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Hard work leads to success at TF South’s Holiday Bazaar

by Melanie Jongsma
Photos and captions by TF South senior Miles Brazan-Harmon, yearbook copy editor

LANSING, Ill. (December 18, 2019) – On Thursday, December 5, TF South’s business group—353 Rebels Inc.—hosted their tenth annual Holiday Bazaar. The Bazaar creates shopping opportunities for community members as well as business experience for TF South students

From left: TF South students Jaelen Stewart, Jaiden El-Edam, Garland Gantt, Bryce Currin, Ben Bradley, and Jamarion Catchings posed prior to opening up their Holiday Bazaar for the school day. “I learned how to use a cash register and count money” said Currin. (Photo: Miles Brazan-Harmon)

“We always want to have a business opportunity for the students to practice those job skills,” explained Jennifer Gross, the Life Skills teacher who coordinates the Bazaar each year. “The Bazaar is very popular. People beg for us to have it every year.”

Student Bryce Currin agreed, expressing appreciation for the opportunity to learn how to use a cash register and interact with people professionally.

All the products sold during the Bazaar were handcrafted by the students with the aid of teachers. “The plankwood was bought at the lumber store, and then when it came here we sanded it, stained it, we painted it…. They did all of that stuff,” said Jennifer Gross, Special Education teacher at TF South. (Photo: Miles Brazan-Harmon)

It takes approximately two months to create all the product that is sold at the Holiday Bazaar, and anything that doesn’t sell is saved for the following year’s clearance table. Any food that doesn’t sell during the day is donated to TF South Maintenance staff.

The business name, 353 Rebels Inc., is a nod to the room number of Miss Gross’s Life Skills class. Each year the class decides on a local charity to donate $353 of their profits to, and the rest of the profit is invested in business growth. “That’s why it’s gotten bigger every year,” said Gross.

TF South High School is located at 18500 Burnham Avenue in Lansing, Illinois.

Melanie Jongsma
Melanie Jongsma
Melanie Jongsma grew up in Lansing, Illinois, and believes The Lansing Journal has an important role to play in building community through trustworthy information.