Ty Orton Executive Director/Acting President | Dickinson State University
Ty Orton Executive Director/Acting President | Dickinson State University
The annual “Brand a Stand” competition in Dickinson featured young entrepreneurs Beckett and Harper Crossingham, who created the Blue Hawk Snack Shack, a lemonade stand inspired by Dickinson State University (DSU). The event, organized by the Dickinson Chamber of Commerce, aims to foster business skills and community involvement among local youth by encouraging them to collaborate with area businesses and develop their own lemonade stands.
Beckett Crossingham managed the planning for their stand. He calculated costs, budgeted for supplies, and prepared a business proposal. The proposal was presented to Ty Orton, executive director of the DSU Heritage Foundation. As part of their partnership, half of the earnings from the stand would be donated to the foundation, with DSU HF matching that donation up to a set amount.
“Having a young entrepreneur focus on giving back is a powerful way to educate others about the importance of community involvement,” said Orton. “This business plan demonstrates how a venture can be both profitable and transformative in the lives of others. We’re proud of what he has created and honored that he wants DSU to benefit from his efforts.”
On July 26, Beckett and Harper operated their stand at the DSU Heritage Foundation location. They sold three types of lemonade—Original Blue Hawk Squeeze, Blue Hawk Blitz (blueberry), and Hawk Pride Pink (raspberry)—as well as cookies themed after DSU. The event also included a coloring contest for customers.
The siblings’ project combined fundraising for DSU with school spirit and hands-on learning about entrepreneurship.
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