While many 15-year-olds are flipping burgers this summer, Deomonic Parker is managing a small business.

Parker is in charge of operations for a new student-run gift shop at the Pelathe Community Resource Center, 1423 Haskell Ave. The shop opened last week.

“I told my friends, and they said, ‘How did you get to be manager of a gift shop?'” she said. “When you learn everything, it’s not as hard as it sounds.”

The shop is part of a youth grant from the federal Administration for American Indians to teach business skills to youths ages 14 to 20. The Pelathe Center also started a screen-printing T-shirt business.

The grant  more than $100,000  is for two years. After that, the gift shop and T-shirt operation must survive on any profits the businesses produce.

About 15 students are on the payroll at the Pelathe Center, which is an outreach organization for American Indians in Lawrence.

Caroline Hicks, director of youth programs, said students were completely in charge of the gift shop.

“They’re making real-life managerial decisions,” she said. “It’s, ‘How are we going to price this stuff? What inventory are we going to carry? What hours are we going to be open?'”

The shop carries work by American Indian artists from Lawrence and elsewhere. Offerings include blankets, paintings and jewelry.

“A lot of the stuff is handmade,” said Dustin Barnes, 14, the store’s assistant manager.

The shop is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Anyone interested in selling merchandise on consignment can contact the shop at 841-7202.