On Thurs. Dec. 1, the Government and Economics classes at Cypress Ranch hosted their bi-annual Eco Fair. Senior class sponsor and Economics teacher, Loren Lizmi, and the Government/Eco Team coordinated the much anticipated event. Economics students with posters and advertisements selling their homemade products filled the cafeteria in the morning while Government students had the opportunity to purchase their classmates’ merchandise.

Student-made products ranged from sugar scrub packets to shirts with Cypress Ranch teachers faces plastered on them. Music and chatter erupted from the cafeteria as students ran from table to table to see what prizes their .50 cent tickets could score them. After an hour of shopping, students walked back to class with blue and gold capes, knitted scarfs, sweet treats, and other creative materials.

Seniors Ethan Courtney, Samir Martula, and Will Tolar  brought comedy to their project by making homemade teeth grills.

“We had to mold 50 grills,” Courtney said. “But we ended up selling out and making 200 tickets, so our hard work obviously paid off.”

For two weeks, Economics students have worked to plan, build, and advertise their projects. As part of the assignment, students also had to create a commercial that explained the purpose of their product and why others should buy it. Most commercials were lighthearted with silly characters and descriptions.

Although participating in Eco Fair is a required Economics assignment, the event is a fun way for students to show what they learned throughout the course of their semester Economics class. By selling their homemade products, students are given a hands-on opportunity to understand the transition of money, investment of supplies, and process of making a profit.

“I think [Eco Fair] is a great idea because it helped prepare ourselves for the real life,” Courtney said. “Personally, I learned more about supply and demand.”

At the end of the school year, students are allowed to turn in their receipts from their purchased supplies, the record of successful sales, and other forms to receive money back for their investments. Just like an actual tax return, students have the opportunity to further their knowledge on business deals, while receiving a small amount of revenue from their products. However, due to the in-depth paperwork required for reimbursement, most students simply view Eco Fair as a fun senior year festivity.