JEROMESVILLE — The Hillsdale middle school gymnasium thrummed with the hustle and bustle of a crowded marketplace on Friday when sixth graders hawked their wares for the school’s annual Flea Market.
Homemade and home-modified bracelets, signs, stickers, keychains and more were available for students, teachers and family members to buy for just a few dollars.
The flea market is the culmination of social study teacher Trevor Cline’s economic instruction on profits, losses, producers and consumers that started in the fall.
Friday’s flea market was also a way for students to make a bit of money, Cline said.
“The majority of them, from my experience over the last seven years, they get excited because they know that the money that they make goes to them. So none of the money is used for field trips at the school,” he said.
Sixth grader Reid Coleman, who sold corn hole boards he made with the help of a family friend, said he would either save his money for college or give half of it to Hillsdale CARES, a local organization that provides food for local families.
Another sixth grader, Macy Ritchey, said she also plans to save the money she got from selling bracelets. But her favorite part of the flea market is “making these memories,” she said as she embraced the sixth-grade girls on either side of her.
Hillsdale’s flea market started more than 10 years ago with social studies teacher Kathy Atterholt. When she retired seven years ago, Cline took her position and decided to keep the tradition going, he said.
“It’s a great opportunity for the kids. She did a really good job putting this together and getting it started for all of us,” he said.
Friday’s flea market will be the last in the current Hillsdale Middle School building as students transition to the district’s new K-12 facility for the 2023-2024 school year.
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