Bellport High School’s Life Skills Program was awarded the Outstanding Cooperator Award, recognizing the students’ great work at the Cornell Cooperative Farm, located in Yaphank.

Teacher Jane Quatrale explained that students enrolled in the self-contained/prevocational Life Skills Program (ages 17-21) and special students in the 8:1:3 classes who receive academic and behavioral intervention are often scheduled to work in community businesses. One of the locations during the last eight years includes the Cornell Cooperative Farm where the students assist with routine maintenance, including raking the animal pens, and filling feed bags and filling wood chip bags for the animal pens. The students also perform light office work and bundle brochures according to school districts and schools.

“We have a great rapport with the farm,” Ms. Quatrale said. “The students enjoy going to the farm and interacting with the animals. The Cornell Cooperative farm is a great program and the students learn important work skills by volunteering their time.”