When a business launches, people usually envision an illuminated, flashing “OPEN” sign that welcomes customers into the building. In the world of COVID-19, however, this sign is sometimes replaced with a cardboard box and a letter of thanks.

Over the summer, several LHS students have developed their hobbies into businesses.

Freshman Logan Howard, for example, established a swim lesson business in June. For three days a week, she carried out one-on-one lessons in her backyard pool for children ages 1-9.

 “I started teaching [my cousins] how to swim and thought that other kids probably [wanted] to learn how to swim this summer because a lot of the swim clubs and pools [were] closed,” Howard explained.

The swim lessons included a half-hour lesson and an optional half-hour of play time in the pool for a higher cost.

Howard, a varsity athlete on the LHS swim team, described swimming as an important part of her life since first grade. Utilizing her passion for this activity, she aided young swimmers with new skills, such as their freestyle stroke or floating on their backs.

One first grader in particular contributed to Howard’s feelings of accomplishment as a swim teacher.

“When we first started, he would not get in the water. Then, when I finally got him in the water, he would not leave the stairs. Then, he would not leave the shallow end. But by the time we were done, he could swim from the deep end to the shallow end all by himself,” Howard recalled.

Although she closed up shop a week before school began in August, Howard hopes to continue the business next summer.

 In addition, senior Katie Nemuras formed Katie’s Tye Dye Shop in mid-April, through an Instagram account, @katiestiedyeshop. While many LHS students sold used clothing on social media during quarantine, Nemuras’s account differed because she offered new tye-dye pull-overs, hoodies and t-shirts. 

Nemuras said she loves arts and crafts. After she designed a tie-dye shirt for herself, friends encouraged her to sell them on social media.

“During quarantine, I feel like everyone was really down in the dumps, really unsure,” Nemuras said. “It was mostly just a way to spread happiness and make something fun.”

With sales of more than 50 tie-dye products locally and in other states such as Texas, Tennessee, and Georgia, her business has developed a large demand.

Nemuras selected tie-dye shirts because she appreciates the design, colors and personalization of the popular trend. By communicating through Instagram’s direct messaging system, she receives and delivers custom orders. The most sought-after colors are blue, pink and purple, she said.

Akina Gunawan is a senior who has utilized her artistic talents to become an entrepreneur.  Under the business AkiLeyFelt, she started marketing felt creations on Etsy during the summer before her freshman year, after discovering felting at a friend’s house.

Gunawan explained that when she stabs the material with a three-hook needle, “the wool gets harder. I keep poking at it until it takes the form that I want. And you can use your hands to refine the details.”

Due to COVID, she leveraged the opportunity to put her side hobby more front and center.  As a result, she earned more sales than any previous year.

Pre-existing online businesses like hers have thrived this year.  According to CNBC, Etsy’s CEO stated that non-mask sales increased by 79% just in April alone.

Gunawan maintains a map of the states where her customers reside and has added five more during COVID, culminating in a total of 32 states.

 Furthermore, she expressed appreciation for Etsy reviews: “My shop has 78 5-star reviews. They are generally good

just because I put in so much time into the packaging and trying to make it personal for those people.”

Although her most popular orders are the octopus plushie keychains, she also fulfills custom orders, such as Baby Yoda or Pokémon characters.  Her felt creations can require from one to more than five hours to produce.

Over the years, she has adapted to this role as an entrepreneur.

“The process is very tedious at the beginning and it was something very new to me,” Gunawan commented. “I learned that it takes a lot of independence but also very good communication skills.”

During the pandemic, many LHS students have also opted to take a more recreational approach by starting new hobbies instead of launching businesses.

For example, junior Wils Warren picked up frisbee golf over the summer, playing about four times a week with his friends.  Since Warren is on the LHS tennis team and the season was cancelled last spring, frisbee golf counteracted his boredom during quarantine.

“I like that it’s different than what I’ve normally played all my life, like tennis and other sports.  It’s fun throwing [a disc] really far,” Warren said.

Due to its convenient location, the Adler Park nine-hole course, he conveyed, also contributed to his interest in frisbee golf.

Frisbee golf enabled him to spend time with friends in a safe, outdoor and socially distant way during the pandemic.

“It definitely saved my social life. They’re all LHS students that go and we go early on in the morning and on certain weekends,” Warren said.

By keeping score, Warren and his friends compete against each other and attempt to challenge the par. They use a variety of discs for different situations, including fairways, drivers and putters. 

Warren explained that he has improved his score over the summer and watches technique videos to learn different grips and walk-ups.

LHS’s Ultimate Frisbee Club has changed to a Frisbee Golf Club this year due to COVID regulations, said the club’s advisor, Bill Reichert, via email.  Warren said he is definitely interested in joining the club if it works with his schedule.