ProStart students get commercial experience

In the coming weeks, students in the Hot Springs County High School ProStart program will get some real world experience around town.

Teacher Becky Martinez explained part of ProStart is working in a commercial kitchen. While there is such a kitchen at the high school, from which they serve food, Martinez noted the students are more familiar with the kitchens that might typically be in a home.

This past week has seen the girls working at Dairyland, getting the business up and running for the Friday opening. Among their responsibilities were getting ice cream for the freezer and filling bottles of slushy flavors; the latter was a bit on the messy, but colorful, side.

They also helped with the look of the building, painting furniture and setting up benches.

Martinez is also collaborating with Taco John's and Days Inn for additional locations for the students to help.

Kevin Gerber, who owns Dairyland with wife Jordan, said when they took over the business they wanted to give kids some experience working a commercial kitchen. This, he noted, falls in line with former owners Brad and Shannon Shaffer's understanding the business might be the first job some high school students have. Martinez, he said, came to him with the idea of the students helping, and everything fell into place.

The town has been great supporters of Dairyland, Gerber said, and this is a way for the business to give back. Having worked at Thermopolis Middle School, he's familiar already with the students.

As things are a bit hectic during the opening weeks, Gerber plans to have the ProStart students observe more than anything. This could also be of benefit, he said, as some might think working in an ice cream store is an easy job.

"It's a cool thing to be a part of," Gerber said. "It's cool for Becky to get the kids into the community."