Primary school entrepreneurs

Students at a school in Sydney’s east have started a small business, but rather than keeping their profits, these young entrepreneurs of the future are using the money they make to support a teacher at a Thai orphanage.

The Green Gradz hold their weekly board meeting. Source: Supplied

Your typical classroom takes a different form at Montessori East Primary and Pre-School - and so do the lessons.

The Year Six students run an organic vegie co-op business called Green Gradz.

It’s complete with heads of departments, budgets and staffing, except the profits are used to support an orphanage in Thailand to fund a Montessori teacher $340 a month. 

Educational leader Raji Sivapalan said children are sometimes viewed as incapable of doing business.

“But when we give them the opportunity, they actually rise to the occasion and show us they can and we need to give them the opportunity and experience,” Ms Sivapalan said.

The students order fruit and vegetables from a local supplier every fortnight.

Other students and teachers help the Green Gradz package the fruit. (Supplied.) Source: Supplied

The fresh produce is delivered on Wednesday morning and with the help of their peers, they package 30 boxes before 3pm for pickup.

The business’s target for six months was $1944 but at the halfway mark, had already made $1241.

Isabella May, 11, works as the head of communications, in charge of emailing customers and confirming how many orders are made every fortnight.

“If one of us isn’t here on the day of packaging, it definitely makes things stressful,” she said.

“If someone isn’t here it could affect one person, who could affect another person so you definitely have to be on top of your job.”

Each year a new group of students start the program.

“At the beginning, they would blame each other for something that went wrong saying, ‘you did it,’ or, ‘it’s your fault’,” Ms Sivapalan said.

The veggie co-op is arranged every fortnight. (Supplied.) Source: Supplied

“After six months we can see a little shift in that attitude where they now say, ‘I want to say something and it’s nobody’s fault but this happened so what can we do about it for next time?’”.

Banjo, Year 6 student and packing supervisor, said each person gets a checklist to ensure sorting and packing the produce runs smoothly on the day.

“It’s quite stressful sometimes so I just have to try and stay calm and think of calm thoughts,” he said.

“Doing that I think I’ve learned about team work and how to be a good leader.”

School principal Bill Conway said after discovering $340 a month was needed to support a teacher in Thailand, the business made it their goal to make sure they reached that target.

For Isabella, it’s “definitely much more than just a business”.

“It’s great to know that you’re doing it with pleasure and you’re still helping someone by doing this.

“It’s a service, it’s a community and it’s something that we all enjoy, and it is challenging but it’s all for a good thing that will definitely help people.”

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