School to Career will host three “Get Ready” workshops that will be held after-school. Community mentors will help you learn how to launch your business, explore product offerings, envision your booth design, and determine pricing structure.

The internet is an excellent resource for searching for teen businesses selling hand-made crafts and items at farmer markets, craft bazaars, and festivals and community events.

Try these websites to get started:
http://www.alittlecraftinyourday.com/2013/08/12/teen-crafts-that-arent-stupid/
http://www.momsandcrafters.com/12-cool-crafts-for-teens/
https://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=teen%20crafts
https://www.joann.com/projects/

No. The Teen Market is a unique program that doesn’t require a business license.

No. The markets donate the space to teen vendor participants, so there is no participation fee. In addition, the markets provide tents with weights, set them up and take them down. Appreciation expressed to the market organizers for the selling opportunity and program support is encouraged!

You can partner with other students but not with adults. For example, you cannot sell your parent/guardian’s art at your booth. All partners will need to complete the application, attend the mentoring meetings, and participate in all selected events. If you have a sibling that you want to partner with, at least one sibling needs to be in high school. Please note your partnership on your application.

Students are selected based on their business idea and completed paperwork. Please note that you may have a great idea, but if multiple students have the same idea, the selection committee will bend toward the strength of the paperwork and student letter. Therefore, we encourage you to have a backup plan so you can change course if we have too many duplicate products.

You will complete a form to choose summer dates to commit your availability to sell in person. Then, we will create the summer schedule based on your chosen dates and email it to student vendors and parents to add to their calendars.

• 3-4 booths: Hillsboro Tuesday Night Market
• 2 booths: Aloha Community Farmers’ Market on Thursday evenings
• 1 booth: Downtown Hillsboro Farmers’ Market on Saturday  
• 1 booth: Cedar Mill Farmers Market on Saturday 
• Vendors can also participate in the markets’ online pre-sales “What’s Good” app

One booth can accommodate up to four vendors depending on booth configuration to allow vendors to share table space.

Students in the Hillsboro School District may also have the opportunity to have a booth at the Proud to Be HSD Festival. Unfortunately, we do not participate at the Beaverton Farmers Market because that market excludes craft vendors and is specifically for locally grown food and products. However, we always seek new partners to host Teen Market vendors and welcome invitations from Community Festivals, Bazaars, and other opportunities throughout the year.

The Teen Market program has funding for a few $100 forgivable loans. Each student or team (one per team) can apply for a loan. The money can go towards paying for materials, buying tools, or building your inventory. Loans will be paid back without interest when vendors achieve $100 in sales and will be forgiven if sales don’t reach $100. Monies returned will be available for students next season.

Yes! The Teen Market program is a terrific way to get a jump on your senior year, and business entrepreneurship looks great on resumes!