MORENCI — On Saturday, May 17, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Wakefield Park will come alive with the energy of the Morenci Area School Farmers Market — a unique, student-led event highlighting entrepreneurship, creativity, and community collaboration.
This is the third year that Morenci science teacher Grace Gierucki has led the Small Business Farmers Market class for middle school and high school students at Morenci. She started the class both to give students valuable experience and to fill a community need.
In the first semester, students learned about business and entrepreneurship by developing business plans for hypothetical food trucks. They learned the ins and outs of marketing, product development, and business strategy.
That experience laid the groundwork for the second semester, when students began working on the farmers market, dealing with everything from vendor coordination and product pricing to advertising and logistics.
The market will feature a variety of student-run booths alongside local community vendors, offering everything from fresh produce, handmade crafts, and baked goods to a wide selection of local specialties. Returning vendors include:
- R & W Nursery, selling locally grown planters and hanging baskets.
- Detroit Mini Donuts.
- Hillard’s Freeze-Dried Candy.
- Makayla’s Farm Fresh Eggs.
- Tara Gentry, selling fresh bread, dessert items, and homemade jams.
“This event is more than just a market,” Gierucki said. “It’s a celebration of student learning and a meaningful way to connect our schools with the wider community.”