Students in the special education program at Mount Carmel High School are gaining valuable real-world experience through a student-operated snack cart business, while also preparing for a special Thanksgiving tradition.
During Monday evening's Wabash Community Unit School District 348 Board of Education meeting, MCHS special education teacher Rebekah Hocking shared details about the life skills and job training opportunities being provided to her students.
Hocking, now in her fourth year with the district, works with nine students, helping prepare them for greater independence and future employment opportunities.
She explained that freshmen and sophomores concentrate on basic life skills, including cooking, cleaning, and laundry, while juniors and seniors focus more heavily on employment preparation.
That includes practicing job interviews, learning workplace expectations, and developing the skills needed to become successful employees.
One of the program's newest initiatives is a student-operated snack cart that delivers snacks to Mount Carmel High School staff members.
Hocking said the students are responsible for processing orders, preparing deliveries, collecting payments, and making change.
Staff members submit their orders each week, and students organize and fill those orders before making deliveries throughout the school.
Hocking told board members the experience has been especially beneficial in improving students' money-handling and communication skills.
She said students who initially struggled with counting change have made significant progress through daily practice.
The snack cart also teaches responsibility, time management, and independence, with students learning to prepare for deliveries without being reminded.
Hocking credited the high school staff for enthusiastically supporting the program.
Money raised through snack cart sales goes directly back into the life skills classroom, helping purchase supplies and fund additional educational activities.
One of those activities is the program's annual Thanksgiving dinner, which students are already looking forward to next month.
Hocking said the class will prepare its second Thanksgiving meal this November after successfully introducing the activity last year.
Students work in small groups to prepare traditional holiday dishes, including mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, dinner rolls, pies, and turkey roast.
Hocking explained that adults provide supervision but encourage students to complete as much of the cooking independently as possible.
She said the experience helps students build confidence in the kitchen while also providing an opportunity to enjoy a family-style Thanksgiving meal together.
Hocking added that the activity is particularly meaningful because not every student has the opportunity to experience a traditional holiday gathering at home.
She told board members the students are already excited about the upcoming dinner and have begun asking when they can start planning the menu.
Hocking said both the snack cart business and Thanksgiving cooking project are helping students develop practical skills they can carry with them beyond high school.
MCHS special education teacher Rebekah Hocking