By Superintendent Dr. David Leach, Warwick Valley Central School District
Fifth grade Distance Learning Academy (DLA) student Olive Weaver has stayed on top of her classes and in touch with her friends this year by making the most of the Warwick Valley Central School District’s remote learning resources. She was named Student of the Month in April, and said she loves all things science and social studies, adding that she simply cannot get enough on the topic of ancient civilizations!
Olive has also been creative – not to mention ambitious – when it’s come to finding ways to occupy her free time. With encouragement and collaboration from her neighbor (and BFF) Cavan Byrne, who is also a Warwick Middle School Distant Learning Academy (DLA) student, Olive decided to launch a lemonade stand.
She quickly came to appreciate the resources and opportunities that the DLA provided. She said her DLA experience has helped her become more independent in her studies, and said it has been really easy to use the district’s technology to connect with teachers and friends online.
She and Cavan had been carefully quarantining as a next-door-besties pod, so they were able to jump right into handling the day-to-day operations of the lemonade stand together. Their business plan was too good to fail: delicious drinks, from a low to no-contact stand, in an absolutely prime selling location.
“Our houses are right by Deming Park,” said Olive. “So, even with Covid, we knew a lot of people would be out walking around there!”
With hand sanitizer set out for their customers and hand-made signage encouraging pandemic safety, Olive and Cavan provided their neighborhood a safe outdoor spot to pick up a beverage while out on a walk. Happy & Homemade was open for business and the lemonade was a hit!
Clientele grew quickly and so did the menu, with the addition of more cool summer refreshments. That’s when the girls expanded their marketing by placing flyers around the village, a move that made their foot traffic grow even more. By the time summer turned to fall, sales were still heating up, so they added hot cocoa. And then, they took it up yet another level by selling baked goods such as cookies, banana bread and pumpkin bread. The duo also began making cotton masks and designing T-shirts that they sold at the stand.
A portion of the stand’s revenue is being earmarked for Winslow Therapeutic, a local equestrian facility that helps “children and adults with physical, cognitive, and emotional challenges find strength and independence through equine-assisted activities and therapies.”
Each week, Warwick Valley Central School District Superintendent Dr. David Leach shines the “Superintendent’s Spotlight” on one of Warwick Valley’s amazing students. “Superintendent’s Spotlight” features students who reach goals, face challenges, and are role models to their peers.
