Apii Arorangi students were out and about this week preparing for their very own enterprise day. They were out at the supermarket getting some groceries and planning what they would be selling to entice customers.

They were making pancakes, ice blocks, smoothies, plates of food or even pot plants.

And later at school, it was all smiles as the students sold the foods they had made and plants they had grown.

Years 4 and 5 got together as a team to make sure they met their target.

Teacher Terangi Elika says her classes had their own responsibilities and each group had to raise $200. “Now they know how to do their own business.”

Travel Tepai says pancakes are made with flour and sugar, mixed with water, and then mixed together to make sure the mixture is not too thick.

A spoon is then used to pour the mixture on the hot frying pan with oil already in it.

They enjoy making pancakes: it’s easy and tasty, he says.

Principal Mairi Heather says each class had their own target. Each class was divided into five groups and if each class aimed to raise $1000, then each group had to raise $200.

She says if the classes get more than their target then they pass the unit successfully; if it is less than their target then an evaluation on what they did wrong is done.

The great advantage of enterprise day is that these students understand how a business is started and how it is successful and it better prepares them for the future.