This story was originally published in the Winter 2025 edition of School Ties Magazine.
May 1, 2025
The quad of SMUS’s Richmond Road campus hummed with energy on the Saturday of Alumni Weekend 2025. Amid pancake breakfasts, alumni reunions, and sports fixtures, one of the true highlights was the student-led marketplace that was organized and operated by the Grade 10 Business and Entrepreneurship class. Each year, the marketplace serves as the culminating project for the course—the moment when theory meets practice.
Once referred to as the ‘International Market,’ the tented area in the Quad was a place where boarding students sold treats and goods from their home countries. Long-serving staff member Evelyn Zapantis oversaw the initiative to involve students in the weekend, and it quickly became a favourite stop for alumni eager to connect with current students.The marketplace was always a buzz of activity and a highlight for alumni who relished in a chance to engage with current students. When Evelyn retired from her role, she left big shoes (and tents) to fill. As a school, we knew that the marketplace needed to continue and it needed to honour the spirit of what many worked so hard to create.
At the same time that the refreshed marketplace committee was googling “How to run a marketplace 101” for Alumni Weekend 2022, teacher Graham Lilly was developing his Grade 10 Business and Entrepreneurship curriculum. The six-week course traditionally ended with students launching their ventures at a local market, applying what they had learned about pricing, demand, project management, and product development. A serendipitous conversation with Mr. Lilly brought the two efforts together, shifting the class showcase to a marketplace much closer to home—right outside their classroom.
Towards the middle of term, students realized there was room for more business under the tents and had the idea to open the market up to other SMUS community members including alumni, staff and faculty to participate as vendors. The plan was to charge a small fee to each vendor to set up their tables and sell their own products. It was suggested that rather than paying a fee, outside vendors could donate a portion of their earnings to the SMUS Annual Fund. The class decided to focus on redirecting to the Financial Aid part of the Annual Fund. Financial Aid was important to the students as this is an annual fundraising priority that makes SMUS education possible for deserving students who may otherwise lack the means to attend.
Most of the students were not aware of this need and were surprised to hear that 20% of the current student body were receiving some level of financial support. This inspired the class to commit to donating 20% of all proceeds from the marketplace to Financial Aid. This gesture demonstrated that the students were not only learning about business, they were embodying the school’s values of service, leadership, and community, adding to the overall purpose of this student -led initiative.
Fast forward to 2025, the current teachers of this Business and Entrepreneur class, who also happen to be alumni – Sarah Beeston ’89 and David Heffernan ’06 – have been planning and preparing their students already for the 2026 Alumni Weekend Student Marketplace. They have literally framed their curriculum around this event, facilitating this hands-on ‘real world’ opportunity as preparation for post-secondary studies and/or career paths. It is the culmination of a term’s worth of creativity, collaboration, and purpose.
Teacher David Heffernan ’06 - "Through this project, students discover the power that entrepreneurship has to bring their own business ideas to life. They design and run real businesses, adapt and improve them along the way, and finish by sharing their success with the SMUS community on Alumni Day by donating some of their profits to the school’s financial aid fund."
Teacher Sarah Beeston ‘89 – “What I think I love most about the students' businesses is watching them work in their groups, share ideas and their excitement and try to figure out together the best way to execute their business plans. For me, I love to just be the observant guide on the side and let the experience itself be the teacher.”
Early in the coming new year, Sarah and David will get the ball rolling by assigning an Executive Team of student leaders in the class to manage operations. This leadership opportunity makes it possible for students to elevate their experience and support their fellow classmates through every aspect of their business development and execution.
“Helping organize the Alumni Weekend Marketplace showed me how much students can accomplish when we work together. It was incredibly rewarding to see our ideas come to life and contribute something meaningful to our school community.” - Saanvi Katireddy, 2024 Executive Team
More Than a Sale
Beyond the transactional dynamics of buying and selling, the Marketplace serves as a bridge between generations of the SMUS community. Alumni walking the quad can chat with Grade 10 students, ask about their ventures, and share stories of their own student days. Student vendors gain meaningful experience in entrepreneurship, customer engagement, and social impact. It has become less about the money raised and more about the mindset shift. Students move from being recipients of learning to being producers of value. Alumni don’t just walk by. They stop, ask questions, buy something, and often share a memory of their own. It enriches the entire Alumni Weekend event.
As we look forward to Alumni Weekend 2026, we are hoping to build upon the momentum of this special component. Its success suggests this student-led component will continue to evolve and grow bigger and better in future years. When participating students come back as alumni for their class reunions, perhaps they can visit the Marketplace and say with pride, ‘I remember when I was a part of that’…and maybe even pay it forward with a purchase!
