SAVING FOR COLLEGE & CAREER EDUCATION
HOW TO WRITE A CHECK
PREVIEW: YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS’ FAIR FREE BROUGHT TO YOU BY
RECIPE: CARIBBEAN RED BEANS & RICE
Sylvan SUMMER CAMPS
Sylvan SUMMER CAMPS
Sylvan SUMMER CAMPS
Sylvan SUMMER CAMPS
Sylvan SUMMER CAMPS
Our camps will boost confidence and enhance academic skills so your child will be ready to start the new school year strong! We have camps for reading, math, writing and more!
START YOUR KIDS ON THE RIGHT TRACK WITH A STUDENT CHECKING ACCOUNT
Financial literacy is an important part of your child’s education. A Student Checking account, specifically for 13-17 year olds, can assist them in developing responsible habits today to ensure that they make sound financial decisions tomorrow.
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Debit card
Parent or guardian is joint on the account
ATM Access
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*No monthly service or overdraft fees and no minimum balance requirement. Must be a member of the credit union to open a student checking account.
STAFF & CONTRIBUTORS
Common Cents
Financial literacy wasn’t something I studied in school, but I’ve picked up enough over the years to get by. Fortunately, both of my kids went to Winooski High School, where completion of a personal finance class is a graduation requirement.
I can see it paying dividends already. Both of them have jobs and are actively saving for college and a sibling trip to Europe. My 16-year-old daughter is also saving for retirement in a recently opened Roth IRA. Her idea, not ours.
P.O.
Circulation:
In “Use Your Words” (page 23), illustrator Elisa Järnefelt explains how to write a check — and why she still has to look up the instructions online.
I don’t understand why more Vermont schools don’t embrace this requirement, especially in an era when college costs — and financial scams — are on the rise. Now more than ever, our kids need to understand the value of their dollars. If your child’s school doesn’t o er a personal finance class, find out if one is available through the Vermont Virtual Learning Cooperative. My kids took one of the VTVLC classes and learned a lot from it.
Seven Days sta er Ken Picard spoke with the president and CEO of the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation about saving for college or career training through Vermont’s 529 plan (page 12). And Gillian English interviewed some of the student vendors who will be selling products at the upcoming Young Entrepreneurs’ Fair on Saturday, March 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Burlington’s Generator makerspace (page 16). Seven Days and Kids VT are among the organizers. These intrepid young business owners will be selling their artwork, crafts, jewelry, T-shirts and greeting cards from booths with kid-created names, including Goblin’s Forge and Yarn Barf.
We hope you’ll stop by and make a few purchases to support this unique opportunity for hands-on learning.
Parents and caregivers can also turn to other local resources to teach kids about money matters. In Montpelier, the Manghis’ Bread, a family-owned bakery, helps elementary school students learn how to order and pay for something — in this case, the bakery’s popular 5-cent dinner rolls.
If you’re still looking for summer camps, there are a bunch of ads in this issue — and 47 options listed on campfindervt.com!
CATHY RESMER
Seven Days food writer Jordan Barry reports on this small-town tradition in “On a Roll” (page 14).
Deborah Beynnon, 16, will sell her work at the Young Entrepreneurs’ Fair through her business, MochaBeanzArt.
Rube Goldberg Week with Zach‘s Contraptions Sunday-Saturday, April 13-19 Free with Admission or ECHO membership
Zach Umperovitch will build a unique machine right in front of your eyes for a whole week at ECHO. Visit while he builds to ask questions and offer suggestions and be part of the construction process. Stay tuned for more info on how to sign up for a workshop!
JOIN US FOR THE 3rd ANNUAL
Celebrating health and safety!
A fun family party that combines New American Safety Day and the Greater Burlington YMCA Healthy Kids Day
April 26, 10:00am - 1:00pm
Held at the Greater Burlington YMCA | 298 College Street | Burlington
Visit with local organizations that focus on health and safety
Kids activity booklet, bounce house, fun games in the gym
Interpreters available (May include ASL, Burmese, Dari, French, Kurundi, MaiMai/ Somali, Nepali, Pashto, Spanish, Swahili, and Vietnamese)
Sign up for Camp Splash, join a family fitness class
of fun activities for kids, and resources for families
Scan the QR code for more info, or go to gbymca.org/about-us/events/#kids-fest-2025
KIDS FEST 2025 is Hosted
In Case You Missed It
Sta writer Alison Novak covers education and childcare for Seven Days. As a former elementary school teacher — and the parent of two teenagers — Novak draws from firsthand experience. She has received the top award for education reporting from the New England Newspaper & Press Association and has written deep dives for Seven Days on Vermont’s childcare crisis, PCB testing in schools, shortcomings in teaching reading and the push to ban cellphones in class. Here are a few of her recent articles. Find all of her
Recent stories from Seven Days reporter Alison Novak work at sevendaysvt.com/alison-novak. K
VERMONT SCHOOL OFFICIALS SAY TRANSGENDER ATHLETES WILL COMPETE
February 14, 2025
An executive order from President Trump prohibits transgender girls in school sports. But in Vermont, it’s illegal to deny them equal opportunities.
SCAN TO READ THESE STORIES AND MORE.
