WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — A local group that aims to teach children financial literacy is getting ready for their kickoff party.

Leah Bishop and Laura McKechnie joined our noon show Thursday, February 22, to talk about Lemonade Day‘s kickoff party happening Thursday, March 2, at 5:30 p.m. at Sikes Lake Center.

Lemonade Day for Wichita Falls this year is Sunday, April 23.

Carney Porter: Well, welcome back. Well, joining me now is Leah Bishop and Laura McKechnie, who are telling us all about Lemonade Day’s kickoff party. Thank you so much for being here. So tell us a little bit about Lemonade Day for those who may not know.

Leah Bishop: So Lemonade Day is an excellent free program that teaches our youth financial literacy and how to own and operate their own business, which is the lemonade stand.

Carney Porter: That’s awesome. How how would you do that? Is it more hands on or do we take, like, know a book approach? How do all those kids learn that?

Leah Bishop: So really, it’ll be both. We have a free workbook that each kid will be provided and then they get to work through this lesson by lesson and they can then build and operate their own lemonade stand themselves.

Carney Porter: That sounds like a good time. And I know this isn’t the first time y’all have done this. What have the kids who have been a part of it prior, what have they gotten out of it or what have you seen the payout been for that, be for them literally and figuratively?

Laura McKechnie: Well, it’s really wonderful because they get to keep all the profits of their stand. So it teaches them what to do with money once they’ve earned it so they can spend, save and share. They can spend on something they want and they want to work towards. They can share with a nonprofit of their choice and then save for the future. So getting to see how their minds work and what they choose to do, what percentage of their profits go to what is really interesting.

Carney Porter: I know I remember my first time as a kid realizing, Hey, I can actually save this and it might be my best interest to save. It really gets you through the ins and outs of what it means to earn a buck and what you want to do with it later with the payout is for you later. So what is the kickoff party going to be like whenever that’s coming up? Gosh, next week.

Leah Bishop: Yes. So our kickoff party is going to be March 2nd at 5:30 at MSU Sikes Lake Center. And the kids will get to come. They’ll get their free workbooks, t shirts, They’ll be able to ask questions and really get all the information that they need for lemonade.

Carney Porter: Well, it sounds like a good time and a great way for your kids to have fun and learn a lesson or two. You won’t want to miss it. Thank you so much for being here, ladies. We appreciate it.