K-5th Grade

Each spring, ASPIRA Academy comes alive during the University of Delaware’s Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship (CEEE) Mini-Society Market Week, an immersive experience, sponsored by the Delaware Council on Economic Education with generous support from M&T Bank, where third-grade students become business owners and the entire school becomes their marketplace. Desks transform into storefronts, product pitches echo through classrooms, and student consumers line up to purchase hand-crafted pillows, bracelets, painted rocks, and even spa services. The tradition brings learning to life and unites the school community around a shared celebration of creativity, economics, and collaboration. Leading this energetic experience is third-grade teacher Jennifer Wahl, who has run the Mini-Society program in her classroom for the past eight years. She calls it her “absolute favorite unit of the school year.” Her dedication has made the program a signature part of the third-grade experience at ASPIRA, and a much-anticipated highlight for students and staff alike. Click to read more