EDUCATION PROPOSAL IS LATEST ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS LONGSTANDING CHALLENGES
February 19, 2025
The challenges facing Vermont’s education system — and the policy levers the governor wants to use to address them — have existed for decades.
MANY SCHOOL DISTRICTS ARE CUTTING STAFF AHEAD OF BUDGET VOTES
February 24, 2025
Financial pressures are forcing some Vermont districts to make dramatic personnel cuts. Sta and benefits account for roughly 80 percent of school budgets.
TO ADDRESS
A TEACHER SHORTAGE, NORTH COUNTRY UNION HIGH SCHOOL LOOKED TO THE PHILIPPINES
January 29, 2025
The Northeast Kingdom school hired three Filipina educators. Though other states have used the strategy to fill vacancies, it’s a novel approach in Vermont.
GROWING TRAINING PROGRAM AIMS TO BOLSTER VERMONT’S WORKFORCE
January 8, 2025
The program, established in 2021, is a collaboration between four local nonprofits: ReSOURCE, Vermont Youth Conservation Corps, Vermont Works for Women and Audubon Vermont.
FIND SOME FUN!
Looking for something to do with your kids this week? Check out the Family Fun calendar in every issue of Seven Days. It highlights activities taking place across the region, including Baby & Me classes, playgroups, Sunday morning Fam Jams with Dad Guild, Dungeons and Dragons meetups, and sensoryfriendly events at local museums. Find it online at sevendaysvt.com/family-fun.
FILE: THOM GLICK
Alex Reid working at the East Monitor Barn
Daryl Paderogo
At Lund, we offer parent coaching and child development education to families in their OWN HOMES.
Lund now offers Parents as Teachers home visiting.
Available to Chittenden County families who are pregnant individuals and/or have children 0-5, who are enrolled in Medicaid.
To learn more, please use QR code here:
Vermont Ballet Theater School Center for Dance presents Celebration of Dance 2019
VERMONT BALLET THEATER SCHOOL CENTER FOR DANCE PRESENTS
CELEBRATION OF DANCE 2025
2025 SUMMER
Classes & Camps
Our annual showcase of talent from ages 4 through pre-professional will dance their way onto the Flynn Main Stage in Burlington for 2 exciting performances, Saturday May 25, 2019 at 1:00 & 6:30 pm.
Saturday, May 31 at 1:00 & 6:30 p.m. Our annual showcase of talent from ages 3 through pre-professional will dance their way onto the Flynn Main Stage in Burlington for two exciting performances. For show & ticket information visit www.vbts.org.
• Week-long ballet camps for ages 5–9
• Week-long ballet Mini-Intensive for ages 12-18, for the serious dancer looking to stay in shape for various summer-long intensives
For show & ticket information visit www.vbts.org.
• Weekly ballet classes for young dancers, beginners, and advanced pre-professional dancers
Classes & Camps
A unique, primitive summer camp for boys, ages 10-14, in the heart of Vermont’s Green Mountains tipi living ▲ nature crafts canoeing ▲ backpacking wilderness skills ▲ tracking atlatls ▲ ’hawk throwing swimming ▲ archery ▲ hiking cooperative work & play and much more!
• Week-long ballet themed camps for ages 3-9; Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Nutcracker and more!
• All That Jazz Musical Theater Camp, plus STORM Dance Co. Summer Intensive with Kate Stevens
• Weekly ballet classes for young dancers - adults - beginner - advanced
• Ongoing yoga and tness classes for adults
VBT Summer Intensive 2019 Auditions Sat. March 9th for ages 8 & up. Visit website or call for details!
VBT Summer Intensive 2025 Auditions are Saturday, March 15TH for ages 7 & up. Visit website or call for details!
PAINT & CREATE KIDS CAMP
This summer come dance with the best at VBTS! For schedule and enrollment information, visit us at WWW.VBTS.ORG, or call 878-2941, or email INFO@VBTS.ORG
or call 878-2941, or email INFO@VBTS.ORG
Art instruction, creative exploration, and movement activities for kids ages 6 and up! Our camp centers on painting techniques and explores art in a variety of forms. Outdoor and indoor time, art projects, games, movement exercises, and more!
Caribbean Red Beans and Rice
A budget-friendly dish with endless variations. Serves 6-8.
Looking for a dish that is filling, nutritious and won’t break the bank? Red beans and rice is a great choice.
There are so many variations, mostly from Louisiana and around the Caribbean. Even within each country, many families seem to have their own recipes. My sister has a good friend from Puerto Rico, and his includes olives, potatoes and tomatoes. Some have rice cooked separately, and some cook it all in the same pot. I chose to focus on a Caribbean-style version without meat, which is the most budget-friendly way to go. Thanks to the beans, there’s plenty of protein. You can change up this recipe according to your likes and what you have on hand. Don’t have red kidney beans? Use black beans. If you have extra vegetables, try adding them. I used coconut milk in addition to the broth to cook the rice, but you can stick with broth if you prefer.
Any long-grain rice will work — I like slightly aromatic and lightly floral jasmine rice.
