The event featured a full day of interactive classes, presentations and a large student project showcase in the MSU Dome. Education Day has become a signature event connecting K-12 students with educators, industry professionals and community partners.

“This happens to be the 25th annual Education Day here at Minot State, which is pretty cool,” Robert Heitkamp, executive director of Marketplace for Kids, said. “It’s also our 31st year as a continuously running program.”

Marketplace for Kids has expanded significantly across North Dakota, hosting 14 Education Day events this year and reaching between 5,000 and 6,000 registered students statewide.

Including presenters, volunteers and chaperones, total attendance at events can exceed 10,000 people annually, Heitkamp said.

Wendy Harper/MDN Tom Lambrecht of AE2S, left, Tom Leshovsky of Wold Engineering and Jason Main of Ackerman Surveying instruct students in land surveying and mapping at Education Day presented by Marketplace for Kids, Tuesday, Jan. 6, at Minot State University.

Education Day at Minot State offered students five rotating class sessions led by professionals from state agencies, higher education, skilled trades, emergency services and local businesses. Classes ranged from financial literacy and entrepreneurship to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), public safety, energy, workforce readiness and the arts.

Financial education sessions included courses such as “Does Money Grow on Trees?” and “Lessons About Money,” along with North Dakota Jump$tart classes focused on earning, saving, spending and investing. Career-focused offerings introduced students to fields such as law enforcement, land surveying, electrical work, emergency medical services and railroad safety.

STEM and technology sessions allowed students to explore engineering, energy and circuitry, while creative and civic-focused classes included acting fundamentals, folding the American flag and discussions on breaking through traditional career roles. Class sizes were capped based on room capacity to allow direct interaction between students and presenters.

“We work closely with local chambers of commerce, economic development groups and industry leaders to see what the community actually needs,” Heitkamp said. “Then we bring those professionals in to teach kids about what’s happening right here in their own backyard.”

Student entrepreneurship was highlighted in the Dome, where original projects and business ideas were displayed for the public, judges and volunteers. Participating schools in the project showcase included Central Elementary at Tioga, Stanley Elementary, and Perkett Elementary and Edison Elementary, both Minot.

Robert Heitkamp

Projects ranged from service-based businesses such as lawn care, babysitting and pet services to inventions addressing safety, organization, assistive technology and everyday problem solving. Students were required to explain how their ideas worked, estimate costs, discuss pricing and identify potential markets.

“Students are already taking the first steps toward building a business at 10 or 12 years old,” Heitkamp said. “They have to explain their idea, what it costs to make and how they would sell it. That’s real-world learning.”

Marketplace for Kids has also expanded programming to underserved communities, including events at Native American schools in Fort Totten, Fort Yates and Belcourt, with additional locations in development.

Education Day also serves as an outreach opportunity for Minot State, bringing hundreds of prospective students to campus in a single day.

“We bring in about 1,000 prospective students to the college in one day,” Heitkamp said. “That gives the university a chance to show what it offers while students get comfortable navigating campus.”

To measure impact, Marketplace for Kids recently introduced pre- and post-class surveys to assess student learning.

“The numbers are blowing us away,” Heitkamp said. “In some classes, we’re seeing a 300 to 1,000 percent increase in self-reported knowledge in a single day.”

Heitkamp said long-standing partnerships with schools, universities, volunteers and community organizations have helped sustain the program for more than three decades.

“We’ve been here a long time,” he said. “Keeping these partnerships strong is what keeps the program going.”