|
"Vanier Vistro" gives students skills, chance to shine
|
Joel Boivin, watched by Diane Blanchette, dishes out salad for a Vanier Vistro meal. Students prepare and serve the food.
|
|
Maitre d’ Spencer Dumont welcomes (from left) High Prairie School Division superintendent Laura Poloz, deputy superintendent Margaret Hartman and board chair Joyce Dvornek to Vanier Vistro.
|
|
Emilie Tanguay, assisted by Diane Blanchette, loads silverware into the new dishwasher after the meal.
|
|
Jennifer MacCalder, watched by Cheryl Fortier, pours coffee for Vanier Vistro guests, who get a complete meal for $7.
|
|
Jennifer MacCalder serves a beverage to High Prairie School Division assistant superintendent of finance Paul Burrows, as assistant superintendent of business Raymonde Lussier looks on.
|
Theresa Seraphim
Spotlight Staff
As the guests approach the classroom door at Georges P. Vanier School in Donnelly, they are met by maitre d’ Spencer Dumont.
“Good afternoon and welcome to Vanier Vistro,” says Dumont, handing each guest a menu.
Dumont, a Grade 11 student, may be the first person people see when they come to Vanier Vistro, a new bistro-like project for the school’s special needs students. But he definitely isn’t the last.
Once customers are seated, another student appears at their table – decorated to resemble a cafe – to ask what they would like to drink, then bringing that and the meal out to guests, who can include members of the public as well as fellow students and school staff.
Eight students and three instructors work together to make a meal to be served every other Wednesday between 11:30 and 12:30.
On this particular day, guests – who must pre-register to get a meal – will eat shepherd’s pie and salad and a crumble-like dessert containing lots of chocolate chips.
After special needs co-ordinator Marion Lessard determines the menu, students are involved in shopping for groceries, preparing and serving the meal, and cleaning up.
“I’m a server – I serve the customers. I’m also the host – I welcome people to the bistro,” explains Dumont. The $7 cost includes the main course, dessert and beverage.
“We do it patiently and with a good attitude,” says Dumont. Vanier Vistro – which began with a meal at the end of September – was inspired by a program at Crystal Park School in Grande Prairie.
While that school has their bistro every Wednesday, a biweekly schedule works better for the Donnelly school.
Instructor Diane Blanchette says the work begins the previous week.
“We make the shopping lists the Friday before, with the flyers,” Blanchette says.
On the following Monday, two students and two instructors shop. On Tuesday, students prepare the main course and dessert. Wednesday is reserved for making salad and setting the tables. After that, of course, students clean up, putting dishes in their new dishwasher – and add up the money earned.
“That’s our goal – to have enough money to pay off the dishwasher,” says Blanchette.
Students are enjoying the project and learning a lot, says instructor Diane Martel.
“Some of them, they just shine when they’re doing it. They really look forward to this,” she says.
“They learn to interact with adults. It’s really helping them.”
Dumont lists several reasons he is enjoying Vanier Vistro.
“I get to meet new people (and make) new friends … We have a fun time doing this,” he says.
Dumont notes the only challenge occurs when the bistro is full.
“It’s challenging to cook faster.”
But that won’t stop any of the students from being involved. In fact, their dedication is so strong that, during final exam time, although they are not writing tests they will return to put on Vanier Vistro, said Martel, adding the program will go until the end of the school year.
Previous
Home
Next
|