This recipe freezes and reheats extremely well. Simply cool completely, divide into portions and store in freezersafe bags to freeze for up to three months. For best results, thaw in the refrigerator before serving. K
Directions
• 1/2 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
• 1 jalapeño, finely chopped (remove seeds and membranes if you don’t want spiciness)
• 4 cups white jasmine rice, rinsed
• 3 (15- to 16-ounce) cans red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk
• 2 quarts chicken or vegetable broth
• 2 bay leaves
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat until lightly shimmering. Add onion and garlic and stir for about 3 minutes, being careful not to let the garlic burn.
3. Stir in the rice and beans. Cook for an additional 2 minutes.
2. Add carrot, celery and jalapeño and sauté for another 3 minutes.
4. Add the coconut milk, broth, bay leaves and spices. Stir. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower heat, cover and simmer until the rice is cooked through, about 30 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking or burning. Add some water if it starts to look dry. (Too much stirring can cause the rice to get mushy). Test to make sure the rice is cooked through before removing from heat.
5. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve with a sprinkling of cilantro.
Funds for the Future
As the cost of higher ed rises, it’s never too early to start saving for college or career training
BY KEN PICARD
For many parents, the single biggest expense of their lives, after buying a house, is financing a child’s college education. The cost of attending a four-year college or university varies widely, depending on whether a student attends a public or private institution. For Vermont’s high school class of 2025, the in-state cost of tuition, room and board can range from $25,000 a year to attend Vermont State University to the mid-$30,000s to attend the University of Vermont — or $95,000 a year to attend Columbia University in New York City. If those figures leave you with sticker shock, you’re not alone. According to a 2024 survey from College Ave, a student loan provider, fewer than half of all parents with a child in a four-year degree program felt financially ready beforehand to pay for a college education.
Any money you save is money you don’t have to contemplate borrowing.
SCOTT GILES
But Vermont parents don’t have to navigate those uncertain waters alone. In 1965, the Vermont Legislature created the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation, a public nonprofit whose mission is to help families and students of all ages save, plan and pay for college and other career training. Notably, VSAC administers Vermont’s 529 program, which is a valuable investment tool for helping students and families reach their career goals.
To find out more about those accounts, Kids VT sat down with VSAC president and CEO Scott Giles, who has led the organization since 2013. “I used to say that the 529 program is one of our quiet success stories, but it’s not so quiet anymore,” he said; the program currently handles more than 29,000 accounts and $700 million in investments. As he explained to Kids VT, it’s never too soon to start saving.
How does VSAC help Vermonters pay for college or career training?
Our goal at VSAC is to help people become better consumers of education, so that they’re able to make good program and institution choices that align with their values and financial abilities. A 529 plan becomes a really important tool for giving you a broader range of options when you’re navigating those choices. Any money you save is money you don’t have to contemplate borrowing, and in the future it may be the di erence between a ording one institution over another.
What is a 529 plan and how does it differ from other types of investments?
books and computers. But in the last few years the program has been expanded to allow a 529 plan to also pay for certificate programs, apprenticeships, training expenses associated with pursuing the building trades and even paying down up to $10,000 in student debt. So it’s a very flexible tool for investing in a child’s future career.
What if my child decides not to attend college?
The 529 funds cannot be used for things outside the education sphere. However, if a child decides to not go to college but goes into the military instead, you can continue to hold those funds for that
beneficiary, because at some later date they may decide to pursue college or career training. And there is no age limit as to when 529 funds must be used. I’m navigating this with my own son, who is 29 and was in the Army infantry and just got out. He is now looking to pursue a career in nursing.
You can also change the beneficiary of the 529 plan. Let’s say you have more than one child, and one of them decides to not attend college. Or you have an exceptionally gifted student or athlete who gets a full scholarship and doesn’t need that money for college anymore. One option is to redesignate that account for another child. So the money isn’t lost. And a 529 plan can be used to support schooling or training anywhere in the world. As of January 1, 2024, as much as $35,000 in unused funds can be rolled over, penalty-free, into a Roth IRA, with certain restrictions.
The 529 plan is named after the section of the federal tax code that allows you to make contributions into an account and have those earnings accrue tax-free and not be taxed when you withdraw them for your child’s education. Vermont also o ers a tax credit on the contribution side. That means the state will give you a 10 percent tax credit on the first $2,500 you contribute to a 529 account per child. And if a couple can a ord to invest more, it’s $2,500 per taxpayer.
What can a 529 plan be used for?
Oftentimes when people think of a 529 plan, they only think of traditional college expenses: tuition, room, board,
Different states have their own 529 plans, and you don’t need to live in a state to invest in its plan. Are there benefits to investing in a Vermont 529 plan?
When people are looking at a 529 plan, they should consider all the fees and tax benefits. The 10 percent state tax credit on the first $2,500 per child is only available to Vermonters if they use the Vermont 529 plan. So that plan is usually going to be the best option for Vermonters.
Are there other benefits to using a 529 plan to save for college versus other forms of investments?
relatively
A 529 plan is treated relatively favorably in the federal needs analysis when families apply for financial aid, in a way
Scott Giles credit
that other financial instruments are not. There’s a complicated formula when the federal government looks at your eligibility for aid: First they consider your income, then they look at the assets owned by the child and the parents. An asset owned by the child is assumed to be available for education, whereas parental assets are assumed to have different demands. The 529 account is treated as a parental asset. So it has a smaller impact on your aid eligibility than other financial assets and may help you qualify for more assistance.
