Life Skills Classes Provide Insight into Future for Queen’s Grant Students

Middle school students at Queen’s Grant Community School have been learning important skills from important people. School Social Worker LeighAnne Stokes wanted to introduce students in her sixth- and seventh-grade Life Skills classes to the variety of situations they would be dealing with in the coming years, so she brought in speakers to share their experiences.

“As part of this project, students got to choose three community agencies they’re most interested in learning from as a class,” she said.

Sixth graders learned about proper interview skills and procedures from a Harris Teeter grocery store employee, how a non-profit operates from The Salvation Army, and interview skills along with completing job applications from a Chick-fil-A representative.

Seventh graders explored strong customer service skills with a speaker from Harris Teeter, learned about being part of a community agency from the local fire department, and discovered how a non-profit operates from a representative from Make-A-Wish.



“Students connected really well with our community partners,” Stokes said. “Hearing real stories helped them see these jobs as realistic and attainable, and many students could picture themselves in similar roles one day.”

Stokes added that students asked a mix of fun and thoughtful questions.

“They asked the speakers how they handle difficult customers or nervous interviews. Some questions sparked laughter, while others led to great conversations about mistakes, confidence, and learning from experience.”

These types of experiences and interactions help students understand the importance of what they learn in school, Stokes said. It gives real-world meaning to skills like communication, responsibility, and teamwork—especially at an age when motivation and purpose are still growing.



“Connecting with our community partners has been such a meaningful and fun experience for our students, and they’ve truly enjoyed learning from real-world professionals!”
 
About Queen's Grant Community School
Queen's Grant Community School is a tuition-free, public charter school in Mint Hill, North Carolina, serving students in kindergarten through eighth grade. It is part of the National Heritage Academies (NHA^®) network, which includes more than 100 tuition-free, public charter schools serving more than 65,000 students in kindergarten through 12th grade across nine states. For more information, visit nhaschools.com.

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