Danny Deslauriers and Mark Hoben

Deslauriers and Hoben’s innovative teaching idea, “Pressing for Success,” is focused on taking advantage of the rich agricultural heritage of Vermont and combining it with the school’s alternative learning environment.  The two teachers say that the students in this program will help care for the school's orchards, harvest apples locally and process those apples into cider with a cider mill. The cider will then be shared with the entire school. The primary objective of the project is to engage students who have trouble in traditional classroom settings, by helping them experience success in a project. Making apple cider will connect them with Vermont's history and introduce students to the environment and sustainability. Just as important as the academic objectives, this project is expected to boost self-esteem for the students within their school community. The teachers believe that when children feel good about themselves in one area, it can often translate to success in other areas. Since the equipment will be permanently available, they look forward to apple cider pressing becoming a yearly project.