Calvin Donaldson Environmental Science Academy (CDESA) has a new principal, Rose Odom. She has an idea to end food fights, intentional spilling, eating with hands (when a utensil would be appropriate), talking over each other, inappropriate line behavior, and inappropriate table manners in the cafeteria. Cafe Donaldson will create a restaurant dining atmosphere with our $1,500 grant for tabes and chairs, that the students have a chance to earn the opportunity to eat in. This will be special for them, they will have music and sometimes special guests.
Students are so eager to please when they are given a clear set of guidelines and expectations. Instead of shaming them and always using discipline, Rose wants to create something that they can work towards with clear expectations, so that they are learning and having positive behavior change at the same time. Why this? It may be a hard stretch of the imagination if you were raised in a household where table manners were taught, food was plenty, and your family sat down together to share meals. For many of these students, they do not share this same upbringing, for what ever reason, maybe their parents are working during the evening hours and they are being watched by an older sibling, or maybe food is scarce at their house and they learn to hide and stash food for themselves. This idea can help. We can help.