Training Teens with Disabilities

A half dozen students from Hixson high school spend part of their school day learning in a very different environment. The special needs students volunteer at Longhorn Steakhouse for nearly 5 hours a day, Monday through Friday. They're doing a little bit of everything to learn about the restaurant business.

 Hixson Student James McLemore says, "I feel like I'm getting a skill I can use."

This is the first year at Hixson high for this work based program.  It's designed to give the kids some real life skills they can use once they graduate.   4 different businesses now have special needs kids from Hixson high volunteering their time.

"They're eager, they're ready to learn," notes Ben Raines of Longhorn Steakhouse. "They really enhance the lives of my employees and me."

In fact, the students have done such a good job working at the restaurant, the managing partner has hired two of them to work part time on the weekends,  turning a volunteer position into a paid job.