How should parents balance saving for a child’s education versus saving for their own retirement?
Every family’s situation is different, and as a parent, you need to make sure you’re taking care of your own future, too, because you can’t borrow money for retirement. With 529 plans, there are some creative things you can do, knowing that even with small dollar amounts, when they’re allowed to grow over time, they can have a big impact.
One example is rethinking how families celebrate birthdays and holidays. Say
FREE 2-YEAR DEGREE
Vermont students in the classes of 2025 and 2026 can earn a free associate’s degree at the Community College of Vermont, thanks to a grant from the J. Warren & Lois McClure Foundation. Students who complete their high school coursework by grade 11 and are accepted in the Early College program at CCV can continue for a second year for free. Want more details? Attend a virtual info session about the program on March 25 or an in-person session on April 1 at CCV in Montpelier; on April 17 at CCV in Winooski; or on April 29 at CCV in Brattleboro.
Find more information at sevendaysvt.com/ early-college-free-degree
your child is about to celebrate their first birthday. Rather than putting a bunch of money into toys or clothing, consider splitting the gift amount in two, so that half goes into a material present, and the other half goes into a college savings plan.
Can relatives and friends contribute to your child’s 529 as well?
Yes! The 529 plan is an opportunity for them to support and reward a parent
who is going to be invested in helping their child pursue the career that will be most fulfilling for them, both personally and financially. It’s also a really powerful way to help children think about their own future. Even small amounts saved can have a profound impact on the likelihood that that child will successfully pursue college or career training after high school. It’s like members of their family are saying to them, “We believe in you, and this is an option that we think is an important investment in your future.”
Does the value of a 529 plan fluctuate, like market-based investments, or does it accrue interest at a fixed rate, like a savings account?
Families participating in the 529 plan have a range of options to choose from, all of which are associated with how much risk they’re comfortable assuming. One option is called “interest only,” which is not going to fluctuate in value. You get an interest rate-based return on your investment over time. Another option is a 100 percent stock index fund, which rises and falls with the market.
What most people do, however, is our age-based investment plan. It’s designed to take away some of that worry. You put your money in, then tell the system when the beneficiary is going to graduate high school or when they’ll need to access the funds. So, if you have a 1-year-old child with an 18-year time horizon, early on that investment mix will be much more heavily invested in equities, to take advantage of what the stock market offers. But as you get closer to the period when you’ll be withdrawing those funds, the funds get reallocated into more bond funds and fixed-income options, which have less volatility.
What if people don’t have much money to set aside for their child’s future?
Oftentimes people will focus on the high cost of a college education and feel badly that they can’t save as much as they’re being told they’ll need. But saving is a learned habit, for you and your child, and no amount saved is too small. K
Learn more at vsac.org.
On a Roll
The Manghis’ Bread in Montpelier teaches kids to be customers, 5 cents at a time
BY JORDAN BARRY
Most weekday afternoons during the academic year, just before 3 p.m., the same scene unfolds on Montpelier’s School Street. Small groups of students spill out of nearby Union Elementary School and head down the sidewalk in waves, often unaccompanied by adults. They’re headed to the Manghis’ Bread, where they’ll all purchase the same thing: a dinner roll.
The warm rolls are “gentle,” like a hug, 15-year-old Ondina An told Kids VT “And they’re tradition.”
Priced at 5 cents each, the rolls are also a unique teaching tool for young customers. In a short documentary released last fall on her YouTube channel — which she made in order to highlight her Montpelier community and flex her creative muscles outside of school — An captured this sweet afterschool scene. She highlighted the money skills and independence the longtime
family-owned bakery helps foster with each transaction.
“This bakery is one of the first places they learn how to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you,’” An narrated in “Spotlight Montpelier: Memories With Manghis’.”
The light and flu y white dinner rolls — made with just flour, water, local eggs, sunflower oil, honey, salt and yeast — are
the only thing Manghis’ sells individually. But it sells a lot of them: usually a dozen in the morning before school and from two to seven dozen between 2:50 and 3:30 p.m. If the kids arrive too early, they wait patiently for the rolls to come out of the oven and get what sta call “a 20-step roll,” presented on a paper towel — they have to walk 20 steps before they can eat it to let it cool.
The rolls aren’t a moneymaker, said Maria Manghi Stoufer, who now owns the bakery with her husband, Steve Stoufer. Most of Manghis’ business comes from selling loaves at roughly 35 stores from White River Junction to the Burlington area, many delivered by volunteer drivers.
But the rolls will always cost 5 cents, she said. “We don’t even question it. It feels like the right thing to do for the community and reassuring for parents to know their child has a safe place to stop.”
Manghi Stoufer’s parents, Elaine and Paul Manghi, started their bakery in the late 1970s and moved it to the Victorian house on School Street in 1983. Their early roll customers were families who had attended story hour at the KelloggHubbard Library.
Primarily a wholesale bakery, Manghis’ didn’t — and still doesn’t — have a typical retail space. To occupy toddlers while their parents bought bread through the doorway of the production space, Elaine handed out rolls for free.
