Mums and Muffins
Our venture was designed as a Life Skill cooking class. We baked cookies and cakes. We then once a month would take our treats to a local assisted living facility for the Adopt a Grandparent Program. We would share treats, crafts, laughs and visit with the wonderful people living in this community. It is a valued time that is shared by the Adopt A Grandpaent and my students.
About You
Location
Project Street Address
Project City
Project Province/State
Project Postal/Zip Code
Project Country
Your idea
Venture Field
Senior Citizens
Year of Venture Launch
2003
Name
connie
Role in the Venture:
Connie Peck Special Needs Life Skills Teacher
Name Your Project
Mums and Muffins
Describe Your Idea
Our venture was designed as a Life Skill cooking class. We baked cookies and cakes. We then once a month would take our treats to a local assisted living facility for the Adopt a Grandparent Program. We would share treats, crafts, laughs and visit with the wonderful people living in this community. It is a valued time that is shared by the Adopt A Grandpaent and my students.
Innovation
Venture Description:
Our venture was designed as a Life Skill cooking class. We baked cookies and cakes. We then once a month would take our treats to a local assisted living facility for the Adopt a Grandparent Program. We would share treats, crafts, laughs and visit with the wonderful people living in this community. It is a valued time that is shared by the Adopt A Grandpaent and my students.
Venture Origin:
Our school Youth Venture person was in school talking about this opportunity for typical classes. I asked if we as a Special Education class could apply. She said,"Lets try." We applied and we were accepted. We were also the first special needs class to get a Youth Venture Grant.
Innovation
We raised money by selling candy apples to our school to students and adults. What makes are venture different is that we are the first special education class to apply and be accepted for a Youth Venture Grant. We get an opporuntiy to get out into the community and vist with the elderly in a special way. The residents are always thrilled and excited to see us.
Impact
Impact:
- Impact: My very special, special needs class gets the opportuniy to be a positive part of our town. The students get a wonderful experience working with an assisted living facility. The residents are always excited to see and spend time with us. They love children. Through this we have been also invited to sing in our towns Johnny Appleseed Festival.
- Engagement with the community: We have engaged with other members of the community in the grocery stores, movie theaters, restaurants, special olympics, and with the Johnny Appleseed Festival and Sunrise Assisted Living community.
- Impact and engagement progress since launch: I think one of the best kinds of progress is the confidence level of my students. Their ability to be able to go out into the community and be socailly appropriate. I feel that we are in a really great place right now. In the fall we sang "Sweet Caroline" for the entire town at the JAF. The sound of applause was wonderful from all who attended. We also won and award for our singing.
- Impact and engagement strategy: We will continue to grow and reach out to the community more.
- Awards: We have not won any formal awards at this time. However all the reward we feel we need is the enjoyment working out in the community.
Budge:t
- Amount of Youth Venture seed grant: 900.00
- Money raised: We probably have raised $700.00 with our candy apples sales. This money was used to buy more cooking supplies, field trips.
- Creative ways of raising resources: We aren't able to sell candy apples any more due to the new wellness policy. We are thinking about how to raise more money. We did receive apple donations for the making of apples, and discount for buying caramel from the CVS store.
Strategy:
- Expansion plan for next 6 months: I think we may try to go twice a month to the Sunrise Assisted Living facility.
- Plans for sustaining the project: The venture will always change with the students that come and go. However we will teach the new students and continue to get out in the community more.
- Vision for three years from now: I think we have already impacted the community in such a postive way already. The community is learning about us ant saying, "These are a terrific group of kids."
Project impact:
I don't know if our venture has made life easier but it is much more enjoyable. It has brought joy to the residents at Sunrise Assisted Living community. These people are truly grateful for the time we share together. My students are also learning to have compassion for others and the art of giving. It was stated that these students take the time to come and bake with us, I would like to go visit them. When we sang at the Johnny Appleseed Festivial the people cried, clapped and cheered. The students were so proud!
This Entry is about (Issues)
Sustainability
Youth Venture movement - what it means and how you can contribute:
It has been an honor for me to be part of the first special education Youth Venture Movement. I would like to see us get move involved in community events. This was the first year were participated in the Johnny Appleseed Festival. We would like to do more next year. A possbility would be that next year at the festival we could work with other ventures in the district and set up a Youth Venture booth to promote Youth Ventures and display different things that we have done, to encourage others to participate in this dynamic experience.
 | 328 weeks ago Anonymous said: Imagine walking down a school corridor and you notice this amazing aroma of fresh baked cookies. You follow your nose right into Ms. ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 328 weeks ago Anonymous said: As a curriculum specialist I applaud Youth Venture and the group of students in the Mums and Muffins Venture. Youth Venture reached ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 328 weeks ago Anonymous said: Throughout the year my students always looked forward to the days when they could buy caramel apples and candy for Ms. Peck's class. ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 328 weeks ago Anonymous said: Connie's class does a get job with their Mums and muffins project. The students are given an opportunity to go out into the ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
| 328 weeks ago Anonymous said: Mums and Muffins sounds like a venture that really has an impact on a large community--including the students who are involved. ... about this Competition Entry. - read more > |
