Snack Time: BHS CBI Class Students Learn Essential Skills!

If you’ve ever roamed the halls of Blacksburg High School during class, you’ll notice how eerily quiet it is. Not much happens apart from the occasional footsteps of students skipping class and the maddening whine of Vape detectors. However, you may have noticed some unusual activity during fourth block. A handful of students get the opportunity to practice life skills by selling snacks. They push a cart with goodies that every high schooler desires: popcorn, cookies, chips, you name it! The students selling the snacks are a part of a class called Community-Based Instruction, or CBI. 

Students in the class meet in room H213 on both A and B days. From there, they venture off as a group to participate in a project. Although best known for selling products door-to-door in the hallways, this only occurs once a week. The other days range from visiting the library (a consensus favorite among the students) to participating in generic classroom learning. 

CBI is unlike any traditional high school class. Instead of relying solely on classroom instruction, students practice “real-world skills in a real-world setting.”. The class fosters a variety of students of all abilities and each student gains experience that is accommodating to what best suits them.

“CBI focuses on enhancing independence, social skills, and practical problem-solving by providing hands-on experiences tailored to each student’s needs. It is often individualized, with goals that align with the student’s transition plan for adulthood, helping them gain confidence and prepare for future work, independent living, or community participation.” CBI instructor, Mrs. Conley, explained.

Michael Hall (12), one of the students in the class, particularly agreed on the program’s importance in providing real-world experience. “It's a fun class and it helps you learn to eventually go out and get a real job.”

According to Mrs. Conley, CBI also plays a crucial role in shaping positive views about students with disabilities in the school setting. “By interacting with students who are selling snacks, their peers and staff get to see them in a different, capable role. This helps break down misconceptions about their abilities and highlights their strengths."

Michael noted that one of the teachers who often bought the snacks was Ms. Catley (Business and Marketing). He made sure to emphasize that she is a “troublemaker” (sorry Ms. Catley, his words not mine). Other teachers who are consistent customers include Mr. Henderson (Math), Ms. Taylor (English), Ms. Ripepi (English), Ms. Mayer (English), sSome of the front office staff, and some of the guidance counselors. 

Students not only learn how to gain revenue, but also how to handle the funds in a responsible and beneficial way. All money earned from selling snacks goes into the Bruin Bites Fund, which allows the class to restock snacks and also supports students who are unable to purchase their own rewards during community outings on Fridays.

CBI’s success this year suggests promising changes in the future. The program hopes to extend its market as Mrs. Conley looks at next year’s schedule. “Moving forward I would love to expand this program and allow my students to sell snacks to students during lunches; however that would have to be approved by administration and [be] feasible with students’ schedules.” 

I had the opportunity to witness a snack transaction in person. My fourth period AP Spanish class was interrupted by a knock on the door. Sure enough, the CBI class was on the other side. The handful of students were eager to showcase their new customer service skills. Although the teacher politely declined, the snack cart garnered a lot of attention from my classmates. One student, Joe Sapienza (12), bought two bags of Doritos, claiming it to have been “exactly what he needed”. He was also thoroughly impressed with how wonderful the customer service was.

Doritos are certainly not the only item on the menu, however. Among a plethora of snack options, Michael confirmed that one item seems to stand out to customers.

“Cookies, a lot of people buy cookies”

Community-Based Instruction is much more than just another class. It is an opportunity for students with a disability to learn essential lifelong skills as they soon depart from high school. Moreover, it is an opportunity to mitigate negative attitudes toward the disabled community often seen in schools. So the next time you get the infamous fourth-block munchies, be on the lookout for the CBI cart!

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Written by Miles Ermann

Photography by Daxson Clay