BY MICHELLE MILLER
STAFF WRITER

Necklaces, earrings, candy, gum, cookies, babysitting services, beach bags and backpacks were some of the many ideas Cooperstown middle schoolers discussed with local business mentors at a workshop last week.

As part of an innovative after-school educational program for youth called TREP$, students have been asked to develop their own products or services that they will sell at a marketplace on Feb. 6 from 10 a.m. to noon at the middle/high school cafeteria.

The school’s Parent Teacher Organization is offering the program to students in grades six through eight for the first time and according to program chair Carina Franck, about 50 students have been meeting once a week to attend workshops led by parent instructor Rebecca Stone. There is a total of six workshops in the program, which began in early December, said Franck.

Cooperstown is the only school in the area to get involved with the program, according to Franck. She said she learned about the project from a friend who helped start a similar program several years ago at a New Jersey school.

“We feel that the TREP$ program is such an exciting new experience for the kids and the marketplace will be a great learning experience and a lot of fun,” said Franck.

Franck said she believes participation has been great for the first year and expects the program to grow next year. She said students who participate this year will already have a product and will be able to register for the marketplace without having to go to the workshops. They can participate in some or all workshops if they want, but it is not required, she said.

“I am so excited to see what the kids come up with,’’ said Franck during the third workshop where students met with business mentors to go over their marketing plan last week.

Jacob Russell told mentor Angie Erway, who is a member of the Cooperstown Rotary and manager of SEFCU Federal Credit Union, that he plans to gather some of his old clothes and cut them into pieces to stitch together to make beach bags and backpacks to sell at the marketplace.

He said he might also have to go to the Salvation Army to get enough material for his project. Jacob told Erway he not only plans to make posters to promote his bags, but also plans to wear his products around so people will see them as a walking advertisement. Jacob said he thinks his products will sell because they are useful and are hard to purchase without having to travel to places such as New Hartford.

Carson Haney and Kate Preston said they plan to team up for the project, but were unsure what they would sell. They said they are still brainstorming. Hunter Ducey said he plans to make cookies and wants to make a sign for his booth that says, “Hunter’s Sweet Treats.

He said his mom will probably have to help him purchase ingredients and guide him through the process, but he intends to do all the baking himself.

When asked what kind of cookies he would bake, Hunter said all different kinds. However, Erway suggested he narrow his selection so his project would not become too overwhelming. Hunter nodded his head in agreement. Wade Stahl said he plans to create necklaces out of materials given to him by a neighbor as a gift. He said he already has the materials, so he just has to start crafting the necklaces.

Alex Williams said her mom makes her own salves and oils and said she could help her make the products to sell at the marketplace. Alex said the plan is to sell the products in 2 ounce bottles for $5 or in 8 ounce bottles for $8. As Alex held up a sample bottle she said the salves and oils are natural remedies. She said she used one on her stomach and it took away a stomach ache.

Carmon Booan said he likes gum so much that he chews it every day. Carmon said he hopes there are others that like gum as much as he does because he plans to make his own to sell at the marketplace.

He said he couldn’t give away his secret to making gum however.

“I plan to make the packets really colorful so the gum really stands out’said Carmon.

Margie Knight and Sylvia Johnson said they like to get together to make earrings, so that is what they are planning on selling at the marketplace. We are going to call our product MNS earrings to reflect both our names, said Sylvia.

When Sylvia asked mentor Peter Deysenroth, owner of the Connell Dow & Deysenroth Inc. Funeral Home at 82 Chestnut St., for suggestions on how to market their product he suggested using light pastel colors that would appeal to females, their target market. He told them to create a sign that stands out and is easy to read. Perhaps you could put your faces in the holes of the earrings dangling off the sign, suggested Dysenroth.

He also told the girls it might be a good idea to wear a pair of their own earrings at the marketplace.

“You want to think outside the box,ö said Deysenroth.

Mentor Renee Lafond, owner of Little Bo’tique, suggested that students use the Internet to promote items. Facebook, Twitter and group e-mailing are all good, inexpensive ways to promote something, said Lafond. She said getting the word out without having to invest in paid advertising is an added benefit to an entrepreneur.

Lafond said she tries to participate in local radio auctions or use other outlets of getting gift certificates out to the public because if it brings a new customer into her shop that is great, and if the customer never uses it there is no loss.

Other suggestions Lafond gave students was to make the products unique, use eye catching and neat packaging and to be friendly to the customers.

“Customer service is big,’she said. “People remember what kind of service they receive.

They may not buy something that particular day, but will come back if treated well.’ “Word of mouth is the best form of advertising you can get. And the only way to get that is by making sure the customer had a wonderful experience,’added Lafond.

TREP$ was created by Pamela deWaal and Hayley Romano, two certified teachers who reside in West Milford, N.J.

The program began when their then 10-year-old sons decided to go into business together selling hand stamped wrapping paper at an adult vendor night at the school. The boys sold out of their product and shared their success story with their peers.

TREP$ was piloted in the West Milford, N.J. school district at Paradise Knoll School in Oak Ridge and based on the merits of the program, the district’s parent teacher association earned the PTA’s Champion for Children Award for best new program.