You might have noticed that the counter help in town has been fairly young for latte service and gym towel dispensing. Since Monday, 120  of Lowell Elementary School's fourth graders have been descending upon Second Street businesses to participate in Merchant Mentor Days. This program has become a popular tradition at Lowell and students look forward to it each year as a rite of passage.

With the assistance of the Belmont Shore Business Association's executive director, Dede Rossi, 20 businesses offered to mentor students for a morning so that they could learn firsthand what it takes to run a business. The businesses range from banks to boutiques, but they all had one thing in common-a willingness to reach out to the community and foster a knowledge of what it takes to work at a job.

"That was so fun!" exclaimed a fourth grader, a quote uttered repeatedly among the Lowell student workers during the annual event.  For many years, the neighborhood businesses have hosted waves of fourth-grade classes from Lowell. The win-win tradition exposes kids to the working world, and the byproduct happens to be some nice PR for the merchants. 

 The connection between these business owners and the fourth-grade students forms the basis for a unique program. There are not many neighborhood schools that have the benefit of a nearby, safe business district like Second Street.

Parent Lisa Hain is an enthusiastic supporter of the program, "I think it is amazing!  It is getting the kids involved in our community, and supporting our local businesses," said Hain, whose daughter worked at Apostrophe Books-as she had hoped-and appeared delighted to be there.

It does not really matter what job the kids are doing-OK, candy stores are coveted-because the students do enjoy the ritual. The goal for the students is to learn about the responsibilities of a business and what it takes to make one work (labor, for starters). And they do learn. The kids work the cash register, make keys, take orders, fit shoes, bake dog snacks, help customers and take stock, all in the process of a dynamic real-world educational experience.

 The lucky students who are assigned to La Strada learn some job interview skills while getting to bake and eat fresh bread. "I love this program," said Lisa Ramelow, owner of La Strada, who thinks that she has participated for 10 years. "The kids say the funniest things! I love teaching the kids. I teach them what they need to know for an interview." 

Scott Rinehart, owner of the pet-centric Chuck & Toby at 191 Park Ave., has also participated for years, although he did so previously at his former business, Whiskers. After Merchant Mentor Days, he says, the kids keep coming back, bringing their dogs, and becoming regular customers. This week, he and Lowell students baked dog snacks-pizzas and tacos-that almost looked good enough for people to eat. (This is why there are parent chaperones.)

Former fourth-grade students still recall this experience and may take it with them into their own working lives. No matter which business mentored them on this day, there were student smiles for more than 20 blocks.

With these tough economic times that have seen school budgets drastically reduced, Merchant Mentor Days is an example of different parts of the community working together toward providing a free educational experience, perhaps a role model for other such ''teachable moments."

The students worked Monday and Tuesday, are taking off today due to other course work, and return to the coal mine Thursday. 

 The following businesses participated in this year's Merchant Mentor Days:

· Apostrophe Books - 4712 E. Second St.

· Aroma Di Roma - 5327 E. Second St.

· Billings Paint and Hardware - 5004 E. Second St.

· BJ's Pizza & Grill - 5258 E. Second St.

· Buffalo Exchange - 4608 E. Second St.

· Chuck & Toby - 91 Park Ave.

· Dean Anthony - 5287 E. Second St.

· Farmers & Merchants Bank - 4827 E. Second St.

· Fern's Garden - 5308 E. Second St.

· George's Greek Café - 5316 E. Second St.

· Jamba Juice - 4923 E. Second St.

· Jones Bicycles - 5332 E. Second St.

· La Strada - 4716 E. Second St.

· New York's Upper Crust - 5291 E. Second St.

· Open Sesame - 5201 E. Second St.

· Polly's Gourmet Coffee - 4606 E. Second St.

· Runner's High - 5338 E. Second St.

· Subject - 4812 E. Second St.

· The Beach - 5308 E. Second St.

· Yogurtland - 4816 E