Recapping the 2025 Makers Market and Showcase

Recap of the 2025 Makers Market and Showcase

By Sophie D. ‘26

Cookies that Sofia R. ‘26 sold at her table.

The second annual Makers Market and Showcase, hosted by the CPS Makers Club and supported by the Parents’ Association, took place last Tuesday. The event showcased the talents of more than 20 college prep creators, with products including pickles, watercolor cards, and 3d-printed fidgets.

I talked to Sofia R. ‘26, a co-leader of the CPS Makers Club, to hear about the process of organizing the market, and selling goods at the event herself.

Sophie: Last year was the inaugural year of the Makers Market. What changes did you make between this year and last year? 

Sofia: Both years, the market was hosted in collaboration with the Parents’ Association. Last year, I believe it was a fundraiser, which meant that a minimum of 20% of proceeds went to the PTA. I think going forward, for the student makers, we wanted to make sure that [they] were able to keep the money that they made, as opposed to donating it to the school. So that was something that changed, and I think it was successful.

Also, this year, there weren't faculty or parents selling things—They were just showcasing what they made. I think the idea behind that was that students makers might be intimidated by teachers selling at a professional level next to them, and we didn’t want that to be the case.

Another change was that the timing of this year’s market was in early December as opposed to the middle of November, so it could be holiday themed, and customers could buy gifts.

Sophie: How did the idea for the market originally arise? Did the club leaders come up with it, or the PTA? 

Sofia: I think Phi and Sachin [two other Makers Club co-leaders] had a similar event at their middle school, and they thought it could be cool to bring the idea to CPS. Plus, makers on the PTA were enthusiastic and supportive of the idea. So, I guess it was a joint effort: both groups working together brought the event to life.

Sophie: The next questions are about you as a maker! What did you make? What was it like to sell your products?

Sofia: This year I made cookie boxes! There were six different flavors: malted chocolate marshmallow cookies, frosted gingerbread cookies, stamped citrus shortbread cookies, strawberry linsor cookies, earl gray macarons, and brown butter chocolate chip cookies with toffee.

Sophie: Woah!

Sofia: The idea was that you could assemble your own box. The year before, I made mini cupcakes. I also like other forms of making, but [those other forms] require more time, and I feel like the pricing wouldn’t have felt appropriate, given the amount of time I spend on those items. Like, I wasn’t going to price a scarf I made at 130 dollars—it just didn’t feel appropriate. But I love baking! So that was super fun. I spent a lot of time on the weekend, and the day before, just baking.

Sophie: Final question: Do you have any shout outs for people who showcased or sold their products at the market?

Sofia: Before the makers market, I talked to some sellers about their thoughts, and it was really fun to see them bring those initial ideas to life. Desiree made these mini gingerbread house kits…

Sophie: I got one of those!

Sofia: I thought they were really cute. I thought Kyle’s fidget toys were cool. I also learned that Dean Alegria is a bookbinder, and I was very impressed, because I had no idea that she did that! And, Amanda in the English department is a beautiful oil painter. They’re so multifaceted!

Sophie: Wow! So many talents. Thanks for sharing, Sofia!