- May 5, 2024
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Sombreros hung from the ceiling, and second-grade students hustled to clear tables and take orders May 5, in Jill Tillis’ classroom.
In honor of Cinco de Mayo, the classroom was transformed into a Mexican restaurant, managed and maintained by the students.
The restaurant earned $738, most of which came from tips from satisfied customers. The class decided to donated money to Mariano Samaniego, a school in Ecuador that lacks basic supplies.
Tillis visited the school in 2009 and had the chance to witness first-hand how hard the teachers and students work to succeed with limited resources.
Students in the class had to apply for their jobs, and tell why it would be a good position for them. They listed references, mostly their parents, and attended an interview, before landing their job.
“Working together to create a restaurant is a valuable and fun learning experience, especially when our efforts impact those who are less fortunate than us,” Tillis said.
Paige Ganem, who worked as a waitress, said she learned that a restaurant can be hard work, but it is fun.
“(The) second-grade social-studies curriculum explores the concepts of work, community and economics,” Tillis said. “We are able to integrate service learning into this unit of study by creating our own restaurant and donating the proceeds to children in need.”
Service learning enables teachers and students to participate in hands-on, real-life activities while recognizing, understanding and fulfilling their roles in society. About 1,500 Flagler students participate in service learning programs.
