Special Ed Class Runs Gift Shop In Andover
There’s a tiny gift shop in the middle of an Andover strip mall where success is measured in strides, not sales.
The store is called That Special Gift, and it is changing the lives of a group of high school students one sale at a time.
Patty Schoff, a special education teacher, created the program for students with disabilities. The shop is operated through the Junior Achievement program.
“We really believe we have to give kids the opportunity for a safe place to practice,” she said. “To have a caring adult say, ‘That’s not going to work out in the community,’ and then come back the next day and know today’s a new day to try it again.”
With the guidance of the teachers, the students refurbish old furniture, and create all of the artwork sold in the gift shop.
