By JOYANNA LOVE/ Senior Staff Writer

Chilton County High School teacher Emily Dunkling has received a PEECh grant for about $370.

Funds will be used to create a kitchen area in her classroom for special needs students to practice job and life skills.

“We focus a lot on job skills and we go out in the community and practice out job skills,” Dunkling said. “On Fridays, we have been going to shop for teachers, so we go to the grocery store and bring back their groceries.”

She said having a kitchen area will allow students to practice light cooking and setting the table.

“They love to cook, and they love to be able to make things,” Dunkling said.

She said her students learn well through hands-on activities.

The area would include a microwave, cooking utensils, electric skillet, plates and a table.

“We will have visual recipes that we can use,” Dunkling said.

Safety skills for the kitchen will also be a focus for the class.

Although this is only her second year at CCHS, Dunkling has taught for 20 years.

PEECh grants are awarded on an annual basis by the Chilton Education Foundation. In 2019, the organization awarded 32 grants to Chilton County educators totaling $22,527.