Students Engage in Different Jobs Through the CBI Program

Students+Engage+in+Different+Jobs+Through+the+CBI+Program

By Myah Blocker

Every Thursday, students with different activity limitations travel to a variety of places through the CBI, Community Based Instruction, program. In this program, they are able to do hands-on tasks with the thirst to learn something new by learning new responsibilities with their teachers by their side.

“Every week we give them tasks so they can feel what it’s like to be in a normal work setting and we want to help them prepare for the real world,” Old Hickory Bistro Manager, Brittany Schmidt said.

They travel to places like McDonald’s, Old Hickory, Savers, Gordmans and many more through the CBI and Essential Skills program. Each place gives the students a different task and allows for them to learn new skills that may be considered easy by some, but for these students it takes a little more time to grasp.

“What makes my job rewarding is the look on [the students] faces when they accomplish something,” Essential Skills teacher Kelly Stemmermann said. “They get so excited because it’s something they thought they could never accomplish but they do. It could be something basic but they get super excited to learn.”

Stemmermann has been a teacher for students with activity limitations for four years, and this year is her first year at FHN. Becoming a teacher has molded her into a humble person and has made her job more enjoyable. Stemmermann takes what she learns from the kids and instills it into herself and her life, and everyday she is learning how to be grateful for what she has.

“Everyday they teach me that it’s important to be patient and that everyone learns at their own pace,” said Stemmermann. “Eventually, the task will get accomplished. It’s just that sometimes you might have to find a couple different ways to get to that ending result.”

When doing their jobs, the students are assisted by either their teachers or paras and are critiqued on their skills to mold them into better workers and help them with their job.

They get so excited because it’s something they thought they could never accomplish but they do.

— Kelly Stemmermann

“We check on them to make sure they’re doing their task correctly,” Schmidt said. “We want to help them with interaction, communication, and work ethic. There’s wouldn’t be a point of them working if they’re not learning something and gaining from the experience.”

Like everyone, they all have different areas of strengths and weaknesses. Their teachers and paras try to assign them to a place where they are most likely to succeed and which place they find the most entertaining.

“I like to work at McDonald’s,” junior Tyler Haynes said. “I like cleaning the chairs and tables. ”

After graduating, students are able to continue with a job if they’re really fond of it. Haynes favorite place to travel to is McDonald’s and he plans on continuing working there after he graduates to continue to go higher in the corporation.

“I learned the food menu, and [how to] greet and respect,” Hanyes said. “I like to work with my friends because we work together as a team.”