EC students at Lewisville Middle School practiced real-world professional skills during a special work study program at the end of the school year.
Supervised by Assistant Teacher Ivis Hill, students got to choose between a variety of jobs performed at their school like library work and custodial services. Over the course of three months, they practiced job responsibilities in their chosen fields and got a feel for what it’s like to work in a professional career.
Participants in the program earned three dollars per hour in mock currency that could be spent on rewards at their school store. They were eligible for bonuses based on strong performance, as well as picking up good habits like dressing professionally. By the time the year ended, everyone had made a respectable income and was feeling great about their achievements when they got to start spending.
The most important reward, of course, was the sense of self-sufficiency that came from a job well done. Hill says that this program is a valuable tool for promoting self-confidence in EC students. When they succeed in their chosen jobs, they reinforce not only to others but to themselves that they’re capable of joining the workforce and making key contributions to their communities.
“They know that they are included in work,” Hill said. “They know that they can make their own way in the working world as well as anyone else.”