The Bancroft School Teams Up With Wawa For A ‘Sweet’ Celebration
Replica Wawa Helps Students with Developmental Disabilities Gain Confidence and Skills to Enter the Workforce
HADDONFIELD, NJ – Through a unique class offered through The Bancroft School’s Vocational Program, students with developmental disabilities learn how to prep food, stock shelves and operate cash registers by working in a replica Wawa store — right on the school’s Haddonfield campus. Call it hoagie-building 101, but for the students it’s much more than that. It’s a chance to gain self-confidence, secure paid employment with Wawa Inc. and become increasingly independent.
The on-campus convenience store, named “Sweet Success’ by Bancroft students, has become a huge success for the school, its students and Wawa. Since its inception in 1993, more than 50 students have gained employment with Wawa, and the once tiny makeshift convenience store has evolved into a full-blown, state-of-the art training facility. Thanks to the support of Wawa, Sweet Success has received a makeover to equip the store with updated technology. This renovation ensures that students train on the exact equipment used by Wawa employees.
On June 12, 2006 at 11:00 a.m., The Bancroft School will host a special grand re-opening to recognize Wawa for their on-going support of Sweet Success. Graduates and current students of the training program, key Wawa representatives, store managers and Bancroft representatives will help unveil the new store with a ceremony to reflect on the success of the students and the program.
“Real training, not just simulation, is what makes this program so successful,’ said Robert Lenherr, Principal of the Bancroft School. “With Wawa’s generous donation, our trainees are now working on the same equipment that is being used at the stores, which will help them make a smooth transition from school to work.”
Students in the Sweet Success program meet every morning. During that time they work in the fully operational, scaled-down model of the Wawa store where they learn not only job-related skills but how to dress, manners, and ways to interact with customers. Open from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., workers at Sweet Success operate the store for Bancroft staff members and other students. The store is not open to the public.
“Our Bancroft employees have been an invaluable resource to us,” said Dave Yeager, Wawa’s Senior Director of Store Operations for New Jersey. “It’s a win-win situation because we get reliable employees and Bancroft students get employment opportunities.’
Throughout the years, hundreds of Bancroft students have gained job training and placement in areas such as food service, horticulture, custodial, outdoor maintenance, and retail through The Bancroft School’s Vocational Education Program. Bancroft’s Vocational and Supported Employment programs for both adolescents and adults are nationally acclaimed for providing a wide range of competitive and supported jobs in hospitals, restaurants, hotels, supermarkets and other businesses as well as pre-vocational and volunteer assignments. The Bancroft School is a program of Bancroft NeuroHealth.
About Bancroft NeuroHealth
Founded in 1883, Bancroft NeuroHealth annually serves more than 1,200 children and adults with developmental
disabilities, brain injuries and other neurological impairments. Based in Haddonfield, N.J., Bancroft has
sites in Camden, Burlington, Gloucester, Ocean and Salem counties in New Jersey, and in Delaware. Programs
include education, rehabilitation, vocational, residential, evaluation and treatment services.
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