Keyla Lamb and Tavia Gatewood serve lemonade to Sandra Cisneros and Donnie Childers.

Ledger Staff Writer

Lemonade stands were once a rite of passage for young children enjoying their summer break.

The old-fashioned lemonade sale made a comeback last week at Alma Elementary.

Inspired by reading Stuart J. Murphy’s “Lemonade for Sale” story, second graders set up their own lemonade stands by classroom doors during lunch last week. Students have taken turns eating lunch and serving lemonade to students for only 10 cents a cup.

The two classes sold nearly 100 small cups of lemonade Tuesday. All proceeds from the lemonade sale will go to the March of Dimes WalkAmerica.

“Everybody has loved it. We have even had some maintenance employees come by and buy lemonade. A few customers have chosen to give quarters and told our students to keep the change as a donation,” district literacy coach Kim Camp said. “This has been a good lesson for our students. They are learning how to count money and the difference between a consumer and producer.”

The process of mixing the lemonade is helping second graders observe science concepts like what happens when a solid is changed into a liquid. Teachers have also used lemonade to introduce students to simple economic ideas like goods and services, counting and graphing.

Second graders have written their own advertisements for the lemonade sale.

A sign on one class’s lemonade stand carries a simple message for customers: “Lemonade for sale. Ring bell for service.”