On Saturday, Oklahoma City’s downtown district buzzed with the energy of young entrepreneurs. The Future Makers Youth Market, organized by local mentor Jabee Williams, gave students in grades four through twelve a chance to set up booths, sell their creations, and practice the fundamentals of running a business.
Kids become CEOs for a day
“We have students in Oklahoma City from grades four through twelve who are business owners, entrepreneurs and artists,” Williams said, emphasizing the event’s goal of nurturing the next generation of innovators. Participants displayed everything from handmade crafts and artwork to homemade snacks and tech‑savvy inventions.
One of the youngest vendors, Luke Brown, proudly explained his motivation: “I just like that I get to do this, and I make money off of doing it.” His comment captured the excitement that many of the 30‑plus young sellers felt as they counted cash and handed out receipts to supportive neighbors.
Mentorship and community support
Williams, a longtime advocate for youth entrepreneurship, sees the market as more than a one‑day fair. “My thing is always. And it’s not about I like you can be better than me. You can be greater than. You can do more than what I’ve got. So I just want to help propel some of these, you know, these young people,” she explained. The event also featured brief workshops on budgeting, marketing, and customer service, delivered by local business owners who volunteered their time.
Future Makers plans to build on this momentum with another market slated for the spring, giving students a recurring platform to test ideas, refine their pitches, and build confidence.
Why youth entrepreneurship matters
Teaching entrepreneurship at a young age aligns with Oklahoma’s broader effort to strengthen the state’s economy through small‑business development. By exposing children to the realities of supply‑and‑demand, profit margins, and customer interaction, the program helps cultivate a generation that values hard work, personal responsibility, and creative problem‑solving—principles that echo the community’s traditional family values.
Parents and teachers in attendance praised the market for providing a safe, supportive environment where kids could learn from both successes and setbacks. “It’s wonderful to see our children taking initiative and learning the value of a dollar,” said one parent, noting that the experience also sparked conversations at home about budgeting and goal‑setting.
Looking ahead
Williams hopes the market will become an annual fixture, expanding to include more participants and perhaps partnering with local schools for credit‑earning opportunities. “When we invest in our youth, we invest in the future of Oklahoma City,” she said.
The Future Makers Youth Market demonstrates how community‑driven initiatives can empower young people, reinforce family‑centered values, and contribute to a thriving local economy.
Original reporting: Oklahoma City News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
