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SPS student starts small business as fundraiser

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A seventh grader at Hickory Hills Middle School is getting entrepreneurial to help raise funds for a school trip to Washington, D.C., in March 2017. 

Nyah Claybaker, with help from her mother, Christy, started Nyah’s Naturals to sell natural body products, such as therapeutic body scrub and bath salts, according to a news release.

Nyla and Christy, a licensed massage therapist, formed the idea for Nyah’s Naturals after her father, Curtis Claybaker, was laid off from his job and knew it would be difficult to pay for a Springfield Public Schools’ trip with only one household income. Claybaker was employed with Watts Water Technologies from April 1998 to July of this year, according to his LinkedIn profile. Christy also works as community engagement coordinator at Ozarks Food Harvest, according to LinkedIn.

“We knew we’d need to get creative considering the recent changes to our cash flow,” Christy said in the release. “Having had a little bit of experience in business ownership, I thought this would be a great way to begin teaching Nyah at a young age how to set financial goals and be in control of achieving them.”

Nyah’s Naturals had its business debut on Small Business Saturday with products carried during Honkytonk Clothing Co.’s second annual Sip’N’Shop event. With other inventory posted for sale on Christy’s website, ChristyClaybaker.com, Nyah has raised about $200 of her $1,000 goal.

“I’ve always enjoyed making concoctions and experiments,” Nyah said in the release. “When I was little, I used to make play dough and slime and lip gloss, among other stuff. So, when mom and I were thinking of ways to raise funds for my trip, body care products seemed like a good idea and would go good with mom’s massage business.”

The Claybakers also plan to give a portion of profits to the Turtle Island Restoration Network, a national nonprofit Nyah selected for its support of sea turtle and marine life rescue and conservation.

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