Junior high students start their own eco-friendly company

"BAAM" is enthusiastically promoting its eco-friendly products, and hopes to add more to the line up in the coming weeks.

Entrepreneurship and professionalism are two hallmarks of the eighth-grade STEM class at Manchester Junior/Senior High School.

The class is guided by teacher Joe Walsh, but the business that is resulting from the class is definitely a student-led enterprise. Trent Line, the CEO of BAAM (Bamboo Accessories And More), Tommy Johnson, Marketing Director, and Quality Control director Skylar, spoke with the Mirror last week to share their enthusiasm for the products they have chosen to promote and sell.

"The first and biggest project was to start a company we could all be part of," explains Trent. "We brainstormed, and came up with the idea of eco-friendly bamboo products. We chose officers, and we are moving forward with our business plan.

The selection of environmentally safe and sustainable bamboo products seemed like a great fit for the class. "It seems like it's trending right now, and definitely we could all be more eco-friendly in our daily lives," says Tommy. "Right now we are stocking and selling water bottles, tumblers, coffee mugs, plates, and straws. We're also working on making jewelry — bracelets, necklaces and rings."

The bamboo products are in stock and ready for orders, which can be customized. The jewelry is still being made by class members and will be advertised and sold very soon. Follow the company on Instagram, Facebook, or TikTok to find out the latest updates and product availability.

With this year's block scheduling and a five-day class week, the students have an hour and 40 minutes two or three times a week to work on their projects, brainstorm new ideas, check for and process orders, and talk about what they need to get done next.

"We try to get as much done as we can in a day, and the block scheduling has been helpful for that," Skylar says. "There's not so much stop-and-go to our process, and we can get quite a bit done each class period."

As the person who's in charge of quality control, Skylar also monitors the engraving and personalization on all of the business products. "I want to make our products the best quality they can be," she says. "We scan a logo into photoshop so we can put it on a water bottle, tumbler, or mug. I do a lot of that in class."

Tommy shared that the marketing is primarily via social media but they will also have a shelf at the River Raisin Distillery to display their products to a wider audience within the community.

Walsh explains that while he is fronting the class for the products, he's "just the investor," and all profits after he is repaid go directly back to the students. Part of the learning in class is about investing and they are partnering with the local Edward Jones office to give them an understanding of investing and make sure that they invest in the markets to help their money grow.

"I feel really lucky because a lot of schools don't offer this kind of class especially at our age," Trent says. "It has helped us to foster some great connections, teaches us to run a business, and manage money.

"And if the investing goes well, it's a good way for us to help pay for college."

To find out more about the products offered by BAAM, check their website at www.baambamboo.org. And place your order soon! Sales are already going well.

The 8th grade STEM class taught by Mr. Joe Walsh.

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by Marsha Chartrand

Marsha Johnson Chartrand, a founder, writer, and copy editor with the Manchester Mirror, is a 50-year resident of Manchester. She has a long history of volunteer and community involvement.