MILLARD, Neb. (KMTV) — For the past two years every Thursday at Millard North starts with a cup of coffee and a smile. “We ask the teachers if they want hot chocolate or coffee and we serve it to them,” said Ethan Petersen, a Millard North student.
As a group of special education students deliver Scooter's coffee to their teachers. But these students aren't just pouring coffee. They are learning important job and life skills. “In the beginning they might be a little nervous or timid and now they are really chatting up the teachers and they have good relationships with them,” said Nicole Torralbas, Millard North special education teacher, alternate curricular program.
She presented the idea to Millard North and said the program is doing better than she could have expected. “It's inclusive it really gets our students out in the school community, they're interacting with teachers that they might not normally see, and the students are seeing how hard they're working and they're seeing that they can be assets and that they can be part of a job,” said Torralbas.
And thanks the Scooter's Perks Program for providing the product to make this happen. “It's great being part of such an amazing program that teaches real life skills that these students can use in the future for job skills and it's great seeing them interact and promote inclusion and acceptance throughout the school as a whole,” said Breanne Fabian, Scooter’s Coffee brand execution specialist.
And the students enjoy it as much as the teachers. “It's a good opportunity for us to do it,” said Cody Randels, a Millard North student. “Because they have fun with it and it tastes good to them,” said Mariyka Campbell, a Millard North student.
And they end every interaction with a saying, “we say have an amazing day,” said Ryan Bisignano, a Millard North student. And a smiley sticker, just like at Scooter's.
The Scooter’s Perks Program can be found in three other schools in the Omaha Metro: Millard South High School, Papillion-La Vista High School, and La Vista Middle School.
