O’LEARY – As nice as the money is, budding photographer Katie Campbell is enjoying the exposure that comes with being a Young Millionaire participant.
“I get to show my pictures to the world,” explained the 12 year-old Cascumpec resident.
Campbell said her photos are particularly popular with tourists. Her photos of the West Point Lighthouse are in demand.
The Young Millionaires Program helps participating youth acquire business skills. Once selected, they are required to attend training workshops on things like marketing and money management, customer service and public speaking. Then they are presented with seed money to start or grow their business. Individuals receive $100 and partnerships get $150.
Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency and Innovation P.E.I. funding is funneled through the Central Prince Development Corporation to local organizations administering the program. Resources West administers the program in West Prince. Coordinator Marissa McCarthy is working with 39 participants.
Participants arrange areas to sell their products, and many also take advantage of group selling activities arranged by their coordinator.
Several participants recently participated in a group-selling event during the P.E.I. Potato Blossom Festival, and many of them will be in business during the Prince County Exhibition.
Rylee Lynch, 9, arrived at the Potato Blossom group selling event packing a portable power supply to run her electric smoothie-maker, and a cooler filled with all of her necessary ingredients. She’s already cleared enough money to realize her summer’s goal: an iPod Touch.
How long will it take to make her first million: “Maybe three to four years. I don’t know, for sure.”
Nicholas A’Hearn, 13, had so much success making and selling beach jewelry last year that he signed up for the program again. He went with a catchier business name, though: Beach to Beach Souvenirs. His business is working even better the second time around.
A’Hearn collects sea glass from P.E.I. beaches and turns it into earrings, chains and broaches.
Other entrepreneurs are earning an income from operating mobile canteens, craft and variety shops, a hardware store, and stands that sell firewood, vegetables, home baking and ice cream. One partnership is making bat and birdhouses.
Chandler Wood, 9, gets his father to cut patterns for making metallic wall hangings like flowers and butterflies. Family camping outings have been good sales venues. He said he would probably buy hockey equipment with his profits.
Martina MacRae, 12, sold jewelry last year but this year she shifted her focus to card-making. She’s hoping to top last year’s total. “More money is always good,” she said.
