Northwest High School has rolled out a new program called “Adulting 101,” which teaches students basic life skills, like how to administer first aid and how to prepare inexpensive meals.
High school library media specialist Melissa Ray organized the program’s first lesson, which was held Sept. 7, when security officer Rowdy Schmoll taught students how to change a tire and jump a dead car battery.
Ray said 14 students attended the first lesson, including sophomore William Schulte, 15, of High Ridge, who said he found the 35-minute class useful.
“I feel like those things are very important to know, regardless if you’re driving or not,” he said. “You can help someone if that comes up.”
Ray agreed.
“I didn’t know how to jumpstart a car until my dad taught me at 17,” she said. “We talked about the fact that batteries are not necessarily in the front of cars anymore and some students were surprised by that.”
Librarian Kim Hornkohl, who is running the program with Ray, made laminated instructions for both skills, which were given to all the students who attended the lesson so they can keep them in their vehicles.
“In case they forget at a later time,” Hornkohl said.
She said the lesson about changing a tire and jumping a car battery focused on safety.
“If you’re on the side of the road, especially on Hwy. 30 where people drive pretty quickly, is it safe for you to get out and change your tire, and what happens if that’s not the case?” Ray said.
She said the school plans to offer an Adulting 101 class once a month, and students want to they may attend the lessons during their advisory period – an hour when students get to talk with teachers or visit the library.
Ray said topics for the rest of the semester include basic first aid and how to create an emergency preparedness bag; writing your name in cursive and how to write a thank-you card; and meal planning on a budget.
“If they had (cursive writing) in elementary school, it’s not necessarily something they have really used since,” she said. “That (class idea) actually came from a faculty member here who said students were sending thank-you cards, but that was just really (sending) the card with no name or anything written inside.”
Northwest High Principal Stella Viehland said she likes the program Ray and Hornkohl have created.
“These ladies have the ability to get ideas off the ground and into action, just like offering this session within the first three weeks of school,” she said. “Adulting 101 lessons will indeed help our students feel more ready in areas that perhaps no one has taught them.”
Ray said she got the idea from a Facebook group of school and public librarians and from survey results from students.
“A couple of years ago, we had a lot of students say there were things they just didn’t know, but there wasn’t really any means for them to be able to learn them,” she said.
Ray said the spring semester topics will include what you need to know about taxes, social media and job searches; how to schedule your own appointments and Google calendar reminders; and babysitting.
“My mom scheduled my appointments for me way longer than she really should have. That is probably an important one,” she said.
Ray said she hopes to offer the program every year and add more topics, like changing a fuse, negotiating a raise, dinner etiquette and insurance basics.
“It’s kind of like trying to give them a little head start instead of getting surprised or getting that first paycheck and realizing that a third of your pay goes toward taxes,” she said.