Tooth Fairy Time Youth Business Fair Winners
We had 2 winners who made the most sales during our annual Youth Business Fair and now their business is highlighted below!
2026 Winners
Congratulations to Kiko & Kika
Congratulations to Bryanna’s Crafty Nook
My name is Bryanna Barnes. I am 13 years old and going into 8th grade. I am homeschooled and I also attend Agape Christian Homeschool Co-op. I enjoy crocheting, drawing, painting, all types of artwork and crafts, ballet, tap, and listening to audiobooks. I am also part of the Girls Ministries at my church, and I am on a BB gun team.
When I was 8 years old my Grammie taught me how to crochet square and circle washcloths. When I was in 6th grade, I took a Fiber Arts class at my co-op, where I learned to crochet stuffies, which I really enjoyed doing. I went online and found many free patterns for stuffies. When I make a new stuffie, I like to make multiple of them because I get better and faster at making that particular stuffie. My mom and I realized that I had a LOT of crocheted stuffies in our house, and I could not keep all of them, plus I needed to figure out a way to support my hobby. My mom and I had heard about a Children’s business fair that was held in Mechanicsburg, and I decided to enter it in 2025. This way I could sell my stuffies, and make money to buy new supplies. At this fair, I had to pay an entrance fee by myself and of course I had to do all of my own work. There were prizes that were handed out for three different categories. I did not win any in 2025, but I really wanted to win a prize, so I decided to work on my presentation of my business. I wanted to buy wooden crates to display my products, so I knew that I needed to work and make the money to cover the cost. I did house cleaning for my Grammie and was able to buy them. In 2026, I entered 2 fairs, and took a class on entrepreneurship at my co-op and was able to sell my products there as well. With the addition of the crates, my display looked so good, but I did not win a prize at the fair in Mechanicsburg. However, I heard about the Tooth Fairy Time Children’s Business Fair, and decided to enter it! It was only one month after my last fair, so I had a lot of work ahead of me. My mom helped me to come up with a crochet schedule, so that I would have plenty of products to sell. I had so much fun selling my products at the fair and was so happy to be one of the top sellers. It has encouraged me to keep crocheting and build my new business.
My schoolwork and other extracurricular activities are important and come before my business. However, I have figured out when I have “down time” and can crochet, in between my activities.
The people that have supported me along the way include my Mom and Dad, my Grammie, my sister, and the many friends and customers that have purchased my crocheted items. My Mom takes me shopping for my supplies, helps me to manage my time, and supports me at all of the fairs that I have participated in.
My advice for other young people who are considering starting their own business is to keep coming up with new ideas or designs for their products and test it out to see if it will sell well or not. Try selling your product at multiple fairs to see if it will sell well, because the type of customers and what they want to buy may vary at each place. Keep practicing making your product look better so that it will sell well.
The things that keep me motivated and passionate about my business are finding new cute patterns that I would like to try and crochet. I really enjoy crocheting and sharing it with others.
2025 Winners
Congratulations to Janie & Ellie Creations
Janie and Ellie Scribner are two talented young artists and entrepreneurs who turned their creative hobbies into a small business. Janie is 13 years old and a 7th grader at Crossroads Middle School. She enjoys running track, drawing, and designing handmade earrings. Ellie is 15 years old and a 9th grader at Red Land High School. Her creative interests include crocheting, painting, drawing, and playing the piano.
Inspired by seeing other young creators selling their handmade products at craft fairs on social media, Ellie began crocheting in 2021 and decided she wanted to build a business of her own. She invited her mom and sister to join in, combining their talents to sell a variety of handmade goods at local fairs and markets. One of the first big steps was researching and signing up for events in the area. Over time, Janie and Ellie learned from experience, improving their displays, product offerings, and business strategies.
One of the biggest challenges they faced was figuring out which products would sell best. Some items they expected to be popular didn’t perform as well, and sales often varied based on the location and timing of events. They overcame this by adjusting their inventory based on what they learned from previous events. Another challenge was managing their time—balancing school and other responsibilities with creating inventory. They found that using weekends, summers, and school breaks helped them stay productive without becoming overwhelmed.
Their mom has been a huge support system along the way, helping with event planning and making sure they were prepared. This allowed Janie and Ellie to focus on doing what they love—creating.
Their advice to other young entrepreneurs? Make sure to plan ahead and be prepared for all the moving pieces involved in running a business. Having a strong support system of family and friends also makes a big difference.