They’re figuring out money and learning what the coins are from an early age.
MARIA MANGHI STOUFER
That tradition soon spread to elementary school students. When Manghi Stoufer started working with her parents, around 2000, the family realized they were giving away more than three dozen rolls every day. It was sometimes hard to explain to kids that even though the rolls were free, there was a limit of one per customer. So the bakery instituted its still-unchanged pricing structure: 5 cents for the first roll and full price — now 50 cents, an easy figure for kids to remember — for two.
Their young customers occasionally try to game the system, Manghi Stoufer said. Some say they’re buying a roll for a friend, or they come back later wearing a hat or other nifty disguise. But overall, the kids are respectful. Some come in with their own coin purses or dump out their piggy banks on the counter.
“They’re figuring out money and learning what the coins are from an early age,” Manghi Stoufer said. “It’s really sweet, and I don’t think it’s something they get in school the way it used to be taught.”
Manghis’ employees will help sort coins, reminding kids that the nickel is 5 cents and the dime is 10, even though it’s smaller. The sta takes time to help kids trying to figure out if they have enough to buy a small loaf of bread or a whole bag of rolls.
Ondina An
Maria Manghi Stoufer
As the children get older, they get more comfortable with the whole process. Some stand in the hallway as a group, pooling their money on a tiny table to see if they can afford a tray of cinnamon buns. If they’re successful, they’ll split the spoils on the stairway, the front stoop or outside the library.
Even when parents accompany their kids to the bakery, many wait outside at their child’s request.
“They’ve been instructed to stay on the walkway because the child can do it themselves. Don’t even open the door,” Manghi Stoufer said with a chuckle.
The bakery also maintains “a trusty plastic box” full of index cards, alphabetized by customer name. Parents — especially those whose children wait for pickup at the library — stop in and add $1 or $10 to the card so their kids can shop at the bakery on their own without needing cash, Manghi Stoufer said.
An, the filmmaker, remembers hearing about Manghis’ rolls from her older sister, who had a card.
KIDS AND DOUGH
Looking for ways to teach your kids about money? The Vermont State Treasurer’s office has compiled some suggestions:
Tips for toddlers: Teach them to save money by picking a savings goal they can meet quickly, such as a box of crayons. To make the savings goal seem real, tape a picture of the crayons to a savings jar and give your child a few coins each day to reach the goal.
Ideas for elementary school-age children: Start giving a weekly allowance. Consider paying a base rate and upping it for big chores. Let them decide how to spend it, within reason, and know that
When An became a student at Union Elementary, her mom brought her in to set up one of her own.
“It was really exciting to get a card and to stop in for a roll with my friends,” An said. “It felt like an adult milestone.”
Now a first-year at Montpelier High School, An no longer heads to Manghis’ as part of her daily routine. But she’ll sometimes pop in for cinnamon rolls, and her family always has a loaf of the bakery’s original high-protein bread in the freezer.
Memories of those childhood moments — prompted by a story about the rolls last spring in the Montpelier Bridge — inspired An to make the two-minute, 25-second documentary. She’s made videos for school projects in the past, she said, but this is the first one she’s directed, produced, shot, scripted and edited entirely herself. It’s also the first in a series she’s calling “Spotlight Montpelier.” Her next project, about Meadow Mart, another local business, will be slightly longer and will include interviews.
“It’s important to showcase your community,” the young filmmaker said, and Manghis’ was an obvious place to start.
“Everyone knows Manghis’, even if you don’t go there.” K
The Manghis’ Bread, 28 School St., Montpelier, 223-3676, manghisbread.com.
Watch “Spotlight Montpelier: Memories With Manghis’” at sevendaysvt.com/ manghis-bread-video.
blowing it all on the first day is typical. Don’t bail them out if they make bad choices. Instead, discuss how the allowance might be spent the next week.
Use your errands and chores as an opportunity for learning: Take your kids to your bank or credit union to deposit money. Show them how you use the ATM to take it out. Explain that, when you use a credit card, you’re essentially borrowing money that you have to pay back. When you pay bills, show the statement to your child and say something like, “Remember the T-shirt we bought for $10? Here it is on the list of things I have to pay for now.”
Find more tips at mymoney.vermont.gov.
Summer Camps
Rolls at the Manghis’ Bread
PHOTO: RENÉE GREENLEE
Money Makers
Vermont students prepare to sell their creations at the first Young Entrepreneurs’ Fair
BY GILLIAN ENGLISH & CATHY RESMER
There’s nothing quite like receiving money for something you made. It’s a thrill — and incredibly empowering. You can also learn a lot in the process of making the sale.
To give Vermont young people a taste of this experience, three organizations that support kids, local businesses and entrepreneurship got together to create the area’s first Young Entrepreneurs’ Fair. Organizing partners Generator, Seven Days and Davis Studio met for months to plan this unique event. Burlington’s Generator, home to the JumpStart business boot camp, hosts the fair on Saturday, March 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is free, though the vendors paid $20 each for their spots.
We invited students in grades 3 through 12 to apply to participate and accepted 20 di erent vendors from all over the state, from Stra ord to South Burlington, Cambridge to Vergennes. We let in one underage sibling and a precocious second grader. We think you’ll agree they deserve to be in the mix!
