POMPANO BEACH, Fla. — Fridays are extra special at Blanche Ely High School. Students aren’t just excited for the weekend — they’re eager for lunchtime.
And it’s not because of what’s on the menu.
In classrooms, math lessons start the day with multiplication, division and problem solving.
But when the bell rings, the school, located at 201 NW Sixth Ave., transforms into something else: a marketplace run by students themselves.
“Friday is our special day!” one student said.
Instead of the usual lunch break, students set up shop in hallways and designated areas, showing off products and services.
“I do lashes!” one student shouted while another proudly displayed a jacket with her own brand on the back.
Principal Tavares Williams said it was students who first asked for the chance to become business owners.
“When I heard the cry from students that they want to be a business owner I said how can I create that space,” Williams said.
From fashion to eyelashes to professional photography services, students are finding ways to turn their ideas into profits.
“Why not get my business out because I’m already going so I can get more customers,” said Wyn, who runs her own eyelash business.
Even transactions reflect the modern marketplace. “I’m doing Zelle, cash app is not working!” another student said.
Darkheartz, a student-created jacket brand, has become a hot commodity.
“They get that sense of having customers, and get the experience of how to sell their products,” another student said.
Students say the experience teaches them more than how to make a sale.
“Team work, time management, and how to be creative,” said Alicia Alexander.
The school has also set clear guidelines for what it calls the “Tiger-Preneur Community Club.”
A flyer obtained by Local 10 News lays out the rules:
Students may only sell during approved days and lunch, not before or after school or between classes.
Items must be school-appropriate, safe, and pre-approved by a sponsor. Food and drinks are prohibited, as are counterfeit or misleading products.
The flyer also emphasizes professionalism: students are expected to display prices clearly, give correct change, respect hallways and emergency exits, and clean up their spaces before leaving.
Williams said the marketplace has helped improve attendance on Fridays and taught valuable lessons that don’t come from a textbook.
“This actually started as an initiative to increase our attendance on Friday and come up with a way to think about how we might encourage and engage kids to get up and come to school,” he said.
“We believe that if they are exposed to those opportunities, it shifts their mindsets, pushes them towards something positive, and channels their energy into something constructive,” he added.
Williams said some graduates who once sold their products at the Friday marketplace have since gone on to launch their own LLCs. Others are still applying the skills they learned long after graduation.
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