A Rockford student-led pop-up shop is returning this year.
Auburn High School’s Business Academy Studio Art program, also called BASA, is once again giving students the opportunity to sell their creations. BASA teaches students how to become entrepreneurs.
Jason Judd is an art teacher at the school. He said there are fewer creations compared to last year, but the innovation of each piece is more involved.
“So maybe instead of just a heat press vinyl on a shirt,” he said, “now it's dyed shirts with embroidery cut apart and then hand sewn together to be fitted.”
Judd said some past students have moved on to do bigger things. Monserratt Roman is one of them.
“She got accepted into two things, first, NIU [Northern Illinois University], but secondly, a program called PLC [Pensole Lewis College], which partners with Nike. So, over the summer, right after the pop-up shop, she got all expenses paid to go to Detroit to work.”
She is now Nike certified in color and material design.
The Rockford Art Deli is hosting this event for the second time.
“Jared, who's the owner of RAD,” Judd added, “and I have talked about, how can we partner more than just doing the pop-up shop once a year? Can we do some internships, right?”
The pop-up shop will take place from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Friday May 16 at the Deli.