the economy.

"They look beyond themselves and do something for the community," Holly Edwards, sixth-grade Future Problem-Solvers Coach, said in an interview.

The goal of the group this year was to help build up a community that has suffered in indescribable ways from the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly when it comes to the local economy. 

"Some of our community members had lost jobs because of the oil crisis and hours being cut and so their wages were being cut as well as not having everything that they're used to having, so the students wanted to come up with a way to increase their wages," Edwards said.

The students call themselves the Community and Future Problem Solvers.

The idea to hold periodic market days was something which the community agreed would be helpful. There were more than 200 residents present at the first market day and vendors sold everything from clothing and tea to plants. 

"Each year it's neat to see the community problem-solving project come to life and stay alive in the town," Edwards said.

Individuals interested in joining as a vendor at a future Andrews Market Days may contact Holly Edwards at hedwards@andrews.esc18.net.