TEXAS Adult & Family Literacy QUARTERLY

Success Stories

How Sweet It Is!

by Sue Barker

In the long running hit TV show, “I Love Lucy,” Ricky wanted Lucy to work for a week, so she and Ethel got jobs at a candy factory. They were totally inept, especially at wrapping the candy, due to the speed of the conveyor belt. This resulted in the famous scene of two ladies stuffing chocolate in their mouths, blouses and hats in order to make production. Later, Mr. Willie Wonka and his renowned candy factory hid five golden tickets in delicious Wonka Bars to see who would live happily ever after.

Now that you have candy production and delicious chocolate on your mind, allow me to tell you about the most recent successful collaboration between Northeast Texas Workforce Development Board (NTWDB), Texas Workforce Commission (TWC), Northeast Texas Community College (NTCC) Adult Education Program and Sweet Shop USA.

The aroma of rich, hand-dipped chocolate fills the classroom. This English as a Second Language (ESL) training site is located in Sweet Shop USA., Mount Pleasant, Texas. A “Willie Wonka Wonderland” is the educational setting. Employees receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)/ or TANF eligible employees are learning to speak, read and write English. They join a team of two NTCC Adult Education instructors to begin afternoon classes. Teachers, clad in Sweet Shop USA company hair nets, (bonnets) with freshly washed and sanitized hands, begin their presentation of lessons tailored for Sweet Shop USA Workplace ESL.

Sweet Shop USA was founded in 1972. Mr. Jim Webb became involved with the company in the 1980s. By 1990, Mr. Webb and wife, Krista owned the company, located in Fort Worth, Texas. Sweet Shop USA production went well until a tornado, in 2000, destroyed their plant. The Webbs rebuilt only blocks away. After finding out that the Fort Worth river bed was to be relocated and their property condemned, once again, the Webbs were forced to move. The good news is that the company was relocated to Mount Pleasant, Texas. They found the “perfect property, the right labor mix and a good, friendly atmosphere,” stated Mr. Webb. NTCC’s Whatley Center for the Performing Arts, combined with the scholarship endowment for every local graduating senior, made an impression. Another bonus was NTCC’s design to provide further training for new employees hired from the local workforce. That is where NTCC Adult Education Department, NTWDB, TWC Self Sufficiency Fund Training Program and Sweet Shop USA developed a partnership providing educational training services. The project provides training to eligible, new and incumbent workers in a candy manufacturing environment.

The company, with over 100 employees, ships approximately 8,000 boxes daily. Shipments of seasonal products go to upscale department stores throughout the United States and Canada. Wholesale catalogues are sent to some 900 vendors with on-line sales doubling in the past year. Ms. Webb works daily at the plant serving as the Operations Superintendent. She also designs the creative packaging and presentation of the product. From the selection of the ingredients to the tying of the package bows, Krista is an integral part of daily company operations.

Workplace ESL provides an introduction and practical application of specific job related vocabulary. Upon completion, employees are able to:

• demonstrate an increase in understanding of workplace vocabulary.
• demonstrate an increase in reading comprehension for workplace instruction and policy.
• demonstrate an increase in verbal communication comprehension.
• demonstrate an ability to write basic workplace communication.

Participants are baseline and progress assessed with BEST Plus and BEST Literacy to determine educational gains. Adult Education books and training materials are numerous. Customized lists of workplace terms created by the employer are emphasized and taught throughout the course. ESL Workplace Plus Books, Skills That Work: Math and English/Spanish Dictionaries are also a part of classroom instruction.

Other courses taught throughout the funding cycle are:

• Workplace Reading, Writing and Math
• Basic Computer Skills
• Food Safety and Personal Hygiene

Workplace Reading, Writing, Math, and Food Safety/ Personal Hygiene courses are taught on-site at Sweet Shop USA. Basic Computer Skills course is taught at the Mount Pleasant Independent School District (MPISD) Even Start program, another excellent and established partnership, located just blocks away. Employees participate with hands-on instruction at the newly built MPISD Even Start computer lab which contains twenty computers for employees to implement their new skills.

If this Willie Wonka workplace project interests you, drop by Sweet Shop USA for delicious, free samples and visit the retail showroom where taste and presentation are exceptional. Put on your bonnet, sanitize your hands, take a tour of the factory and see how Lucy and Ethel did it. And, don’t forget to sit in on an excellent ESL class while you are there. NTCC and Sweet Shop USA look forward to seeing you soon. And in the words of Mr. Jackie Gleason, with one of his best national trademark catchphrases, “How sweet it is!”

NTCC Adult Education Department is a division of NTCC Student and Outreach Services.

About the Author

Sue Barker serves as Program Director for Adult Education at NTCC. Ms. Barker, M.S., taught school for thirteen years. She has worked for NTCC since 1987 when she established the Franklin County Library Literacy Program. Ms. Barker and her husband Ronny live in Mount Vernon and have two children: Karen McClaird, husband Matt and son Hayden, reside in Dallas and Cole Barker resides in Georgetown, CO.