Smell that? It just may be Lobo Bistro.
Schools have always sought to balance academic education with hands on, life experience. One way Rocky Mountain High School students achieve experience is through a consumer concepts class called Lobo Bistro. Teacher Chris Rosazza has transformed his enjoyment of cooking into a program that teaches students what it takes to plan, budget, shop for, prepare and serve a meal. Students spend an entire semester learning and practicing what it takes to coordinate a lunch service at a student run restaurant. They are assigned job roles such as host, manager, set-up/clean up, wait staff and cook. The early part of each week is spent preparing for the meal so that when Thursday rolls around students are ready to prepare and serve lunch to staff who have come to enjoy the bistro. What was once a classroom/kitchen is transformed into a comfortable, cozy, dimly-lit bistro. Patrons are simply asked to make a $5 donation to help offset the cost associated with their meal. Even if students decide the restaurant industry is not for them, they are gaining confidence and experience in their cooking abilities. Job experience, life experience and the wafting scent of bacon, what could be better?
Poudre School District Integrated Services
Director: Sarah Belleau
2407 Laporte Avenue, Fort Collins, CO 80521
Students helping students.
Rice Elementary School received an early Christmas gift this year! Paul, a student at the Cooper Home, presented a bag full of adapted toys to Laura Humrichouse’s class of eager students. Paul is a gifted solderer and has adapted toys with on/off switches to operate
with the simple press of a button. This helps students understand cause and effect: by pushing a button, something fun will happen.
“I love soldering,” shares Paul enthusiastically. By removing the existing switches, he can solder the wires that operate the button on each toy. Paraprofessional Truman Solverud taught Paul how to adapt the toys after learning the process through his coursework at the University of Northern Colorado. “The first one I did took me two hours, Paul gets them done in fifteen minutes.”
Once Paul completes his program at the Cooper Home this semester, he plans to focus his time on his other business of turning soda bottles into mini fish bowls. Tropix Aquaponics combines Paul’s passion of caring for fish and soldering. He
is currently working on patenting his design.
“Cooper Home is a collaborative effort between students, parents and the community to assist students in moving toward natural supports within the community and the work site while fostering independence.” (PSDschools.org).
Integrated Services Poudre School District 