CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – Is it possible to trade a key chain for a recreational vehicle? For a group of teens working at Bahama Bucks, they believe it is very possible.
Eight high school students have banded together to start an intensive trading project with the hopes of eventually getting an RV.
“We want to break the stigma surrounding young adults that we are all lazy, spoiled and entitled,” they said on their Facebook group page. “We have embarked on a crazy mission to put our creativity and hard work to the test.”
How it’s going
They go by “The A Crew” and have already made five trades toward their goal.
They started with a simple keychain on Nov. 9, and within five minutes of posting the keychain to social media, they traded it for a chicken.
Since then, they have traded the chicken for an eagle statue, the statue for a gemstone globe, and the globe for a Swarovski crystal bear.
The crew had meetings with their boss, Ciera Netherton, who would offer them advice to help with their future careers and life goals. At one of these meetings, Netherton was discussing side hustles with them, and they watched a video where she had given a final trade to a young woman who created the original Trade Me project.
That project drew a lot of attention in May of 2020 when a young woman from San Francisco named Demi Skipper embarked on a journey to trade up a bobby pin all the way to a house. On Dec. 12, 2021, Netherton and her husband traded Skipper a house here in Clarksville.
Why do it?
According to the A Crew, breaking the mold that surrounds young adults in their generation isn’t the only reason they are doing this. They want something that will help to take the financial burden away from their families to support the crew in their next phases of life and to help further education and experience.
All between the ages of 16 and 17, several members of the group have said they are already learning some life lessons and skills through the project.
Hailey Raymond and Emma Johnson, both 17, said that they are learning how to step out of their comfort zone and combat social anxiety. “It’s crippling,” Raymond said. “I’ll get these terrible stomach pains and I can’t move. But this makes it so I have to step out and talk to people.”
“For me, it’s monetary,” said Ryan Goode, 16. “I want to build a future for myself.”
Karlie Seinwill, 16, said she wants to go to college, and be able to help her parents financially doing so.
Angelina Marrero, 16, enjoys bringing the community together.
How to trade with the A Crew
If you are interested in following their journey or have an item you think would be worth a trade, join their group on Facebook.
You can also find them on TikTok and Instagram @tradewiththe_acrew, or you can email them at tradewiththeacrew@gmail.com.