Trep$ market a big success at Sparta Middle School

BY AMY SHEWCHUK
SPARTA — People arrived in droves to the Sparta Middle School's Annual Trep$ Marketplace on Tuesday night.
Students sold a variety of items from homemade beverages and snacks to handmade jewelry, dog treats, bath products, tye-dyed items, cologne and perfume, artificial paper flowers and many other creative and innovative products.
The program, which is fully funded by the PTO, highlights a product and a business model that the children work through with a series of 5 workshops. The students start with their idea and then go through a process of troubleshooting, how to market and advertise the product, and assessing overhead costs versus profit. Children get “loans” from parents or family members to create and market their products. They then pay back the loans and keep the profits.
The name "Trep$" derives from entrepreneur, and there are independently financed Trep$ programs at several area schools. The original Trep$ program was started at Paradise Knolls school in West Milford in 2007 by a teacher named Pam DeWall.
Brad Davis, assistant principal of SMS, has organized and overseen the program at SMS for the past 5 years with the help of Mrs. Jackson, Mrs. Ptasznik, Mr. Pergola and Mr. Jacobson. “It’s basically taking the concept from creation to fruition,” Davis said.
“This event gets a little bigger and more elaborate each year," Davis said. "The kids work really hard at their businesses and that hard work pays off. The businesses this year went above and beyond and their professionalism and pride made the night a huge success.”
“Trep$ is a great experience for students to go through a whole business model. The program inspires creativity and teaches them real-life skills,” said Michael Gregory, principal of Sparta Middle School.
Helen Morgan School will have their annual Trep$ Market on April 10 and 11, at Sparta Middle School.