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Special Needs Students R.E.A.C.H. to New Heights

 

On Wednesdays, Art in the Loft wears aprons. Well, the students do…

Junior high students from area schools leave the classroom on Wednesdays and join Denise Cooper for a day of culinary arts– both making the tasty treats, and trying them. Denise says it’s refreshing to see this age group get outside of the classroom, a place where she says many of the students have a hard time.

“One thing we’ve seen that we didn’t anticipate to see if how free they ar when they get out of the school environment, and come here. They’re actually hands on everything,” she says.

From measuring to chopping, the techniques students learn in the kitchen help them put what they learn in the classroom to action. Denise adds that this program not only helps the children prepare to be independent, but also to teaches them valuable work skills.

“Eventually what we’d like to see happen is for it to carry through to the high school and to some employability skills. And also living skills,” Denise says of the program.

Many times these children struggle to find a place to shine, but over the years Denise has seen many students find their place and their purpose in the kitchen.

“The real growth is not on paper. It’s children trying new foods for the first time, identifying new foods, what to do with those foods, feeling comfortable in the kitchen, and just finding out about things,” Denise says.