Third grade students at Anderson Mill Elementary School combined economics and civics into a single project that raised $434 for the Children’s Craniofacial Association last month.

As part of the school’s International Baccalaureate program, the third grade students developed and operated their own stores where students sold their own products to classmates.

“Scholars did research about supply and demand and had to make products to sell to other scholars,” Principal Trana Allen said. “After the sales, the students voted on which nonprofit to donate their funds to. It was an awesome experience watching scholars solicit customers for products such as pet rocks and homemade stress balls. It was extra rewarding to see all the money go to helping kids in need.”

Students were required to research topics on enterprise and commerce. They were also required to make budgets for their project and determine the processes for production, sales and marketing for their product.

Anderson Mill is a part of the IB Primary Years Programme, a curriculum framework that focuses on development of the whole child through rigorous, critical thinking and problem solving course work that develop from transdisciplinary themes of global significance.

The Children’s Craniofacial Association is a national nonprofit that address the medical, financial, psychosocial, emotional and educational concerns relating to craniofacial conditions.