What keeps them motivated is setting goals for themselves, creating checklists, and having something to work toward. Above all, their passion for their art fuels them to keep creating, learning, and growing.
Congratulations to Kammy’s Korner & Kairo’s Kave
Kamryn and Kairo are a dynamic sibling duo turning creativity and inspiration into thriving small businesses at a young age. Kamryn—who goes by Kammy—is entering 7th grade at Swatara Middle School and is the founder of Kammy’s Korner. She’s a passionate artist who enjoys crocheting, painting, jewelry-making, henna art, and more. Her journey began at age 8, inspired by her mom’s own entrepreneurial success. From that moment, Kammy knew she wanted to create a business of her own—and within a year, she did just that.
Her younger sister, Kairo, is only 5 years old and heading into 1st grade at Tri-Community Elementary School. She launched Kairo’s Kave after seeing her “sissy” Kammy start her business. She wanted to make and sell things she enjoyed, and with the help of her mom, sister, and GiGi, Kairo got her business off the ground too.
For Kammy, jewelry was a natural product choice—she’s always loved how it can elevate any outfit and never goes out of style. She started with a name, brainstormed what she loved to make, and brought her vision to life. Kairo took a similar approach: she began by creating things that made her happy, and now she shares that joy with others.
Both Kammy and Kairo credit their family as their biggest source of support. Their mom helps manage challenges behind the scenes, which allows them to focus on their crafts. Kammy balances her business with school by working on the weekends, while Kairo brings boundless energy and excitement to everything she does.
Their advice for other young entrepreneurs? Kammy says, “Never give up. You will face challenges and doubters, but keep believing in yourself.” Kairo adds, “It’s never too early to start.” Together, they show that with passion, support, and creativity, anything is possible—no matter your age.
Kammy dreams of growing her brand into a well-known business one day, and Kairo stays motivated by having fun and making money. With strong imaginations, big goals, and the support of their family, Kammy’s Korner and Kairo’s Kave are just getting started.
2024 Winners
Congratulations to Crochet by Alex
Alex Earley is a 10th-grade student at Mechanicsburg Area Senior High School, turning 16 in December. Passionate about both music and art, Alex participates in various activities including musicals, piano, voice lessons, tap, and contemporary dance. Alex is also skilled in painting, sculpting, drawing, and crocheting.
About a year ago, Alex began crocheting during a boring summer, starting with simple rows of stitches. Over time, this hobby evolved into creating fun and cute stuffed animals. The quality of Alex’s projects has significantly improved, becoming more elaborate and well-crafted.
To fund a school trip to Disneyworld last November, Alex decided to sell crocheted creations. Through weeks and months of hard work, Alex managed to raise over $400. The business was named something simple and recognizable.
Throughout this journey, Alex faced challenges such as having enough money to buy yarn before making sales and predicting which products would be popular. Despite these hurdles, the quality of Alex’s work improved with tighter stitches and more elaborate patterns.
Alex’s parents have been a major support system. Alex’s mom helps with product ideas and purchasing materials, while Alex’s dad assists with the business side, including financial management. Kelly Smith was a mentor for Alex when she first started learning how to crochet. She taught Alex how to read patterns and how crochet a magic circle which is used a lot in patterns.
Alex advises other young entrepreneurs to persevere and stay positive, emphasizing the importance of trusting the process and having faith in oneself. While fulfilling orders can sometimes be boring, Alex finds pride in completed projects and keeps the passion alive by discovering new and fun patterns to create, from giant corgis to ice cream cows.
Congratulations to Stringin with Illy
Iliana Santiago, an 11-year-old student entering the 6th grade at Central Dauphin Middle School, is a passionate young entrepreneur with a love for creativity and the outdoors. Growing up with three dogs and a little sister, Iliana enjoys spending her days playing outside, reading in the sunshine, and exploring nature. She has a strong interest in horses and dreams of learning how to ride one day. A dedicated soccer player for CASA, Iliana has been playing the sport since she was little and enjoys every aspect of the game.
Balancing her business with other responsibilities, Iliana manages her time wisely, keeping organized with her orders, supplies, and production schedule. With the support of her mom, she continues to thrive in her venture.
For other young entrepreneurs, Iliana’s advice is simple: “Just do it.” Her motivation comes from the excitement of seeing her creations worn by happy customers, a source of joy and fulfillment that keeps her passionate about her business.
