Vending machine teaches neurodiverse students job skills
Summit School's new initiative funded by the province lets students run the operation while learning to count coins, stock shelves, and shop independently.
A vending machine in Summit School's cafeteria is doing more than dispensing snacks — it's teaching neurodiverse students essential life and job skills.
Students, divided into two groups, meet every Friday to run the operation. They count coins, handle maintenance, and make grocery store visits to select and purchase snacks themselves. The drinks are the big seller; Lone Bordo, Director of Job Training & Integration, says they only fill it once a week, but it needs refilling when they do.
Every task builds on classroom learning: social skills, reading, and math are woven into each role. The work gives students something concrete to point to — they're not just learning in isolation, they're being productive and making a difference.
"Our population is not always seen that way, and so for them to do this job, it gives them something to work towards," Bordo said.
The project received a $5,000 grant from Quebec's Volunteer Support Program, made possible by the determination of school staff who dreamed of making it happen. For the students involved, it's a real job with real responsibility — and real confidence building.