Page-based nonprofit organization Synergy Creatives is organizing the Lake Powell Children and Teen Business Fair on March 11. The event will be held at Page Public Library from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.  

The aim of the event is the encourage entrepreneurship among youth, and organizers invite young people aged 6 to 19 to participate by selling their handmade retail products at the fair.

“Each child has a gift that can profoundly change the world,” said a statement from Synergy Creatives. “They make something with their hands, sell it (safely) to a stranger, and experience the freedom (and responsibility) of spending a little extra money as a reward. We want to encourage them to continue learning to do hard things, be accountable, and, most importantly, find their calling to help them change the world.”

Synergy Creatives founder Yemisi Agbebi said entrepreneurship can give young people a sense of creativity and wonder, and can begin instilling a sense of what their future can be like. 

“Entrepreneurship is an opportunity for them to have that self-confidence to be able to create something that somebody will buy,” she said.

“It doesn’t mean every one of them will be a businessperson, but it gives them a sense of self-confidence, creativity, even self-esteem. It keeps them out of trouble. And it spills over from children to the family. We want to do our program in such a way that even if we work with kids, their families are involved. It’s for the community.”

Entrepreneurship can also prepare young people for leadership. Giving them a platform to experiment, make mistakes and grow under the guidance of established programs can help them become future leaders who feel invested in the communities where they grew up.

The Children and Teen Business Fair one of several upcoming events planned by Synergy Creatives, which was founded in November 2022 by Yemisi and her husband Samson, who have lived in Page since 2006.

Between them, Yemisi and Samson have many years of experience working with youth. Yemisi was a juvenile probation officer with the Coconino County Justice Department and later worked for Arizona Child Protective Service Department. She also spent time teaching on the Navajo Nation. Samson, who holds a master’s degree in cultural anthropology, has worked on the Navajo Nation as an educator since 1998.

“I feel like Page has its own uniqueness, and there are things that we can do to help Page that are unique to Page,” she said. “When we saw a need, we said, ‘Yeah this is something we believe in, and we got it out there and got positive support.”

Even before they started Synergy Creatives, Yemisi and Samson had been running substance abuse awareness programs at schools in Page, Shonto, Kaibeto, Red Lake, Tuba City and other communities.  

“We wanted to do something productive and positive. Instead of using energy telling them ‘no,’ can we provide opportunities for them to have something to do in the community?” Yemisi said. “We tend to focus on the younger ones first because they’re still impressionable, and anything we do for them spills over to their family. Kids will tell their parents when they go home, ‘Somebody spoke at our class today about this.’” 

Last year, they decided to start the nonprofit Synergy Creatives because it would give them an organized platform to reach more people. 

“As an individual, there are things I can’t do by myself. With Synergy, in partnership with other organizations, we can do more,” Yemisi said. 

The stated mission of Synergy is to “educate and empower students, families, schools and communities with the skills to create a safe and healthy society. We provide enrichment projects and training to support students’ success. We fulfill our mission by delivering evidence-based services and events for Page youth and families.”

The organization also aims to “bridge and promote racial understanding and unity among different cultures in our community as part of our efforts.”

Of course, these programs require money, and Synergy is holding a Taste of Africa fundraiser at Ranch House Grill on Feb. 28. The menu consists of traditional Nigerian food, and people are invited to preorder by Feb. 25. They can pick up the food and take it home, or they can hang around Ranch House Grill for a silent auction consisting of gift cards or products donated by local businesses.    

Yemisi’s Nigerian delicacies will also be featured at an event organized by Page Unified School District on Feb. 27 to celebrate cultural diversity and Black History Month. The event will also feature food from Native American, Filipino and other cultures.   

“Black History Month is an opportunity to share what African Americans have done and also to promote multi-culture. It’s an opportunity to talk about how we move forward as a people, as a country, as a community to heal instead of fanning and opening old wounds,” Yemisi said.  

“We want a community where our kids and grandkids can feel like they’re safe without fanning the flame of disunity.  We stand in a place where we promote forgiveness and reconciliation in our communities. This is a platform to bring everyone together.”

Farther down the road, Synergy is also organizing a Women and Girls Workshop and Business Fair at Coconino Community College Page Center on March 29 from 2:30 to 7 p.m.

There will be talks on a wide range of topics, including women’s health, domestic violence and teen dating violence prevention, culture and diversity, substance abuse prevention, STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education for girls, mental health, nutrition and business development training opportunities. 

“There’s so much opportunity now in STEM fields for girls and women,” Yemisi said. “There are so many young girls that have the ability. If they see the potential, they are more committed and work harder because they are not intimidated by thinking, ‘Oh it’s a men’s field.’” 

Synergy is also looking into running a “virtual academy” during the summer, which will allow children to “travel without leaving town” by logging into a series of scheduled online classes.   

“We can do story time, read aloud, we can do drama, music, we can travel, we can do culture,” Yemisi said. “What is culture? Respect, empathy, hard and soft skills, relationships, communication, maybe even cooking. Something fun but virtually.”

With all of these events on Synergy’s agenda, the organization is looking for volunteers to help. 

“We can’t do it alone. We have some people signed up, but we’re always looking for people to volunteer, to be advisors, to join us so we can help our kids. They’re our future, an investment. If we prepare them, I think we’re going to reap the benefits,” she said.

Yemisi said that the City of Page, Mayor Bill Diak and the Page community have been very supportive of her organization’s efforts.

“I’m really encouraged because it’s not easy to do anything new,” she said, adding that when it comes to community programs, the more, the better.

“It’s like soup. When you put all the ingredients together, it smells good. Synergy is a way to bring things together. Each angle. Some kids will like 4-H, some kids will like entrepreneurship, some kids like sports, some kids want to do STEM, whichever way.”

For more information on Synergy Creatives, email synergycreativesinc@gmail.com or call 928-693-5383. For more information on the Lake Powell Children and Teen Business Fair on March 11, contact Synergy Creatives or call Page Public Library at 928-645-4270. Preorder food for the Taste of Africa food tasting and silent auction fundraiser by texting 928-693-5383 by Feb. 25.