- Ideas on the Page
For Grade 8 HCOS student Lily N., the adventures don’t stop at the archery range. After sharing her accomplishments at the archery range, we’re excited to share Lily’s latest feat: a small business of her own creation that blends her determination and independence into one fun entrepreneurial experience.
By running her own business, Lily has learned how to manage money, stay organized, talk to customers, and see a project through from start to finish. Running a business is hard work, but it’s incredibly rewarding as it helps her fund her archery dreams!
Lily hopes to continue growing her business by continuing to create more designs for Silly Lily’s Pencils and attending more craft fairs. She hopes that by sharing her story she can inspire other kids and show them that you’re never too young to start a business.
- Balancing Books, Business, and Bowstrings
Lily’s business venture began three years ago, inspired by watching her older sister run her own business. This sparked a curiosity and motivation within Lily to earn her own money and create something unique.
From that spark came Silly Lily’s Pencils.
Mostly working from home, Lily carefully puts her personal flair to each pencil product and stamps them using her very own stamping machine. She sells her pencil sets online through her website and in person at craft fairs, markets, and community events.
“I love running my business because it lets me be creative and independent. I get to design pencil sets, make them by hand, talk to customers, and learn what it’s like to run a real business,” Lily shares. “It also feels amazing to know that something I made can make someone smile.”
By running her own business, Lily has learned how to manage money, stay organized, talk to customers, and see a project through from start to finish. Running a business is hard work, but it’s incredibly rewarding as it helps her fund her archery dreams!
Lily hopes to continue growing her business by continuing to create more designs for Silly Lily’s Pencils and attending more craft fairs. She hopes that by sharing her story she can inspire other kids and show them that you’re never too young to start a business.
- Learning Between the Ledgers
Home education through HCOS has played an important role in helping Lily balance school, business, and archery. The flexibility allows her to fit her learning around stamping orders, preparing for markets, and practicing her sport.
“It lets me learn in a way that supports all the things I’m passionate about,” she says.
That balance has given Lily the space to thrive as a student, an athlete, and a leader. With Silly Lily’s Pencils continuing to grow and her archery journey moving forward, Lily is excited to keep creating, learning, and moving forward.
The HCOS community is incredibly proud of you Lily! You are an amazing role model, and we can’t wait to see where your determination brings you next!
Share Your Story
Do you or your child have a story of success to share? We’d love to hear it! Whether you’re excelling in academics, sports, the arts, or something entirely unique, we want to celebrate your achievements.
Share your journey with us by filling out our quick form
Let’s continue celebrating the incredible students of HCOS who are redefining what education can look like.
