Area Homeschoolers Host "Kidpreneur" Market

Kelsey Arrington

Sidney Sun-Telegraph

Honing entrepreneurial skills while helping shoppers celebrate the holiday season, local homeschooled kids presented stocking stuffers and their hand-made wares to downtown Sidney on Thursday, December 5th, 2024. On-site for the event were holiday wreaths, baked goods, crocheted items, dog apparel, and a scientific experiment resulting in "puff paint".

Amanda Fehringer was proud to show off her business, Creekbend Dairy. She spends her time working with cattle to source all sorts of products, "Living on a farm with six siblings and cattle, we work together to tend the herd," Fehringer comments, "Working with the cows is easy. They're simple beings, they make me smile."

Vendors were scattered about Boss City Brewing to offer a melange of holiday gifts; a "one-stop shop" for Christmas for area shoppers.

Originally catering to the idea of an entrepreneurship class as part of the local Homeschool Co-op, Jill Sauder had the concept of combining young ideas with inklings for business to life. Now on their second official market, the class is on their way towards solidifying their businesses in Cheyenne County, having first vended to the community last Spring. All involved are hoping to make these markets regular events.

Homeschooled children make up 2.5 million of the United States student population, according to nheri.org, homeschooling is growing about 8% per annum. Roughly 6% of school-aged children are currently homeschooled. 

Homeschooling is defined as a parent-home-based organization that is now seen as more mainstream, especially in the United States, where it is the fastest-growing form of education. Demographically speaking, homeschoolers offer a wide diversity of educational means. Whether the decision to homeschool is based on sociological, financial, or religious reasons, homeschooling can provide an umbrella of diversity. As of February 2020, over 9 million Americans had embraced homeschooling.

According to the National Home Education Research Institute, common factors for homeschooling include: 

• Customizing or individualizing the curriculum and learning environment for each child;

• Accomplishing more academically than in traditional schools;

• Using pedagogical approaches other than those typical in institutional schools;

• Enhancing family relationships between children and parents and among siblings;

• Providing guided and reasoned social interactions with youthful peers and adults;

• Providing a safer environment for children and youth, because of physical violence, drugs and alcohol, psychological abuse, racism, and improper and unhealthy sexuality associated with institutional schools;

• And as an alternative educational approach when public or private institutional schools are closed due to acute health situations related to disease (e.g., COVID-19, Coronavirus).

Author Bio

Kelsey Arrington, Staff Reporter

Cheyenne County native, local business owner.