TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) – Students at Washburn Rural High School work at The Shack, the Common Grounds Cafe and the bank in the school cafeteria, learning real-world skills as part of vocational and technical education pathways.

Business professor Kim Sommers leads the way at the shack as sophomores learn their roles with senior management.

“I like to see the little successes, the accomplishments that they’ve made and then what they do is they take on a management role and then they can help with the training,” she said. declared.

Senior Trenna Whitmore said the course helped her focus on becoming an entrepreneur.

“It really helped me see all the aspects of the business that you wouldn’t see if you were just the customer. It gives you a glimpse of the inside,” she said. “It brings people together who might not work with each other outside of the classroom, allowing you, for example, to work with all kinds of people doing all kinds of things.”

Junior Cole Hughes says he discovered the opportunity to learn this new way from his freshman mentor who was the cabin manager at the time.

“I’m not 100% sure what I’ll do after high school, but I think the things you learn through CTE are super practical and helpful and I really think it was a good choice to take the program. .”

Sommers says it’s okay if students don’t do business after high school.

That they gain extensive experience to improve day-to-day uses, such as communication skills, customer service, and cash handling.

“A lot of students who go to school do sports and sometimes they don’t have the opportunity to get a job outside of school, it gives them the opportunity to take that experience forward.”

Students work with high school, middle school and elementary school sports and clubs. Outside organizations contacted them.

“Whether it’s the coach, the sponsor or the club. Ask them what their interests are, what do they want their design to look like. They help with the choice in this aspect. Then their responsibility is to contact several suppliers. They have to find the best price because obviously we want to make it affordable. »

The doors close after lunch – when they open it’s your chance to learn a new skill.

“Students of course learn a lot behind the scenes, but they also have the opportunity to talk to real customers, talk to suppliers and follow real situations.”

February is CTE month. CTE Month is a public awareness campaign held each February to celebrate the value and accomplishments of CTE programs across the country.

Copyright 2022 WIBW. All rights reserved.