Students in STEPS, a moderate to severe special education program at SJHHS, are putting their business skills to test, through their new food delivery service Stallion Sip & Snack. 

Stallion Sip & Snack sells food to staff on campus. The food delivery program helps students learn real-life skills that may help them in their future to be more independent and business-minded. 

“We work on function skills, social skills, go out into the community one time a week to teach them social skills there and independence skills. We also teach ordering, how to buy stuff, use money, and budgeting,” said STEPS teacher Rishika Sleza.

Teachers and staff are able to place orders early in the week. Students in STEPS will take these orders and organize them by classroom, teacher, how much they spent, etc. Coffee, hot chocolate, muffins, and other pastries are just a few of the available options to buy. 

The students prepare in advance to  deliver the food and beverage orders. 

“It’s not only about the delivery, it’s more about having different jobs, so the students come in and see the different jobs posted, so they have to see what job they have.” said Slezak. “It’s student-run but with the teachers [as] assistants.”

Teachers throughout campus can encourage the students’ efforts by purchasing from the business.. Teacher Collin Macdonald, for example, says he buys from Stallion Sip & Snack each week.

“Selfishly I love the delicious food that I get, but they learn valuable life skills that will help them once they are no longer in high school, like getting jobs and becoming successful,” said Macdonald.