Scott students profit academically from Life Skills business

April 1, 2026

Scott Middle School students are making profits in the friendship business this year by supplying smiles and snacks throughout the building.
 
Members of Scott’s Life Skills class are accumulating business knowledge through their Wish Upon a Snack trips. Staff members purchase candy bars and other snack items from them each week, and students distribute the food to classrooms or offices every Friday afternoon. The group’s goal is to raise enough money to have either a pizza or ice cream party at the end of the year.
 
Seventh grader Kahleya spent one winter day recording each delivery as her team rolled a cart up to the main office. She used a pencil to mark down that fellow Stars had brought food to several staff members. Her careful accounting techniques ensured that everyone would receive their correct purchases in a timely fashion.
 
“I think we’re learning a lot,” Kahleya said. “I’ve been learning a lot of work stuff in school.”

 
Business partner Larena smiled as she talked with Life Skills teacher Tiffany Wiley after her group had transported a full cart of bagged items to classrooms. She and other students wore teal-colored aprons as they moved their special cargo down a hallway in one wing of the building.
 
“I’m just having fun right now,” Larena said. “I can talk to people who are nice. I like talking to people and I’m having fun with her.”
 
Wiley helped students start the business after she began leading classes at Scott two years ago. She and other Life Skills teachers provide students with board game money that they can use to buy real items on “pay day,” which lands on the first school day of every month. She has watched Kahleya, Larena and other Stars gain confidence and self-esteem in addition to valuable communication and organizational skills.
 
“The kids really enjoy it, and I enjoy getting to see them learn and grow from this,” Wiley said. “They interact with other people in the building that they wouldn’t normally get to.”
 
Wiley said the inspiration for Wish Upon a Snack came from Kolbi Stahl, who taught with Wiley when both worked at North Star High School. Students in Stahl’s Work Skills class conducted research, sent surveys to staff members and presented a detailed business plan to North Star administrators for their own snack cart endeavor.
 
Wiley took over supervision of North Star’s project when Stahl moved out of state. She asked Scott administrators if she could create a similar enterprise for her new Life Skills students, and the plan was approved when the 2024-25 school year began.
 
Kahleya, Chris, Kenji and Fae were part of a team that developed Wish Upon a Snack in the first quarter of 2024-25. They conducted price-comparison research to determine which local store to buy snack products from and asked staff members which snack options they would be interested in purchasing. They also voted on their favorite business name, logo and apron color, created advertisements for staff to watch and made name tags to wear on business trips.
 
Fourteen Stars had the opportunity to continue operating the venture in the 2025-26 school year. They spend time on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of each week working on their assigned jobs.

 
Students “clock in” on their Chromebooks at the beginning of each class period, and they fill out receipts, organize snack bags and write thank-you notes to staff members on Wednesdays. They fill the bags with food and thank-you messages each Thursday, and they transport supplies to Scott staff members every Friday. On delivery days, the Stars are given specific jobs such as pushing the cart, managing an accounting clipboard and storing money in a wallet.
 
“Delivering snacks helps students build social skills and money skills,” Wiley said. “Upon finishing their jobs at the end of each class period, students ‘clock out’ on their Chromebooks and get paid with fake money. Students have the opportunity to earn up to $5 a day, depending on their effort and participation.”
 
Larena said Wish Upon a Snack has given her more confidence in math topics like addition and subtraction. She said Wiley’s kind personality has made it easier to count dollar amounts and work with inventory sheets.
 
“The teacher has helped me to learn math,” Larena said. “I’m learning about math problems.”
 
Kahleya said she has formed many new friendships with school leaders. She remembers their names and says hi to them in the hallways each week. She was especially happy after walking up to the office one week.
 
“It was kind of fun, because we’ve been delivering snacks,” Kahleya said.

 
Wiley said she was proud of the entire Wish Upon a Snack team for expanding the business at Scott. She felt their investments of time, energy and attention would help them continue to experience friendly profits in the future.
 
“They do a great job,” Wiley said. “I really enjoy watching them succeed.”
 
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