CINCINNATI — Thousands of Greater Cincinnati elementary students had their wallets at the ready for the 20th Market Madness organized by STEP.
Nine different schools got their first taste of the real-life business world. It all started in their classrooms creating a business plan. Moving to an interviewing process for positions like CEO, CFO, marketing manager and more.
Organizers said business volunteers go into the schools and help students with the resume and application process getting them ready for the big moment at UC's Fifth Third Bank Arena.
"Its really great to have these kids get the opportunity to leave our school, create a product feel successful and get to sell it to other schools here today," fourth grade Amity Elementary School teacher Kristen King said with a smile.
Stress balls, adopt a cloud, magnetic bottle caps and more products filled the arena. Students were split into three groups: buying, selling and marketing and a campus tour.
Executive director with UC's Economics Center Sue Heilmayer said it's never to early to teach these kinds of things.
"The school our program goes into are mainly under served school and we have found that statistically very few students in those schools receive financial education," she shared.
Heilmayer said they always want to set each student up for success in every way possible.
There's no business without a little competition. A big congratulations to the 2024 winners of Market Madness.
Winners list:
- Best Marketing: Kilgor School
- Best Customer Service: Endeavor Elementary
- Most Innovative Product: Evendale Elementary
- People's Choice Award: Amity Elementary
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