All of them have participated in a pre-fair session with setup and marketing tips. They’re selling items that appeal to their peers — think role-playing dice and beauty products — but adults, too. Haven’t you always wanted cutlery made from fallen trees?
Some of these young entrepreneurs have participated in craft fairs or farmers markets in the past. Naïma Carvalho Sandoval of Toadstool Cupboard has sold her drawings and crochet art at her parents’ jewelry stand at the Richmond Farmers Market. “I like seeing all the other art that other people make and talking to customers about my art,” she said. Deborah Beynnon of MochaBeenzArt, age 16, is a market veteran, too. “They’ve definitely helped me step out of my comfort zone and grow confidence as well. I’m way less nervous than I was when I was 13. Every time I learn something new, meet new people, laugh and earn money!” she said.
Many of the vendors told us that they plan to invest their profits in buying more supplies. One is saving for a car; another, for a horse. Others are giving their proceeds to charity. Place Newtown, a sixth grader from Shelburne, has been selling scarves, bracelets and bookmarks with her friend Addy Lacasse since 2021.
To date, the pair have been sending a portion of profits to local food banks, but “this summer we decided to donate to the Boston Children’s Hospital,” Place said. Read on for interviews with five of the vendors and a complete list of who’s selling what at the fair. All of them will accept cash, and most will accept Venmo. Come prepared to shop!
SAGE MINERD
• Age: 10
• Business:
Barnyard Crafts
• Hometown: Stra ord
What are you going to do with the money?
I ride horses, and I’m planning to get my first horse this summer. I will use the money to help with that and to buy di erent things for the horse.
ROTHKO & AALTO SMITH
• Ages: 8 and 6
• Business: Dragon Jewels
• Hometown: Burlington
Sage Minerd started making jewelry when she was 8. Every day, she sits down at the desk where she keeps her supplies and makes something new. The name of her shop, Barnyard Crafts, reflects where she lives: on a farm in Stra ord. She makes handmade earrings, necklaces, bracelets and bookmarks that she sells at her family’s booth at farmers markets and on her website. She gets a couple of orders a week. She makes jewelry in many di erent sizes and designs, from more casual to more “dressed-up” styles, she said. She’s used to a little bit of chaos around her crafting desk, having grown up around sheep, goats, chickens, pigs, cats and dogs. Sage is learning to work on the farm, too, and has her own flock of 15 ducks.
What inspires you?
I get ideas from YouTube and my own imagination, too.
What do you like about art?
It’s really fun making things, and I like knowing that people like them enough to want to buy them from me.
Brothers Rothko and Aalto Smith said they divide up the work evenly at their company, Dragon Jewels. They make necklaces, earrings, rings and bracelets with metal that they’ve stamped with various designs. “I really like metal stamping,” Rothko said. “You have a heavy hammer, and you hammer down hard. I like bending the metal. It’s really cool.” At the Young Entrepreneurs’ Fair, they will do custom metal stamping for rings and bracelets. Customers can request a name or word, and the brothers can make the item to order that day.
Have you sold things before?
Rothko: This will be our first time, except for lemonade stands.
What do you like about crafting?
Aalto: It’s really cool that you can just make stu and not have to buy it in a store. It’s handmade.
Where do you get your ideas?
OLYLA QUILES
• Age: 14
• Business: Ollie’s Prints
• Hometown: Cambridge
Aalto: We sit and talk together about di erent words that people might like on jewelry.
Carving designs into linoleum blocks to make prints is a time-consuming process. Olyla Quiles of Ollie’s Prints said it can take her up to three hours to complete a single design. “You really have to be in it for the long haul,” she said, but “the back pain is worth it.” Olyla began making prints last November after she started a carving project in her art class at Lamoille Union High School. She took to it right away and started carving at home. Olyla’s stamps feature designs of birds, horses and wintry landscapes. She recently purchased a pinmaker, and she’s been putting her designs on pins, too. She also makes bookmarks, framable prints, greeting cards, journals and T-shirts, all of which will be available at the fair.
What got you interested in art?
I am a chronic doodler — you should see my math homework. It’s just so cool to think of stu and then make it real.
What inspires you?
Anything. Nature, audiobooks, podcasts. For one of my designs, I had to look up pictures of vultures for a slideshow for class, and I thought, That could make a really cool print
What are you going to do with the money?
Buy more linoleum. It’s so expensive. It’s almost $20 a block. I also want to start saving up for a car in the future.
Sage Minerd
Aalto & Rothko Smith
NATALIE DZESSOU
• Age: 16
• Business: Lulu Sissy
• Hometown: Winooski
Natalie Dzessou began making beauty products in 2021 after her baby brother was born with eczema. Natalie watched her mom make homemade remedies for her brother and began learning from her, eventually coming up with her own products. Today she makes body butters and body oils. Her body butters, which are thick moisturizers, come in di erent scents such as mango, cocoa butter and shea butter. The oils she makes hydrate and nourish the skin, with scents that include apricot and pumpkin. When she mixes them in her kitchen, she says she feels like “a scientist in a lab.” In summer 2024, Natalie named her business Lulu Sissy and sold her products at Youth Vendor Day at the Winooski Farmers Market. She was motivated by the experience and the feedback she got from people at the fair, who were able to try the products at her booth. “People said that
they smelled good. I was really excited to show them to people,” she said. Natalie’s family is from Togo, and she said the fair was also a chance to share her culture with her customers. She also sold waist beads and African net sponges, which are products that her family orders from Togo.
