A Thanksgiving Dream Team

State High culinary arts students and Wild Dream Team special education students band together each year to serve up a Thanksgiving feast. This November, 10 Wild Dream Team and 15 culinary arts students fueled the outreach, making meals for 15 families, who were all nominated by counselors from State High and the Delta program.

Special education teacher and Wild Dream Team leader Jenny Lee said the project benefits both Culinary Arts 1, 2 and 3 students and the Wild Dream Team students with multiple disabilities and life skills support.

 “At first, the thought was just to provide meals for those without,” Lee said. “However, the experience has turned into much more for students in these classes. The team-building process went quickly and turned into friendship-making.”

 To communicate with their cooking partners, culinary arts students learned American Sign Language, used streamers and microphones and provided physical prompts. Lee said the culinary arts students “exhibited leadership skills gained from their culinary arts experiences” to oversee the preparation of various holiday dishes.

“Both groups were motivated well beyond the kitchen,” Lee said. “Friendships overflowed from the kitchen to the hallways and stirred the hearts of all those watching the students learn together.”

Cookies for Christmas

Every Christmas, the State College Educational Support Personnel Association (SCESPA) donated holiday cookie bags to the local food bank, containing hot chocolate mix, sugar cookie mix, icing, sprinkles and cookie cutters.

“SCESPA has donated between 300-450 bags every year for the last eight years,” said Trish Storch, secretary at Ferguson Township Elementary and SCESPA president. “This is our way of giving back to our community. I am very proud of our members; many of them have financial problems of their own but are willing to give to help others. Last year, some of our members were told by students that they received a cookie bag and how much fun their family had making cookies for the holiday – what a wonderful thing to hear! The student didn’t have any idea we were responsible, they were just telling someone how happy it made them!”

“I am very proud our SCESPA members, they truly care about our students and the community,” she continues. 

First Night Fun

Moving on to the New Year’s holiday, the State High Thespian Troupe headed out each First Night to spread a little unexpected cheer.

“State High Thespians have been appearing as ‘live mannequins’ in the App House window at First Night State College for at least the past seven years,” says Jill Campbell, director of the Thespians. “We have also been appearing in children’s performances in the Municipal Building, [during] First Night for the past five years.”

“Participation [in] Live Mannequins has grown a lot over the years,” she adds. “Students used to have to cover several shifts and now we barely have enough shifts for all of the students who want to participate. Students also now chair and organize the event, taking on a leadership role…”

Currently, at least 30 students participate in one or both First Night events.

“[The students] love getting out into the community and sharing what they do best with their friends and neighbors. For Live Mannequins they like sharing their fashion sense and have fun with those outside who try to break their focus and make them laugh. It tests their skill to maintain their stillness as a mannequin. For the performances, they really enjoy creating something new each year, using costumes and material they have created over their time in Thespians,” says Campbell.

“We are never in school over the holidays and this gives them a chance to share their time and talent with the community at a time when they would not normally do so. It is the season of giving and the students love being able to share the joy they get from being part of our Thespian Troupe with the community, when everyone is out and about and celebrating.