Snack Cart Project Builds Communication and Inclusion

At Meadow’s Edge Elementary a creative new initiative is bringing students together while building vital communication and social skills. General education students are partnering with their peers in Exceptional Education classrooms to support the development of pragmatic language — the everyday communication skills we use to interact with others.

The project centers around a student-run snack cart known as the “Woot Woot Wagon”. It is filled with free beverages and snacks for teachers. Exceptional Education students, including those who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) devices, practice real-world language skills as they deliver the cart to staff. They work on making requests, greeting others, taking turns in conversation, and using polite responses like “thank you” and “you’re welcome.” 

By pairing with general education students as peer models and communicators, the program fosters natural social interactions in a supportive environment. The goal is to create a meaningful inclusion experience — one that benefits Exceptional Education students by building confidence and communication skills, while also offering their peers an opportunity to engage in empathy, leadership, and collaboration.

Through this hands-on, student-centered approach, classrooms are not only learning about language — they’re living it. And with the wagon making its rounds once a month, those opportunities for growth and connection will continue all year long.