“I’ve had those things since I was a little kid, and it was cool to show them to people who had never seen them before,” she said.
What advice would you give to kids doing a market for the first time?
Prepare for everything because anything can happen. Have backups. Also, be sure that you have Venmo or Cashapp, because lots of people don’t have cash.
What do you like about having a business?
It feels really great to do it all myself and see people are paying for it. I love beauty products, and I have so many lotions. When I was selling for the first time, it was so fun to see people enjoying what I made.
Where
Where does the name Lulu Sissy come from?
I was watching “Gilmore Girls,” and I named it after Kirk’s girlfriend, Lulu. I love that name. And “Sissy” because I am a sister.
GUS HERRERA
• Age: 11
• Business: The Crochet Sensei
• Hometown: South Burlington
During recess last year, Gus Herrera could be found sitting under a tree crocheting with his friends. When Gus first learned to crochet, his classmates would approach him and ask how to do it. He taught enough people that he started a crochet club, where kids in his grade could meet up in the middle of the day and work on their projects together. Gus learned the fiber art from his older sister, Bella, who is “really good at crocheting,” he said. A few years ago, Bella gave Gus yarn and a hook for Christmas and spent time teaching him how to use them. Now, Gus makes his own designs, focusing on bags and bracelets and using patterns he finds in Woobles crochet kits. From those kits, Gus has been able to make all types of critters, from a ferocious kraken to an adorable squirrel.
What do you like about crocheting? It’s fun, and it helps me relieve stress if I’m worried about something for school, like having to do a report. It’s also good
More exhibitors featured at the Young Entrepreneurs’ Fair
for dexterity. When I finish something, I get this feeling of accomplishment.
Besides crochet, what else do you like to do?
I also like cardboard weaving, and I’ve done knitting, though I like to crochet way more. I like to doodle. I also play the piano.
What are you going to do with the money?
I want to buy another crochet set. There is a new one that has patterns for Lord of the Rings characters, and I want to make Frodo and the Balrog. K
SATURDAY, MARCH 22, 10 A.M.-2 P.M., GENERATOR MAKERSPACE, BURLINGTON, GENERATORVT.COM/YEF
WHITE BREASTED NUTHATCH
Caden Anderson, grade 7, Charlotte
Greeting cards, photography of birds and animals
OUTSIDE THE LINES
Alister Griffin, grade 6, Vergennes
Artwork, stickers, T-shirts
KITTY REEPER
Kitty Reeper, grade 6, Bolton
Cards, stickers, posters, hand-sculpted clay dragons and other animals; face painting and drawing by request on the spot
YARN BARF
Felicity Barras, grade 8, South Burlington
Crochet projects, stuffed animals and other items
MOCHABEANZART
Deborah Beynnon, grade 10, Burlington Stickers, key chains, pins
TINY HANDS CREATIONS
Harper Marshall, grade 4, South Burlington
Mini “button books” with positive messages, bags filled with clay sculptures
PLACE AND ADDY’S GIFT SHOP
Place Newtown and Addy Lacasse, grade 6, Shelburne; grade 6, Brentwood, N.H.
Handmade scarves, bookmarks and custom bracelets
DICE NERD
Samuel Cornelius, grade 8, Charlotte
Sets of seven polyhedral dice for role-playing games
GOBLIN’S FORGE
Jax Washburn, grade 6, Jericho
Beaded crafts including bracelets, earrings and geckos
JAZZY JEWELRY
Tessa Mckibben, grade 11, Waterbury Center
Dangle and hoop earrings and rings
WHAT VERMONT MEANS TO ME
Jelina Quittner Javier, grade 5, Burlington
T-shirts and pillows
VERMONT KITCHEN SUPPLIES
Parker Bookwalter, grade 4, Burlington
Handcrafted wooden spoons and knives
TOADSTOOL CUPBOARD
Carmen Williams Manrique, grade 6, Williston
Naïma Carvalho Sandoval, grade 5, Burlington
Stickers, headbands, scarves, bracelets, key chains, ornaments, candles
DELLA’S DESIGNS
Della Scheller, grade 2, Colchester
Polymer clay jewelry
YOUTH SOUL MODE
Winner Mampuya, grade 12, Winooski T-shirts and hats
Natalie Dzessou
KIDS JUST FOR
Coloring Contest!
Three winners will each receive a $30 gift card to a local bookstore. Send Kids VT your work of art by May 2. Be sure to include the info at right with your submission. Winners will be chosen in the following categories: (1) ages 5 and younger, (2) ages 6-8 and (3) ages 9-12. Winners will be named in the Summer Fun Issue of Kids VT. Email your high-resolution scans to art@kidsvt.com with “Coloring Contest” in the subject line, or mail a copy to Kids VT, P.O. Box 1164, Burlington, VT 05401.
