Kids Help Kids By Selling Their Crafts, Donating For Internet

PHOENIXVILLE, PA —The "Together We Can" theme in Phoenixville was taken quite seriously by one Manavon Elementary Phantom who looked for a way to help everyone afford internet for virtual school.

Brianna Emplit and her family had been doing crafts in recent months at home, as they looked for fun things to do, said Claire Emplit, her mom. Among their projects was a flower pen with colorful petals made of duct tape.

"She learned quickly, and then wanted to start her own business," Claire explained. Brianna said she hoped to use the money she'd make to help, but wasn't sure how that would happen at first.

Brianna began fourth grade virtually this year, like most other students in Chester County. She said in fall when classes resumed, it was clear some classmates were struggling.

"In the Zoom classes, some kids were having trouble staying in the class," said Brianna. "Our teachers were asking for help to get internet service for everyone."

The Phoenixville Community Education Foundation's "Together We Can" fund worked to find discounted internet service rates and began gathering donations to pay for those services so every student in the district had access to virtual learning.

Brianna chose to donate her flower pen proceeds to the fund.

"The Together We Can Fund, we thought, would keep the money close to home. Brianna wanted to help kids in her own community," said Claire Emplin.

Brianna's younger brother Nicholas, in second grade at Manavon Elementary, helps make the petals with duct tape.

"He's shy, and enjoys that part. Brianna is the face of the business," said her mother.

The flower pens sell for $3, and they take about an hour each to make. Brother and sister work evenings. Right now, they have orders for 60 pens, with the goal of having them delivered in mid-October, her mother said.

Brianna has been delivering orders in Phoenixville, Spring City, and even Malvern.

Brianna got an unexpected partner in her efforts, maybe a kindred spirit. Tonya Davenport of Phoenixville has her own business, Masks by Tonya and Friends, and she said she "saw Brianna's FB post and wanted to help her effort."

Davenport is giving $1 for every mask she sells to Brianna's donations to "Together We Can."

"When I was 8, I was determined to change the world. I was told that’s impossible. 'One person can’t make that much of a difference,'" said Davenport.

She said she determined to "work every day to positively affect even just one person. One person a day. And eventually, my little corner will be different."

Davenport was managing a condominium and was unable to find masks for her team and residents. She needed 400, and decided she'd have to learn to sew.

"Who knew that it would take a pandemic, a team of 65 without masks, and teaching myself how to sew, to make that happen?"

The mother of four credits "a little help from my mom and YouTube" with instructing her in mask-sewing, something she does early in the morning, before her children are up.

Davenport encountered Brianna, and admired "her young entrepreneur ways."

Masks By Tonya sell for $5. A dollar from every mask sale lands in the hands of Claire Emplin, who passes donations from both flower pens and masks on to Together We Can.

Brianna said she especially likes picking out the colors for petals, and delivering the flower pens to people .

"I get to meet a lot new people right in our community," she said.

Her mother added, "She likes the way people come out to meet her, and seeing their reaction when they get their pen. It has been a learning experience."

People are reaching out to ask how she makes the pens, and so Brianna has been showing friends. "I like teaching other people," she said. "I like making people happy."

Davenport posted on social media, "Thank you Brianna for your generosity and setting a great example of how our young people can change the world!"