ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It starts with a lemon, and then some liquid gold.
And tea-brewing teen queens Stevie and Stephanie Fitzpatrick of Fitzpatrick Sweet Tea are ready to sell.
What You Need To Know
On The Town at the Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival
Saturday, Feb. 14, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Carter G. Woodson African American Museum of Florida, 2240 9th Ave. S., St Pete
Free collard green plants, entertainment, marketplace, music, healthy collard recipes, line-dancing class to Motown, soul music
The 13-year-olds sisters are prepping for the Tampa Bay Collard Green Festival, with a program for young entrepreneurs.
“We needed to figure out a way that our youth in this community who have businesses can benefit from this foot traffic,” said festival co-founder Samantha Harris.
The Fitzpatrick 8th graders are in their second year at the festival’s young business owner’s program.
“I enjoy doing this because I get to meet new people and I get to experience different things,” said Stevie Fitpatrick.
The St. Pete duo are completing a four-week online course studying topics like customer service and budgets. They earned food-safety handling certificates and got a stipend.
The twins encourage other young people thinking of starting a business.
“You could do anything you put your mind to, you just have to have the right mindset, and plan everything out, and budget,” Stephanie Fitzpatrick said.
Also look for an official taste tester — like a younger brother maybe?
The girls have 8-year-old Steve Fitzpatrick.
“This is the best sweet tea I ever tasted in my life,” said Steve Fitzpatrick, after taking one sip.
Future head of Marketing for this tea (sweet and unsweet)? Yes!