New this semester, MPCS has launched the middle school "On The Fly" snack cart, in conjunction with the new Eagle Card - a student photo ID card that offers the option to purchase items at any location on the MPCS campus. "On The Fly" will operate using a similar student-run model as the Roost in high school, connecting curriculum and applying real-world business concepts.
Eighth-grade students in Nikole West's Business and Entrepreneurship class pitched the idea for "On The Fly" to administration last school year. The desire to implement a cashless purchasing system for middle school students led to the implementation of the Eagle Card.
Prior to the school-wide roll-out of the Eagle Card, middle school piloted snack sales in the classroom. Students were able to hands-on test the technology, work out operational challenges, and learn all that is involved with implementing a new system. Students in the course are responsible for the marketing, inventory selection (with healthy and staple items) and procurement, and daily operations of the snack cart. Each student has a role within their team - manager, cashier, customer service, or inventory specialist - and teams work the snack cart on a rotational basis before school 7:30-7:50 a.m. on Monday, Thursday, and Friday each week.
The “On The Fly” middle school snack cart only accepts the Eagle Card for snack purchases in the middle school. Eagle Cards can also be used to make purchases on campus at the Roost, concessions, and the Eagles Nest school store. What a great testament to the power and impact of student-led learning!
