Today, Saturday, June 13, marks the first-ever Lemonade Day
in Tallahassee, a national program sponsored by companies like Google for
Entrepreneurs and Prepared 4 Life. Lemonade Day serves to teach K-12 students
how to start, own, and operate businesses, using the classic lemonade stand
model. The event will also be the first to be held in Florida in the program’s
eight-year history.
FAMU’s SBI program brought the program to Tallahassee through the help of local sponsors and its Creativity and Innovation Initiative supported by a gift from FAMU alumnus and Microsoft Chair John W. Thompson and his wife, Sandi. The goal of the event is to spark an entrepreneurial spirit in the community and empower youth.
“The University’s and the School of Business and Industry’s
commitment to teaching and service is more evident than ever through
sponsorship of this effort. Bringing Lemonade Day to Tallahassee, as the
state’s first city to do so, demonstrates the foresight, innovation, and
commitment to excellence by our leadership,” said LaTanya White, professor of
entrepreneurship and management in SBI, who serves as the city director and a
key organizer of the event.
Local businesses are working with White to offer “safe
stands” for lemonade sales across the Big Bend area. According to White, the
goal is to open at least 100 lemonade stands for business on Saturday and
engage at least 1,000 youth. Prior to Saturday’s event, student participants
will have completed 14 entrepreneurial lessons and fun activities that provide
business skills training.
Lemonade Day is a free and experiential learning program that teaches
youth how to start, own, and operate their own business – a lemonade stand. It
began in Houston, Texas in 2007. Since then it has grown from 2,700 kids to
800,000 kids in cities across North America. Lemonade Day was founded by
Michael Holthouse, best known in the business world as founder and president of
Paranet, Inc., an Inc. Magazine “Entrepreneur of the Year” and a two-time “Inc.
500 Fastest Growing Company” winner.