Chicago high school teaches disabled students real life skills

CHICAGO (WLS) -- A local high school is educating students outside of the classroom. Vaughn Occupational High School has partnered with online and app grocery delivery service Instacart to help students learn lessons that will last a lifetime.

In the aisles and out of the classroom, students from Vaughn Occupational High School attended their weekly internship with Instacart.

"For this internship program the teacher actually uses the mobile device. So the teacher is essentially signed up as the personal shopper. She leads the students through the store but at this point many of the students are so good, she is handing off her device to the student. Students scrolling through the shopping list say ok, there's the avocado. Let's go find the avocado, then identify the greatest avocado and then put it in the customer order," said the program manager.

Special Education Teacher Sara Manseau brings 10 students to Whole Foods every Wednesday to learn job skills, like using a register and bagging, and life skills from finding their expiration dates to picking ripe produce.

"We're just trying to help them become well rounded student for after they leave us, because our students are able to stay until age 22, so we really want to prepare them as best we can for that transition into adulthood," said Manseau. "We really work hard on teaching them both the life skills and the job skills so they can be successful."

Students are learning, excited and up for the challenge.

"It's like a really nice experience working with a lot of people but it's also challenging with the orders but it's more interesting," said one of the students.

The internship program is in its first year and they hope to continue and expand.