SerVermont - Windham Southeast Supervisory Union VISTA

Student Educational Assistance (SEA) services a behavioral program of Brattleboro Union High School (BUHS). SEA students include 9-12th grade students who face barriers to accessing their education. These barriers might include specific learning disabilities, social emotional learning needs, challenges with focus, impulsivity and organization and/or pervasive feelings of sadness and/or anxiousness. Some of our students have experienced challenging life circumstances including poverty, inequities and trauma. These services are crucial for poverty alleviation because they address the root causes of economic exclusion, rather than just the symptoms.

Culinary Agricultural Vocational Education (CAVE) is a program of Windham Southeast Supervisory Union and is a therapeutic educational program serving Brattleboro Union High School students. This program delivers vocational training to students, preparing them for the world of work via exploration of food systems and participation in work study experiences. While there, students practice agricultural and culinary skills while supporting the daily work of running a small snack bar and large kitchen garden, open to the public and serving breakfast and lunch daily during the school week. The mission of this program is to provide delicious, affordable, seasonal foods using local ingredients as much as possible to the Greater Brattleboro community while providing a therapeutic learning environment for neurodivergent students to safely, practice and grow.

Having alternative learning environments is critical for students with these unique needs because traditional classroom environments are often not spaces conducive to their learning. The CAVE Kitchen and Garden model develops students essential life skills through food production, peer collaboration, vocational training and mentorship, which in turn builds the confidence and competencies that can reduce their long-term risk of living in poverty.