Students of Beekman Town High School in West Chazy, NY are driving local dogs wild with their very successful Eagle Treats dog cookie business. And the best part? Half the proceeds are donated to their local SPCA to support their SNIP low-cost spay and neuter clinics.
Special needs students get job training while making your dog happy at the same time. pic.twitter.com/RKL942NJLu
— Stitch (@watchstitch) April 1, 2019
The innovative project is part of the school’s career development and occupational skills program for kids with learning or physical disabilities. The program provides opportunities to learn and practice skills they can use after graduation in the working world.
Students run every part of the business from making, packaging, and selling cookies, to handling the business and marketing end of Eagle Treats.
Legislative Assemblyman Billy Jones tries an Eagle Treat on a school visit
Students make 600 cookies every school day – that’s over 100,000 cookies a year! The cookies are sold in bags of 40 for $6, $3 of which goes to Elmore SPCA.
Eagle Treats is part of the school’s Agricultural Entrepreneurship Program, which also includes an organic veggie farm, digital learning program, and runs the school store and a campus coffee shop.
School superintendent Daniel Mannix said the idea is to give kids training in areas they might pursue after high school. The students are able to run their programs like they were their own small businesses from top to bottom. “We needed to bring an agriculture program to our kids,” Mannix told The Press Republican “It’s a growing area. With these small businesses, the desire to be in school for some kids has increased dramatically.”
You can order some Eagle Treats for your favorite furry friend from their webshop.
Hat tip: The Press Republican and NBC 5
