This year, Butler Elementary’s annual Mining Town had a new twist; it was held outside for the first time in 11 years, giving students more space and flexibility.

Fourth-grade teacher Parys Lightel, who brought the tradition from Sunrise Elementary, has been involved with it for 17 years. 

“It aligns with our social studies,” she said, explaining students learn modern resort towns once thrived as mining communities. 

 Students develop business plans, set up shops or services, and receive $40 in pretend money to spend. Businesses can reflect past or present-day themes—or a mix of both. Some products this year included bookmarks, origami, snacks and beauty salon items and services.

“We study economics, supply and demand and entrepreneurship and they learn about operating a business,” Lightel said. “They also get to be creative and come up with a business name and signs.”

At the “zoo,” Wyatt Furman charged admission to see stuffed animals. 

“It’s hard to have and operate a business,” he said.

 Elliot Goff was one of the classmates running The Mining Shed, selling homemade figures of Diamond Dan or a Dynamite Dave. 

 “It’s been fun to learn about money and supply and demand; I liked going around shopping too,” he said.

Laughing Comics—Mac Kitterman, Jack Stahl, Ollie Isbell and Kemal Topalovic—saw strong sales.

 “We’ve made $300 so far,” Kemal said. “It’s a good business. Plus, we get to have fun making comics and reading them.”

Jack liked drawing the comics while Ollie wrote “Fish Monkey,” complete with a moral.

 Some students ran services, such as the bank.

 “I liked doing it because everyone comes to the bank each round so, I was busy; it can be stressful,” Braevon Bravo said.

 Anthony Luptak, wearing a homemade banker hat for sun protection, said some students got mixed up. “They spent money they earned, and they didn’t remember it was their businesses’ money, not theirs,” Anthony said.

Lightel knows the activity’s value: “The kids love it and remember it for years. Mining Town really makes an impression on them.” λ