Every morning at Carbondale Area, the Life Skills students go around each classroom serving coffee, tea, and hot cocoa to teachers who need their morning caffeine fix. This experience plays a role in helping students better prepare for applying the skills learned in the real world. When these students decide on their future, they will already have the benefits or knowing how to use proper social skills and solve problems that could happen in the workplace and day-to-day life. A student who helps with the coffee cart, Jamal St. Clair said, “I enjoy selling coffee and baked goods to the teachers. I like talking to other people. It makes me feel good to serve them.”
This is also very helpful for teachers.” When teachers don’t have time in the morning to go get a coffee at Dunkin because it is closed, they can just get it at school, served behind a smiling face. Math teacher, Mr. Corey Foote said, “It’s nice to be able to get coffee in the middle of the day at the school. I am always looking for a pick-me-up around lunch time. I was always saying that I wish we had our own coffee shop instead of having to leave the building. I am more than happy to support the Life Skills classes.”
Miss Nicole, Karausky, who oversees the coffee cart said, “I’m excited that we were able to start up the coffee cart this year. I feel it’s been a great ‘pick me up’ for the teachers but more importantly a great learning experience for the students in the Life Skills program. The students have been able to implement and practice functional skills, such as fulfilling orders, stocking items, using appropriate social skills, peer to peer work, and so much more. Every student enjoys participating in the different assigned jobs and they look forward to completing their job duties.”
The money raised from the cart will benefit the students in the class and will fund further events such as the Life Skills Prom.
