Twice as nICE
Nonprofit shaved ice stand promotes financial literacy, college for its employees
Red wild cherry-flavored syrup trickling down over a large cup of shaved ice is a chilly treat to beat the heat.
The sweet indulgence is doing its part to keep Plaza District visitors cool and refreshed — but there’s more this summer.
The icy treats are part of the twofold mission of the new nonprofit Sasquatch Shaved Ice stand at 1700 NW 16.
Opened in June by Whitley and Ranya O’Connor, the stand was designed to offer affordable desserts while employing high school students who live in the Classen Ten Penn neighborhood, south of the Plaza District.
The O’Connors said the snowcone stand hopes to propel its young employees to their high school graduation and college dreams. The shaved ice stand is matching each employees’ college savings dollar-for-dollar in a college savings account through a partnership with Oklahoma Employees Credit Union, which also provided seed money for the venture.
And, to help the young shaved ice mavericks gain critical financial knowledge, the credit union has provided each one with a checking and savings account and enrolled them in a monthly financial literacy program to help them before they head off into their higher education futures.
Whitley O’Connor said the snowcone program was adapted from a similar initiative in San Francisco. Ranya O’Connor said she remembered all the knowledge she gleaned while working at Eskimo Sno in Norman, and she wanted to give a similar opportunity to teens in Classen Ten Penn, where she and her husband live.
Whitley O’Connor said they worked with counselors at Northwest Classen High School and representatives of the Community Action Agency to find teens from their neighborhood who could walk to the shaved ice and who would be inclined to embrace the program.
The couple said the stand employs six teens who seemed to welcome the chance for a nearby job with financial, as well as flavorful, benefits. The pair said a 2013 study from the University of Kansas found that teens who save at least $500 are three times more likely to attend college and four times more likely to graduate.
With the Sasquatch program matching employees’ savings of at least 10 percent per paycheck, the O’Connors are hoping to set the teens on the path to developing lifelong healthy saving habits.
Opportunity to work, save
On a recent afternoon, Kimberly Rodriguez, 15, and Eriyonna Berry, 17, crafted flavored shaved ice concoctions for a steady stream of customers at Sasquatch Shaved Ice.
Berry, a Northwest Classen student, said she liked the idea of working close to home plus “it also was an opportunity for me to save money for college and stuff.”
Rodriguez, who attends ASTEC Charter School, said the shaved ice stand was her first job. She said she didn’t hesitate to take it because she heard college scholarships were often hard to come by.
Carolina Garcia, 17, a Northwest Classen senior, said a teacher told her about the shaved ice stand and about the program’s dollar-for-dollar match.
“I thought it was the perfect opportunity to save because they match it (her savings),” she said.
Veronica Myers, whose daughter, Vicky, is part of the program, said she is excited.
“It shows them some motivation, some structure and the importance of saving for college,” she said.
“We were worried and concerned about college, and now this is giving us a little bit of hope.”
Meanwhile, Garcia said she and the other Sasquatch employees have created a list of all the flavors they hope to try throughout the summer and plan to enjoy each one.
One snowcone at a time
The O’Connors said they have always liked the idea of businesses that serve a social purpose. They launched The Curbside Chronicle, a nonprofit magazine that provides employment opportunities to people who are homeless. Ranya O’Connor continues to operate the magazine for The Homeless Alliance and is a board member for the snowcone stand.
The couple hopes the community will come out and support the newest venture, and thus far, they have been pleased with the response from Plaza District visitors and businesses.
The shaved ice stand operates out of a shipping container that the O’Connors’ friends, Ben and Kinsey Crocker, revitalized for the program (and got a shaved ice flavor — “Binsey,” blue raspberry and raspberry with candy Nerds — named after them for it).
Painted a vibrant turquoise color with deep blue accents, the stand sits near the corner of NW 16 and Blackwelder, along with a few picnic tables on a stretch of green turf.
Whitley O’Connor said Sasquatch has attracted everyone from platinum credit card holders to little girls emptying out their piggy banks. He said the shaved ice stand offers affordable concoctions for everyone and will hopefully help the teen employees, their families and friends from nearby neighborhoods feel like the Plaza District belongs to them as much as anyone else.
And customers will find an assortment of flavors meant to attract people from all walks of life and backgrounds.
Ranya O’Connor said the Sasquatch stand includes 110 individual flavors, nine sugar-free options plus several allnatural options that are dye-free, color-free and free of artificial flavors. She said the stand also includes many flavors that Hispanics may know and love because the surrounding community includes many Hispanic families.
She said flavors like Tajin (a seasoning), Dulce de Leche, Horchata, Tamarindo and Chamoya are offered “to cater to that community so that they know they are welcome here and they can enjoy the flavors they grew up with.”