While shopping is a favorite pastime for many, students in Robert Foshee’s economics class had the opportunity to practice consumerism from the other side of the checkout counter. On April 3, the entrepreneurs in training sold their perfected products to peers, experiencing their studies in a new way.

As they gathered in the Ground Zero courtyard, students hawked and sold their goods to buyers. While the flow of sale continued, students rushed to meet the demand for their products.

“Besides being fun for everyone, the students were able to notice that well-prepared products were more successful than those which were passed off,” Foshee said. “This they can relate to school assignments and the workforce later on. They got to experience what retail is really like.”

Ani Paparigian, ’09, and her partner, Zack Marsh, ’08, sold organic soap on a rope.

“I thought more people would have bought my product but I learned that I had to know my product’s target audience and be informative about it and personal to the people I was selling it to,” Paparigian said. “The people who bought my product were the ones that I had to persuade to buy. If I would have done it differently I would have put a toy inside the soap instead of just a herb.”

With old favorites like the boys’ soccer calendar, products ranged from ice cream and brownies to picture frames and motivational posters. One particular sucessful product was the Papa T-shirts.

“The most clever product this year was the Face Swap because I’ve never seen it done before, and it was funny to see student’s faces being put on teacher’s bodies,” Nick Methgen, ’10, said. “I always enjoy the Entrepreneur Fair because there is always someone who comes up with a revolutionary new idea.”

Foshee began the event seven years ago as a way to make student’s learning in the classroom tangible by combing disciplines such as math, research gathering, problem solving, critical thinking and public speaking.

“The real goal of the fair was for the students to understand why their products sold or didn’t sold, especially if they had a surplus or shortage,” Foshee said. “The students also got to experience what a retailer goes through as customers criticize or were unsatisfied with their products.”

As the fair expands and grows, Foshee hopes to have different contests for the economics students such as most profit made or most creative product.

“In addition to the contests, I would like to go to other schools and encourage them to have their own fair,” Foshee said. “Maybe we’ll even have a professor from Fresno State come and judge the products.”