KIDS JUST FOR
COLORING CONTEST WINNERS
“Porky”
Zada Niklaus, 5, JEFFERSONVILLE
“The Calico
The staff of Seven Days gathered to judge this contest on March 4, Town Meeting Day, after many of us had already voted in our local elections. This contest was tighter than most of them! Picking our favorite fantastical felines was very difficult to do. Congratulations to these top cats, and thank you to everyone who sent in submissions. We were all very happy to “paws” for a few moments on a busy Tuesday to appreciate them. We can’t wait to see what you come up with next!
Winners receive a gift card to a local bookstore
HONORABLE MENTIONS
“CATALINA”
Penny Sizen, 9, Georgia
“SNOW DAY!”
Edith IngallsFairweather, 12, Waterville
“HOCKEY CAT”
Gretchen Hill, 12, Ferrisburgh
“HALFWAY GRAY”
Mesa Garnett, 11, South Burlington
“THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS” Bodie Garnett, 9, South Burlington
“TIRED CAT GOING SKATING”
Clara Greenhouse, 8, Toronto, Canada
“The Race on Skates” Oona Ramen Russell Mcdade, 10, WOODBURY
“DARTH KITTY” Rowan Wilson, 7, Pittsford
“MICE SKATER” Jane, 8, Burlington
“SNOW KITTEN” Sada Dika, 7, Cornwall
“SUMMER’S WINTER DANCE”
Mae Johnson, 7, Essex
“THING ONE AND THING TWO ICE SKATING”
Frances Wieliczki, 5, Northfield
“RAINBOW CENTURIES”
Lincoln Ross, 4, St. Albans
“THE ICE SKATIN’ KITTEN” Lyla Peltz, 8, Woodbury
“CANDYLAND”
Nora & Willow Pfeil, 9 & 11, Richmond
k4t-materchristi031225.indd
Season Sponsor:
Show Sponsor:
VERMONT MAPLE FESTIVAL
St. Albans, Vermont
APRIL 25, 26, 27, 2025
Free Face Painting Maple Donuts
Antique Show
Wood Carving Demo Live Music Maple Cotton Candy Maple Cree-mees Amazing Dog Show Kiddie Rides Sunday Parade Fiddler’s Show Teen Fest
FOUNDATION
Many thanks to these super-sweet sponsors: Peoples Trust Company, CDL USA, M&T Bank, VIATRIS, Lapierre USA, Vermont Federal Credit Union, D&G USA, WCAX 3, Farm Credit East, WOKO 98.9/KOOL 105.1, City of St. Albans NUCAR, Froggy 104.3, H2O Innovation – Leader USA. Star 92.9/95XXX
VTMAPLEFESTIVAL.ORG
THE 2025 INSTITUTES
Summer programs on college campuses for Vermont students in 9th, 10th, and 11th grade.
Each Institute offers an adventure of learning and community, with tuition starting as low as $10. ARTS
GLOBAL ISSUES & YOUTH ACTION HEALTH & MEDICINE MATHEMATICAL SCIENCES
& DESIGN
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Summer is all about fun, friends & trying something new!
Check It Out
A Finnish parent offers an illustrated guide to an archaic form of payment
Ihave a financial literacy confession to make: I’m not good at writing checks.
In Finland, where I was born, paying with credit and debit cards became common in the early 1980s. When I was growing up, in the 1990s and 2000s, people there were no longer paying by check. Before I moved to the U.S., I’d only seen a check three times in my life. In my experience, checks were rare, precious and used only on special occasions. For example, every spring, Finnish students win monetary awards for demonstrating good behavior or achieving
academic success. They receive their money onstage at the school’s spring celebration — in the form of an ornately written check enclosed in an envelope.
When I moved to Boston from Helsinki at 28 and had to pay rent for the first time, I discovered that checks were not rare or anything special — they were a necessity.
My American friends had written checks regularly for years. I remember the amused disbelief on their faces when they realized that I really needed help with writing my first one. I eventually figured it out.
KIDS’ BIRTHDAY PARTIES & JEWELRY MAKING CLASSES
But 10 years later, as more and more payments in the U.S. are made online, with credit cards or through services such as Venmo, I rarely write checks anymore, and I doubt myself every time I try. I usually end up searching for directions online. Given how many results I get for “how to write a check” and “numbers to words converter,” I suspect I’m not the only one feeling this uncertainty.
If you, too, struggle with this task, here’s an example check, above, that illustrates how it’s done; I made up a seasonal Vermont transaction — buying maple syrup. You can cut out this check and tape it on your closet door or fold it inside your wallet. Whether you’re an adult from outside the U.S., a busy parent who hasn’t had to do this in a while or a child who’s just been given their first checkbook, I hope it helps you and reminds you that you’re not alone. K
MAKE BIRTHDAYS MAGICAL
with Elli Parr’s DIY jewelry-making parties! Perfect for kids’ birthdays or after-school fun. Let their creativity shine as they create keepsakes they’ll love.
Book your party today at elliparr.com or email us at info@elliparr.com
Open Daily 41 IDX Dr. Ste #150, South Burlington
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Attend CCV for a day. Take mock classes, learn about programs, and meet faculty & staff!
Take two free courses in your junior or senior year. Get a feel for college AND earn credits.
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Take this free class to improve skills, set goals, and plan for the future.
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