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Snack Cart Delivers Valuable Life Skills
Clayton High School teachers and staff members know what it means when they hear the wheels of the school’s snack cart rolling down the hallway. They’re about to receive that pick-me-up packet of hot chocolate or their afternoon snack-sized bag of Skinny Pop. But what makes the snack cart more significant than any tasty treat is the two students who accompany it.
Sophomores Mary Clare Lord and Rebecca Flores have taken ownership of the cart this year, and they are learning valuable life skills along the way. Both students have unique learning needs, and the snack cart gives them the opportunity to price items, count the inventory, stock the cart and make deliveries. Staff members place their orders in advance for the weekly delivery, so the students know exactly what items they will be selling at each stop. They tell their customers the amount owed, and then they collect payments and provide any change needed.
The snack cart is a new program at CHS this year organized by Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Lauren Compton and Special School District Paraprofessional Deirdre Petri. But the concept of the snack cart isn’t new to Petri or Mary Clare. The pair first launched the idea two years ago when Mary Clare attended Wydown Middle School, where the program is still in place. The snack cart made its debut at CHS this year, and the students and staff at the school are already benefitting from the program.
“The staff and administration are so supportive of the program, which is key. They’ve seen the students’ growth,” said Petri. “It’s such a good skill for the students to learn. They really look forward to it.”
According to Rebecca, her favorite part of operating the snack cart is “pricing the items and adding them up.”
The snack cart is an example of how the District's strategic plan is at work in Clayton’s schools. The program incorporates the Growth and Development of the Whole Child objective of providing an environment that fosters academic growth in which each student experiences a sense of belonging and well-being.
Sophomores Mary Clare Lord and Rebecca Flores have taken ownership of the cart this year, and they are learning valuable life skills along the way. Both students have unique learning needs, and the snack cart gives them the opportunity to price items, count the inventory, stock the cart and make deliveries. Staff members place their orders in advance for the weekly delivery, so the students know exactly what items they will be selling at each stop. They tell their customers the amount owed, and then they collect payments and provide any change needed.
The snack cart is a new program at CHS this year organized by Family and Consumer Sciences Teacher Lauren Compton and Special School District Paraprofessional Deirdre Petri. But the concept of the snack cart isn’t new to Petri or Mary Clare. The pair first launched the idea two years ago when Mary Clare attended Wydown Middle School, where the program is still in place. The snack cart made its debut at CHS this year, and the students and staff at the school are already benefitting from the program.
“The staff and administration are so supportive of the program, which is key. They’ve seen the students’ growth,” said Petri. “It’s such a good skill for the students to learn. They really look forward to it.”
According to Rebecca, her favorite part of operating the snack cart is “pricing the items and adding them up.”
This real world experience is teaching both students skills they won’t learn in a traditional academic setting. And through their work with the snack cart, Mary Clare and Rebecca are delivering more than just afternoon snacks; their positive spirit is brightening classrooms and offices throughout the school building.
The snack cart is an example of how the District's strategic plan is at work in Clayton’s schools. The program incorporates the Growth and Development of the Whole Child objective of providing an environment that fosters academic growth in which each student experiences a sense of belonging and well-being.