Franklin Regional Senior High School Students Debut PANTHER SHOP MOBILE KIOSK
Mrs . Michelle Longo teaches Marina Sciullo how to scan merchandise , utilize the point of sale ( POS ) system , and make change for customers . ranklin Regional
FRANKLIN REGIONAL NEWS
With custom Franklin Regional branding , the professional vending kiosk was received with great enthusiasm by Mrs . Michelle Longo , Ellie Baldy , Jessica Seibert , and Ian Otley
Madeline Mendivil scans a Panther travel mug as Seth Spinola makes the first purchase of the day .
The Franklin Regional Panther Foundation is a non-profit 501 ( c )( 3 ) organization that was established in 2016 . It was formed with the basic understanding that local tax dollars and state funding are not always enough to fully support the type of innovative student programming that is crucial to the development of the 21st century skills required of today ’ s workforce . Each year , the Panther Foundation holds multiple fundraising events with proceeds used to directly fund “ Innovation Grants ” that are then gifted to Franklin Regional faculty / staff applicants to develop creative programs and provide unique opportunities for K-12 students .
Thanks to the ongoing support of the Franklin Regional Panther Foundation , Mrs . Michelle Longo , a special education teacher and transition coordinator at Franklin
Regional Senior High ( FRSH ), applied for and was awarded her second Innovation Grant . The first , gifted in 2017 , was used to jumpstart the “ F . R . Panther Shop ” as a component of the Franklin Regional Work Exploration Program . Here students with disabilities work from “ conception to completion ” as they create designs , use materials and specialized equipment ( such as a vinyl cutter and t-shirt press ) to produce unique Franklin Regional products , and work to understand the processes of packaging , sales using a point of sale ( POS ) system , and marketing within a small-scale school store .
This spring , the “ F . R . Panther Shop ” acquired a fancy set of wheels as an extension to the original grant . The “ F . R . Panther Shop ” Mobile Kiosk had its debut in April 2021 . The idea behind the kiosk is to provide increased opportunities for students to develop transferable work skills , practice teamwork , increase social confidence , and have real-life work experiences by operating the mobile kiosk at district events .
Moving into the 2021-22 school year , students plan to expand their product line by partnering with non-disabled peers to create one-of-a-kind Franklin Regional merchandise and original apparel . Students in the Social Entrepreneurship class , taught by Mrs . Becky Magness and Mr . Roger Crider , have been working on new designs and the entire team of students will collaborate in the printing and production process this fall .
MURRYSVILLE ❘ SUMMER 2021 37