Welcome back

Richmond Community College Next Steps students gave their classmates a cool respite from the summer heat as a welcome back to the RCC campus.

With temperatures reaching well into the 90s, Next Steps students set up a lemonade stand with the proceeds going back to the program, which supports higher education for students with intellectual or developmental disabilities.

“The lemonade stand is their effort to be a part of the campus community. To provide something that’s not only exciting for them to do but a chance for them to mingle and interact with other students on campus. They hope to continue doing it. Maybe the lemonade stand will evolve into a coffee cart during the cooler months, and they actually hope to get more students involved,” said Nicole Worley, dean of adult education at Richmond Community College.

The RCC Next Steps program is part of a statewide initiative creating workforce-ready employees by providing skills training to adults with intellectual or developmental conditions. Richmond County has a three-tier program, with the first two tiers offering tuition-free education. The bronze tier is a two-year program offering contexualized reading and math instruction with a focus on career exploration and workforce readiness. The silver tier includes employability skills through the Work Smart program, as well as digital literacy and advising. The gold tier program includes continued education in workforce or curriculum classes, on-the-job training/coaching and potential apprenticeship opportunities.

For Next Steps students Mia Manor and Dallas Jeter, putting the lemonade stand was no small endeavor. First, they had to meet health code standards, which required days of advanced preparation. Next, they had to price the items, and have enough lemonade and pink lemonade on hand so they don’t run out as students passed by their booth between classes. The students also created a business name, a logo for the business and a business proposal.

“I created the whole thing, but my friends and [those working the lemonade stand] put it together as a group. This whole week, we’ve been practicing, and today is the big day,” Manor said.

For Jeter, who Manor credits as being a close friend since Manor joined the program, she simply enjoyed being a part of the process and meeting so many fellow RCC students.

“It’s amazing. I love helping people … It’s fun, and interesting and it’s fun being out with people. It took a lot of work. I hope it stays busy,” Jeter said.

For Kelly Kelly, an RCC instructor overseeing the project, the lemonade stand taught a variety of aspects involved in creating a small business. While directly impacting the needs of Next Steps students, RCC Instructor Kelly Kelly said the program lifts up the entire RCC community.

“It’s a stepping stone to get people involved in the community, into our program and into our college. We’re trying to spread the Next Steps program and get them involved,” said Kelly, who oversaw Wednesday’s lemonade stand.

For more information regarding the Next Steps program, go online at richmondcc.edu/nextsteps.