Walter Douglas Elementary School had its own version of a gem, mineral and fossil show this week to raise money for a class trip.
Fourth-graders ran a "Rock Shop" earlier this week at Walter Douglas and sold amethyst and quartz clusters, fossils, mood rings, wooden flutes, shoe charms, suede pouches filled with polished rocks, and other jewelry and rocks.
Items sold for 5 cents to $16.
The amethyst and quartz clusters were some of the shop's more expensive merchandise.
"Their price depends on their weight and height," fourth-grader Fernanda Lujan said.
The three-day "Rock Shop" operation also was a chance for the students to pick up sales skills and techniques.
"You learn math by adding up the product prices," Wesley Kavathas, 10, explained.
People are also reading…
Products were provided by Nature's Treasures, a local business, and a percentage of sales from the shop will be donated to the school so fourth-graders can travel to the Grand Canyon in early May.
"This helps alleviate some of that financial burden," fourth-grade teacher Jaime Diaz said.
Tax donations and other fundraising events also cover expenses for the three-day trip. Families are expected to pay for a small portion of the extended field trip.
Fernanda, 9, couldn't wait to staff the shop.
"The 'Rock Shop' has been here since I can remember and now I get to help run it," she said.
Walter Douglas, which is at 3302 N. Flowing Wells Road and is in the Flowing Wells Unified School District, has hosted rock shops for seven years now to raise funds.
The merchandise sells itself, Fernanda said.
"I like to sell a lot, especially the mood rings," she said.
Mary Thorn, 9, enjoys taking on the role of saleswoman.
"You get to see all the stuff for sale and we get to sell it to everybody in the school," she said.
Most of the fourth-graders have never seen the Grand Canyon in person and are anxious for their trip to arrive.
"I'm really looking forward to seeing all that nature," Fernanda said.
Continued on next page
Continued from previous page
Contact reporter Andrea Rivera at arivera@azstarnet.com or 807-8430.
