By: Emma DeWeese

Mrs. Rivero, a math teacher at Bellbrook High school, was inspired by a program run at Bell Creek Intermediate, her son’s school, that helped him and many other students gain confidence and make social connections with staff members around the school.

Early last year Mrs. Srbinovski and Mrs. Barnhart saw an idea for a coffee cart and wanted to do something similar at BCI. They were concerned about the safety of the students around hot beverages so they choose to sell snacks and bottled drinks instead.

The goal of the snack cart “is for special education students to practice communication and social skills in a practical way,” Mrs. Srbinovski said. The cart gives the students multiple tasks at different levels such as, matching pictures of the orders, initiating conversion on their communication device, or maintaining conversation.

Fridays are an exciting day at BCI for both students and staff that get to participate. The snack cart “has brought a new level of awareness and understanding for our special education students,” Mrs. Srbinovski said.

With the success of the snack cart at BCI, Mrs. Rivero wanted to bring the benefits over to the high school. The snack cart contains a variety of snacks like granola bars, candy, and chips to keep students fueled throughout the long block day.

The cart allows students in the Supportive Peers program to gain real-life experience and become comfortable talking to their classmates.

While all the proceeds go towards the Supportive Peers program, it’s not about the money. The lessons students will learn from it inspired Mrs. Rivero to start the snack cart. High school students and staff can purchase any snack for a dollar during homeroom on Wednesday and Thursday block days.