“Kid” Entrepreneurs to Set Up Stands Across New Jersey on Lemonade Day

The Center for Urban Entrepreneurship & Economic Development (CUEED) of Rutgers Business School is sponsoring Lemonade Day in three locations in New Jersey in June to provide hands-on business experience for youth ages 5 to 18.

Lemonade Day is a national organization designed to teach children entrepreneurial skills through starting, owning, and operating their own business, a lemonade stand. Children throughout the country attend hands on entrepreneurial and life skills training side by side with an adult mentor and then, one day each year, put into practice the entrepreneurial skills they’ve learned by operating their own lemonade stand.

Last year, over 150,000 children from 36 cities participated in the Lemonade Day event. The national organization recently formed a partnership with Google for Entrepreneurs and, as a result of this partnership, it’s expected that over one million children from 100 cities will be participating in Lemonade Day in the coming years.

“We are proud that so many young children will be exposed to the principles of entrepreneurship through their participation in Lemonade Day,” said Kay Ashby, Lemonade Day Director for the local area, and Program Director for the Scholars Training and Enrichment Program (STEP) at CUEED.

“Children come away from Lemonade Day with skills that will help them achieve success throughout their lives,” said Ashby. “They also gain confidence and a sense of pride –’I’m an entrepreneur, I’m a business owner!'”

From the money the children earn, Ashby said they are encouraged to spend a little, save a little, and share a little by donating to a local charity.

“The next generation of entrepreneurs, business executives, and community leaders will be out there selling lemonade and gaining valuable lessons,” said Ashby. “Get the word out to family, friends, colleagues, business associates, community groups, church members, and others to stop by the sites where the lemonade stands will be located.”

For more information on Lemonade Day, please visit www.lemonadeday.org, or contact Kay Ashby atkashby@business.rutgers.edu, or tel. 973-353-3696.