Students at Wilmer-Hutchins High School are learning how to be self-sufficient gentlemen through the school’s new Esquire Club. Teaching beyond lessons in a traditional classroom setting, the Esquire Club imparts life skills to students through various engaging workshops and activities. Led by Head Assistant Basketball Coach Mauldin, students learn practical skills such as tying a tie, changing a tire, excelling in interviews, and financial planning. “Mr. Mauldin told me he had something brewing to help change the lives of the young men at Hutch who may not have the guidance back at home,” Brayden B., Wilmer-Hutchins senior, said. “So far,…

The ringing of a cash register isn’t a typical sound heard in an elementary school, but at Victor H. Hexter Elementary School, students are learning how to run and operate their own store. Known as “Hexter Market,” students in Heidi Zeko’s Functional Living Skills (FLS) class take on the role of shopkeeper. Recognizing the diverse abilities of her students, Zeko tailors tasks to each individual’s strengths, ensuring an inclusive and engaging experience. Adorned in blue, custom-made aprons, students help customers choose a snack, each priced at only $1. “They’ll work in shifts to greet customers, ask what they want, and…

Resource Center South (RCS) is now open and ready for business. Housed at the Joseph J. Rhoads Learning Center, the center supports community members from the Lincoln High School and James Madison High School vertical teams. Essentials such as healthy food, counseling, and medical help are now more accessible for those who need a place of support and respite, thanks to the Bond 2020 program. “When communities are deprived of access to resources, like grocery stores, health care, job training, recreation, the results are a lower academic achievement in the classroom,” Pamela Lear, deputy superintendent of Staff and Racial Equity,…