Fourth-grade entrepreneurs ignite new fashion trend at SLO elementary school
A new fashion trend is taking one San Luis Obispo school by storm thanks to the savvy business skills of two local fourth-graders.
Teach Elementary students Jackson Judge and Jackson Houser launched their business — The Drip Bros — last year as part of the school’s annual mini-mall, an event that allows fourth-graders to develop a business model and sell real products to their fifth- and sixth-grade classmates.
Inspired by their favorite athletes, Judge and Houser decided they would sell custom “drip” necklaces crafted in the style of those worn by notable baseball players around the country.
“Drip” is a slang term for something stylish or fashionable. Stores like Dick’s Sporting Goods sell “baseball drip,” which includes sunglasses, gloves and necklaces similar to those sold by The Drip Bros.
But what began as a school assignment grew into something bigger after the two quickly sold out their inventory at the mini-mall, resulting in $365 in sales, according to the boys.
The entire fourth-grade class decided to donate the proceeds from the mini-mall to the American Cancer Society, according to the boys’ teacher, Angie Whitaker.
Since the event in December, the dynamic fourth-grade duo has continued to pursue their business dreams — and the boys are carrying on with the same philanthropic vision that Teach instilled.
Who are SLO’s young business aficionados?
Judge and Houser have been best friends since preschool, they told The Tribune.
They grew up not only in the same classes, but also playing on the same baseball, football and basketball teams.
Playing sports is what helps them get out of the house to be active and social — and they believe everyone should have that opportunity, they said.
“You’re just not sitting on a couch playing Fortnite all day,” Judge told The Tribune, getting a laugh from his mom, Amanda Judge.
Houser told The Tribune he believes sports are important to help young people stay in shape and be entertained. They also provide a sense of competition and give people something to talk about, he added.
These beliefs not only inspired their business, but also the organization they chose to donate a portion of their profits to: Keen USA.
According to its website, Keen USA’s mission is to “empower youth with disabilities and impact volunteer coaches through participation in free, non-competitive, one-on-one programs of physical activity and fun, supporting the overall health and well-being of all participants.”
The nonprofit organization works to ensure that youth with disabilities have equal opportunities for recreation, fitness and friendship. It also advocates for disability awareness and supports families.
Keen receives 5% of The Drip Bros’ profits, Judge and Houser said.
“We play sports, and those kids want to play sports too,” Judge told The Tribune. “So we thought that we should donate to Keen USA because those kids want to play sports just like us.”
How does the business work?
The Drip Bros necklaces can be customized with removable charms and colors that represent a customer’s favorite team or jersey number.
Some of the items, like the green and gold “Mustang Drip” or the blue and white “Victory Drip” were designed by the boys themselves. The Drip Bros’ website shows 14 different pre-made designs to choose from, in addition to gold number pendants that can be added to any necklace.
But customers can also submit custom orders with specific color preferences, Judge told The Tribune. He said the business intends to start choosing one custom order each month to become a staple product.
The necklaces are manufactured overseas, Amanda Judge said.
Each necklace on the website is listed for $14.99, while the pendants are $9.99.
Right now, the necklaces can be purchased online at the website, but the duo is also working to expand the reach of their business.
They hope to set up their new “drip stand” to sell products at farmers markets, children’s craft fairs or sports events, Amanda Judge said.
“We hope it goes big,” said Judge of the business.
Teach Elementary helps students get business experience
The Drip Bros originated from a tradition at Teach Elementary that dates back over a decade, Whitaker told The Tribune.
The annual mini-mall event challenges fourth-graders to get familiar with business operations and market trends at an early age. Each year, students pair up to develop their own product ideas and then return to school with prototypes, Whitaker said.
Their classmates ultimately vote on whether or not they would buy the products.
“It’s super heartbreaking, but like ... kids won’t buy it, so then they have to go home and think of a new prototype,” Whitaker said.
After that, the students develop flyers, jingles and commercial advertisements, Whitaker said. The students work on their businesses for about a month until the mini-mall, when the fifth- and sixth-graders can buy the products.
The event usually takes place around the holidays, Whitaker said, giving students the chance to find gifts for their family members.
This year, Judge and Houser sold out of their merchandise within about 15 minutes — which was even more impressive because they had one of the highest price points, Whitaker added. Now, students at Teach can be seen regularly wearing merch from The Drip Bros.
Whitaker said she doesn’t know if any other students have continued their businesses beyond the mini-mall event besides Judge and Houser, but added that she likes how motivated students get about their businesses.
“They get super excited to send to a charity, and then the Jacksons in particular, I think, are just super excited to continue theirs on as a business, something that was started for fun,” Whitaker said. “They get to be like little entrepreneurs, so they love it.”
This story was originally published May 28, 2025 at 5:00 AM.
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