More Than Cookies: Building Skills One Batch at a Time

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“Our goal is to prepare students with the skills needed to apply for a job, ace the interview, and thrive in their chosen career field. Confidence is a vital soft skill required in every stage of this process. The transformation in students’ confidence from the first day to the final sale was remarkable.” – Jayce Potter, VR Coordinator

IDVR collaborated with Buhl Family Network to create a work-based learning experience featuring a summer cookie sale. The event was weeklong and involved students planning every aspect of the cookie sale from start to finish.

Students started by creating advertisements for the sale and worked on social soft skills by walking to local businesses, introduced themselves, and asked if they could post a flyer for the event in their business. The next two days were focused on learning proper kitchen etiquette, cleanliness standards, and following a recipe, where they gathered ingredients to make 3 different cookie doughs. Once the baking was complete, students used the 4th day of the camp to pack and seal the cookies in preparation of the sale. Students also reviewed and practiced customer service skills, such as how to speak with customers and how to give change back. The final day was the cookie sale. Students set up in front of the Buhl Family Network Thrift Store to sell cookies. The students took turns greeting customers, keeping track of transactions, handling payments, and advertising in front of the shop. In the end, the 4 participating students sold $178 of cookies and were able to split the money evenly.

“At the beginning of the camp, our students arrived unsure of themselves and their abilities. Within a week, I watched them grow into confident, capable individuals—finding their voice, trusting their skills, and realizing they have so much more to offer than they ever believed.” Kellsie Meade, VR Coordinator

“I want to thank you for the wonderful educational, social, and fun week that you provided for the 4 teens in Buhl school district. When I first met them, they were very quiet and didn’t talk. The last day they were laughing, talking, and hugging me! I was overjoyed to see the change in their confidence, communication, and social interaction. You all deserve the credit for enabling these changes which I think may last a lifetime!” Priscilla Martens, Buhl Family Network

“Buhl School District’s collaboration with Vocational Rehabilitation and the Buhl Family Network has been an incredible opportunity to expand our students’ learning beyond the classroom. Opportunities like these not only increase engagement but also help bridge academic concepts with real-world experience.” Sandra Lobo, Buhl SD, Director of Special Education & Federal Programs