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A sweet business plan

Duncombe students raise over $800 selling hot chocolate

Coulter Rasmussen, 8, a third-grader in Shannon Grossnickle's class, found out during a class project just how sweet hot chocolate can taste when caramel, whipped cream and sprinkles are added to the mix.

He also found out how sweet of a feeling it was when the class at Duncombe Elementary School raised over $800 for a good cause.

For the lesson, students in Grossnickle's class were tasked with starting a new business.

"We did a hot chocolate stand," Rasmussen said. "We had to plan what we were going to do. We had to think about our recipe for the hot chocolate stand and we did a mug design."

Students developed a business plan including supplies they designed, a music playlist, an advertising poster and where proceeds would be donated.

Grossnickle said the lesson tied into third grade math and writing standards.

"The students had to write a piece stating why customers should purchase hot chocolate from their stand," Grossnickle said. "They were also able to work on multiplying and dividing within 100. Students answered story problems about their hot chocolate stand."

Students began working on their plans in December.

To conclude the project, the class held a drive-thru hot chocolate stand for families on a recent January day.

"They (students) kept asking about if we were actually going to be able to have a hot chocolate stand and after I talked to Ryan (Flaherty, principal), I came up with the idea of a drive-thru hot chocolate stand here at Duncombe," Grossnickle said.

Gretta Pratt, 8, was one of the students in Rasmussen's group. She helped take orders from families.

Pratt said putting the business plan to action was the best part.

"We got T-shirts so we would match," Pratt said. "It was really cool we got to do the drive-thru."

Rasmussen enjoyed being a greeter during the drive-thru as family vehicles lined up.

"It was fun running inside and running outside," Rasmussen said. "We ran outside to take the order. We were supposed to walk, but I like running. So we ran outside to take the order and went back inside to tell the people who were making the hot chocolate. Then we would take it and go outside and give it to the people."

The class also sold brownies and chocolate bars.

Rasmussen said those were good money makers.

Principal Ryan Flaherty helped get the project off to a good start. Rasmussen said Flaherty donated $100.

"The money we raised altogether was $826," Rasmussen said. "My dad bought a brownie and a hot chocolate with whipped cream, sprinkles and caramel. And it taste good because the caramel made it taste better."

Many of the parents were generous tippers, Rasumssen found out.

"A lot of people gave us tips," he said. "That's probably why we got like 800 dollars."

Rasmussen said he learned, "Some projects can be very fun and some are not."

For this particular project, things seemed to fall into place quite well for Rasmussen and his class.

"I knew it was going to be fun at the start because hot chocolate is fun to make and it tastes really good," Rasmussen said. "When I tasted it with caramel, whipped cream, sprinkles and marshmallows, it tasted way better. And I don't really like hard brownies. I only like the soft part of the brownie, and the brownie that I had was very soft."

Money raised from the project will go toward supporting Dodger Academy, a safe after-school program that supports working families, while emphasizing improvement of reading and math skills and encouraging student success.