“Good morning, would you like anything?” Lexi asks as she makes her rounds through the MPISD Administration Building. Mario steers the cart filled with donuts, packages of nuts, bananas, mini muffins, and microwavable breakfast sandwiches. On this day, Jenna’s job is to take orders for coffee, hot chocolate, or a variety of Mighty Tiger Teas with flavors such as Paradise Punch, Watermelon Patch, and Coconut Dream. And Ghyles and Cole are ready to make deliveries once the coffee and tea have been made.

The Mount Pleasant ISD Career Training Center (CTC) aims to teach and train students with special needs the skills they need for life after high school. The program provides students ages 18-22 with the skills and knowledge necessary for successful acclimation into community and adult living. The students work in real-world settings, running the Tigers Cup coffee shop at the MPISD Administration Building and the Tiger Thrift Store located on North Miller Avenue.

“A typical day would consist of working at either the coffee shop or the thrift store,” said instructor, Elizabeth Robbins. “They do all the organizing, shopping, cleaning, and arranging at both places. After we are done with that, we go back to the classroom where I teach a math modules class. They learn how to use the calculator and price our items at both places.”

The CTC works with the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) which provides the students a job coach and helps the students get paid to work at different places in the community for 12 weeks. At the end of 12 weeks, the employer can choose to hire the students. “We have two students who went through the program and now they both work at CiCi’s,” said Robbins. “We also work with NTCC. Some of our students want to get certificates or even try a class or two. The TWC helps with tuition if the student qualifies.”

Students at the CTC also go out into the community and work with local businesses. The students have worked at God’s Closet in Pittsburg, making food boxes for senior citizens, and helping to run their thrift store. They have worked at Laura’s Cheesecake making boxes for the cheesecakes. They also go to different thrift stores in the area to see the different styles and prices and even get ideas on how to arrange their store. “We are always looking for businesses to help and to let our students come and see different work sites,” said Robbins. “Our goal is to get our students gainfully employed before they leave our program.”

The Tiger Thrift Store is open to the public every Friday from 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. and is located on North Miller Avenue next to Vivian Fowler Elementary School. The thrift store also accepts donated items. For more information on the Career Training Center program or to request student workers for your business or organization, email [email protected].

Photos:

1: Ghyles Lias and Cole Ashley deliver coffee to Eva Beles

2: Sarah Baxter makes change for a customer

3: Alex Sandate welcomes customers to the Tiger Thrift Store