Shuttle Helps Local Students Learn Job Skills
A few years ago, Michelle Rondinelli, president of Kitchen Kettle Village in Intercourse; Pequea Valley School District (PVSD) superintendent Erik Orndorff; Adam Nagle, executive director of The Factory Ministries; and other community leaders began meeting to discuss area workforce problems - particularly, what might keep students from beginning their employment careers.
"We were talking hurdles, what more could be done, what they were seeing, and the barrier of transportation was talked about," recalled Nagle.
"We were trying to figure out how to identify what the obstacles were," said Rondinelli. "(We asked), 'How do we address those with realistic solutions?'"
For students, the transportation problem was predominant. Rondinelli explained that parents often brought students to their jobs at Kitchen Kettle after school, but were picking them up an hour later when Kitchen Kettle closed. "That didn't work well for the parent or the student," said Rondinelli.
In March of 2020, COVID-19 restrictions interrupted the discussion, but by the fall of 2021, the group had come up with the idea of running a shuttle from Pequea Valley High School (PVHS) to Kitchen Kettle at the end of school each day. "(Student workers) are able to clock more hours because they arrive sooner, and their parents only have to make one trip to pick them up," said Rondinelli, who noted that the students work the register and learn to make change. They also work on displays, and during the holidays, they pull orders or pack items for shipping.
Orndorff said that the program is part of a plan to help learners gain "authentic learning experiences," adding that he was impressed with Kitchen Kettle, which hires young people beginning at age 14. "We wanted to work with these guys and have our kids learn under them," he said. "(Students) are getting real work experience and character education ... learning interpersonal skills that you can't always learn in a classroom."
According to Rondinelli, introducing good customer service skills is a goal. "They are learning guest service," she noted. "It's learning eye contact and how to work through different situations they might encounter." Rondinelli pointed out that working with students fits into an overall employee retention program. "We are in the hospitality industry where turnover can be higher," she said. "We work hard to create an environment that supports people. Our vision is to spread happiness, not just for guests, but for team members and everyone we interact with."
PVHS student Kylee Worrell began taking the shuttle when her grandmother was unable to bring her to work due to a broken leg. "I think it's pretty awesome," said Worrell, who has worked at the cookie counter and filled bottles at the Olive Basin, among other jobs. Worrell has been careful with her earnings. "The first couple months, I made enough to buy a car," she said, noting that she does not have her license yet. "Now, I am saving again."
Rondinelli reported that the partnership is working well. "The school does an amazing job of promoting the program," she said, noting that students still go through the hiring process with Kitchen Kettle. She added that the students bring energy to the store. "They are really amazing workers. We are really fortunate," Rondinelli said.
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