Students are reliving childhood memories by organizing lemonade stands on campus. Five groups of students set up one-day stands this week and will continue next with hopes of earning more money for charity than other teams.

The students are all in the business administration entrepreneurship seminar, BUS AD 292. Groups were given a $75 budget and expected to complete a business proposal for their stand.

“It seems like a simple little thing to do a lemonade stand,” Judi Eyles, professor of the one-credit seminar said. “But it still takes thought and a plan.”

Eyles was inspired to do this project after seeing a similar activity done on “The Apprentice.”

“I think it’s cool that we can give back to the community through a learning community,” said Erin Fleming, sophomore in event management and peer mentor for the course.

The “Team For the Kids” stand had the earliest date. The group set up from 11 a.m.  to 3 p.m. April 8 in the free speech zone outside of Parks Library. The team was led by Paul Sladovnik, senior in chemical engineering and peer mentor for the seminar.

This team formed a partnership with Dance Marathon and all of the proceeds will benefit the organization.

They also partnered with the Cupcake Emporium to have cupcakes available for sale along with the lemonade. The business donated all cupcakes at materials cost.

Romina Rivadeneira, junior in computer engineering and member of the Dance Marathon PR committee, helped promote the stand by holding a sign and encouraging students to purchase. Members of Dance Marathon performed the 2014 morale dance at 12:15 p.m. by the stand.

Dance Marathon hopes to raise $1 million by the next event to complete their “mission to a million.”

Rivadeneira said that it is a big goal, but the kids at Children’s Miracle Network deserve “that and more.”

Sladovnik said that many patrons bought “charity cupcakes,” a pay-it-forward approach. They paid for cupcakes so that when others come to the stand without any money, they were still able to get a cupcake.

“It just makes them smile,” Sladovnik said.

Wil Galarza, a peer mentor for the learning community and grad student in education is the leader for team “Cymonade,” whose profits will support the Ames Animal Shelter.

He said that there is a lot of competition and some trash talking between teams, but “it’s all in good fun.”

Team Cymonade chose a date next week to avoid competition from the vendors that would have been on campus for Veishea.

The team called “The Lemonade Stand” led by Jared Beymer, a junior in management information systems and peer mentor for the learning community, planned their stand for April 11 by Friley Hall with the intention of catching customers on their way back from the bars on Welch Avenue. 

After a group emergency meeting on Wednesday night because of the cancellation of Veishea, the group changed their plans.

Beymer said that he learned from having to make the change.

“Nothing’s guaranteed,” said Beymer. “Always have a backup plan.”

They received donations of snack food from Hy-vee to sell with the lemonade. “Our timing was our secret weapon,” he said.

Students are learning to deal with barriers and uncontrollable factors that change how a business runs.

“It might be people, it might be riots,” Eyles said. “You can’t just walk away and say ‘oh, that didn’t work.’”

Galarza said that philanthropy, humility and paying success forward are important in business, and that this project is an opportunity for students to learn the importance of giving back.

“It can change the way someone’s day is going,” Sladovnik said. “Which is really what it’s about in the end.”