Local Students Share Million-Dollar Idea With Warren Buffet

It’s not everyday that you get to meet billionaire Warren Buffet, but three students – Aiden Farren, Joel Perez and Logan Etienne – from Hornets Nest Elementary get the chance when they present their project “Helping Fields” at the Secret Millionaire’s Club Grow Your Own Business Challenge national competition today, May 19.

The third-graders’ project creates a school garden that provides healthy options to classmates who don’t have enough food to eat on weekends. In addition to helping grow food for kids in the community, people can sign up and pay a small fee to join and use the community garden. The money covers the cost of tools and supplies that are needed for the garden. What a great combination of creating a resource to serve the community in more than one way. By providing neighbors with garden plots for a small fee, they are able to grow their own vegetables, and it generates enough money to help kids who have a need for healthy food (or just something to eat) each weekend. Brilliant  … and Buffet took notice.

The students present their plan to Buffett and a panel of judges at the national competition. More than 4,000 students from across the country submitted business plans to the Grow Your Own Business Challenge, and only five individuals and three teams are finalists. Judges will select an individual winner as well as a winning team. Individual winners receive $5,000 and each winning team member will receive $5,000. 

Check out some of the Secret Millionaire’s Club webisodes designed to help teach kids financial literacy and tips on how to build a business.