Polls

Sorry, there are no polls available at the moment.

Polls Archive

Horn High School

14

Test Opponent

7

Nov 13 / Football
Horn High School

2

Test Opponent

1

Nov 12 / Volleyball

Features

Secret Treasures

Student entrepreneurs that have found a way to turn their hobbies and most loved activities into their own personal business.

Nia Townsend, Reporter

November 20, 2024

In recent years small businesses have been gaining much popularity in the public eye. Because of this we have seen many people open their own small business and start selling different items, some being high school students looking for a way to make money while also doing something they love. From baked goods to nails, students have been finding ways to turn their hobbies into money.

Sophomore Jazlyn Foules runs her own baked goods business called Jazzy’s Treats. She sells different baked goods ranging from cakes to cookies. If you would like to buy from her then you can either contact her through her business instagram which is @jazzystreats, or you can go to her website www.jazzystreats.com

“What made me start this business is because of my Nana,” Foules said. “We used to make cookies during Christmas, so she encouraged me to do it as a business, and then my mom is the one who told me to get it started.”

Originally starting off as something small, she gradually started to step into the world of business. In doing so she is finding joy in the aspects of doing something she loves and sharing it with others.

“It used to be a tradition with me and my family.” Foules said. “l would just bake cookies for the family. That’s when it started. I enjoy getting the money, and baking and selling to people who actually do like it. I do see myself having a baking business as a career option. Even though at times it gets hard, in the end if you push through it will be useful, and keep you going.”

Foules is not the only one at John Horn High School with her own baking business.

Junior Ebony Ayiyano has been running her own baked goods, candy, and snacks business since her freshman year. If you are interested in buying from her then you can message her Instagram account @angelicxdollii.

“I want to make people feel happy, and I want to try and further my business and get money,” Ayiyano said. “I am pretty passionate about it. I’m trying to sell every day, and when people are sad that I am not selling on a certain day I feel kind of bad, especially when I sell out.”

Even though she has her own business, she still has to focus on the aspects of high school class. At times it can be difficult making cookies and balancing it with school, but as time has gone on she has found a way to help her stay on top of things.

“I pre-make my cookies on certain days,” Ayiyano said. “Whenever I have a game after school I still have to make cookies, even though I am pretty tired. Every week I have to restock and go buy more supplies for the cookies. Going on the bus, it’s awkward carrying and laying down this big bag and saying sorry, and excuse me. I try to balance my business and school because I don’t want cookies to be my biggest priorities.”

Junior Samatha Alayon does nail designs as her business. Having previously been a hobby of hers, she has been doing nails for four years now.

“During COVID, I had a lot of downtime,” Alayon said. “I decided to learn since my mom always went to the nail salon, and I wanted to do nails for her for cheaper. Ever since then I’ve been really inspired to do nails and stuff like that.”

A once mini hobby now turned into a small business that benefits not only her but those close to her as well.

“I like seeing the smile on people’s faces when they see the works of art on their nails,” Alayon said. “One of the highs is definitely being able to meet your customers and being able to understand the meaning of finance, because there’s a lot of different things that you have to learn when you’re in a business.”

Even though her nail business is not something she foresees herself doing in the future, she still has learned a lot just from being able to do nails for others.

“My advice is that if it’s something that you truly are driven to, then you should definitely do it,” Alayon said, “because you get a lot of benefits. You learn how to become your own manager, and you get to learn a bunch of different things for different careers. If you don’t know what you want to do in the future, having a business can help you figure it out. If you want to have a business or do something in the finance field then starting a business young can help you learn a lot.”

About the Contributor

Nia Townsend, Reporter

Senior Nia Townsend joins her first year in “The Rosette” Newspaper for an opportunity to do something fun for her last year of high school. She is currently involved in Emerging Leaders, Science National Honor Society, and also the Battalion Commander of JROTC. When she isn’t practicing marching or juggling honors, AP, and Dual credit classes, you can find her reading, making bracelets, and baking sweets. Her favorite thing to bake is chocolate chip cookies because they are the superior sweet (just kidding). In her quiet time she enjoys binge watching episodes of Grey’s Anatomy. This year she hopes to make the most out of newspaper and find a home within the staff.

Attention Cadets! : Townsend explains how she grew to love JROTC. Reported by Aniah Ross Senior Nia Townsend has been in JROTC since her freshman year. Her dad encouraged her to sign up even though that was not her original plan. “While my dad and I were at Transition Night he saw the JROTC table in the distance,” Townsend said. “Since my dad was in the military he told me that I should try it out. He walked over to the table and I sort of just didn’t walk away, so I ended up signing up.” Townsend shares that she had plans of being a dancer way before ROTC or the military crossed her mind. “I had thoughts of being a Sweetheart,” Townsend said. “If I wasn’t doing JROTC I would honestly want to be a Sweetheart. Just seeing them on field performing just makes me feel excited, I also love their uniforms, they are so cute.” After knowing her friends were signed up for JROTC, Townsend realized she wouldn’t be without people she didn’t know for her first year in high school. “I wanted to have classes with my friends freshman year,” Townsend said. “Some of my friends had JROTC on their schedules, so I got excited to be able to take a class with them.” Three years into the JROTC program she has learned more than just military basics, she learned life skills and life lessons. “Starting high school I was as quiet as a mouse, very timid, and overall an inside of my shell type of girl,” Townsend said. “As the years go on I learned leadership skills, how to talk in front of a crowd with no problem and how to manage stress and anxiety. Being able to learn these principles helped me grow as a person.” Mastering those leadership skills, Townsend earned the position of captain her junior year. Taking on that role came with its own set of challenges. “I consider myself a perfectionist,” Townsend said. “I like making sure everything is exactly how it should be, and it doesn’t help that I have a little bit of OCD on top of that. Especially since I am in charge of the whole program it takes a lot of principle, organization, and focus to get stuff done.” Over the past two years, the JROTC program gave Townsend an environment where she could become a leader. She successfully became the arm drill captain and created bonds with all of the JROTC members. “The program is super fun and a safe space and a very family friendly environment,” Townsend said. “As I have just gone throughout the years, arm drill is my closest family. All the people in there I can talk to basically about anything, they are always there. Yeah we joke around and there might also be drama that happens which might suck, but at the end of the day we are all still here for each other.”

Secret Treasures

The Rosette Newspaper

Comments (1)