Haven't signed into your Scholastic account before?
Teachers, not yet a subscriber?
Subscribers receive access to the website and print magazine.
You are being redirecting to Scholastic's authentication page...
Announcements & Tutorials
Explore our NEW Text Set: Celebrating Black History and Voices!
How Students and Families Can Log In
1 min.
Setting Up Student View
Sharing Articles with Your Students
2 min.
Interactive Activities
4 min.
Sharing Videos with Students
Using Scholastic News with Educational Apps
5 min.
Join Our Facebook Group!
Exploring the Archives
Powerful Differentiation Tools
3 min.
Planning With the Pacing Guide
Subscriber Only Resources
Access this article and hundreds more like it with a subscription to Scholastic News magazine.
Mustafa Hussain/AP Images for Scholastic Inc. (Hayli Martenez); Shutterstock.com (background, lemonade)
Article Options
Presentation View
I Helped Create a Law!
Hayli Martenez, 13, changed how some kids do business.
Shutterstock.com
In 2017, I set up a lemonade stand outside my home in Kankakee, Illinois. I was 9 and I thought it would be a way to save up for college. I didn’t know it would change my life!
My business, Haylibug Lemonadez, was a success. The local newspaper even wrote a story about it. Then in 2019, local officials told me to shut down my stand. They said I didn’t have a permit. That’s official permission to do something.
I didn’t think it was fair to stop a kid from selling lemonade on her front lawn, but I stopped.
Courtesy Office of Patrick Joyce
Sitting with Senator Joyce, Hayli spoke to lawmakers last year.
Speaking Up
My story inspired a county official to act. He wrote a bill, or a plan for a law. It would protect the right of kids to run lemonade stands. Illinois State Senator Patrick Joyce saw the bill and he liked it.
Senator Joyce invited me to speak to lawmakers at the state capitol last March. I was excited. But I was so nervous! Then I remembered I was there to stand up for boys and girls.
My speech worked! The law passed, and it was named after me. On January 1, 2022, Hayli’s Law officially went into effect. It says kids under 16 don’t need a permit to run a lemonade stand.
I made history! And I’ll keep selling my lemonade. I hope my story encourages other kids. Don’t let anyone stop your dreams!