Serving up a real world lesson

Forget about the old classroom exercise of making virtual cash in a make-believe stock market.

Fifth-graders from one Lombard elementary school recently got some tips on how the real world works by operating an actual restaurant for one night.

The Manor Hill Elementary School students ran the Egg Harbor Cafe at Yorktown Shopping Mall in Lombard after spending weeks learning how to start and manage a business.

"I liked it a lot," 11-year-old Jessie Spontak said after she and her classmates served dinner to more than 130 teachers, friends and family members. "It gives us a feeling of how a business runs - the kid version."

Lombard Elementary District 44 officials say the project grew out of the students' desire to raise money to help Manor Hill families experiencing rough financial times. As the students explored fundraising options, their teachers suggested the idea of working with Egg Harbor Cafe. A similar project by another group of Manor Hill fifth-graders in 2003 was a success and incorporated a variety of classroom lessons.

"It's a wonderful way to teach kids about how to run a business," said Debra Holas, who teaches one of the two fifth-grade classes that participated in the project. "This is a practical application of the Illinois learning standards."

While the program is first and foremost an educational opportunity, Holas said the fundraising aspect inspired the students to want to make a profit.

But before they could make a dime, the students would need a plan.

So they got a loan from Harris Bank in Lombard. The money helped them pay for various startup expenses, including the cost of renting the restaurant and hiring a consultant.

"We have to pay for the cooks," Holas said. "We have to pay for the dishwashers. So this is a business. We've been very careful about keeping our costs low and trying to keep our profits high."

Early on in the process, it was decided that all of the customers must order and pay for their meals in advance. Then the kids wouldn't have to handle any cash, and the kitchen staff could be more prepared.

Still, picking the right dishes and prices for the menu was a challenge, according to Jennifer Klingbiel, the students' consultant.

"The children actually said to me, 'I want to charge $5 for a pancake,'" said Klingbiel, who is a general manager at Egg Harbor. "I said, 'We can't do that. You can go to the grocery store, buy everything at that price and make it at home.'"

Once the students finalized a menu, they worked with a graphic artist to design the T-shirts that they would wear on the big night. Meanwhile, the Kiwanis Club of Lombard signed on to co-sponsor and provide the insurance for the event.

The students divided the work by forming committees that handled different tasks, such as sending out invitations and taking reservations.

On the night of the event, the students had planned two "seatings" to get the most people in and out of the restaurant.

While students weren't allowed in the kitchen for health code reasons, they escorted customers to their tables, brought out dinner orders, got refills and cleared tables at the end of the meal.

Sandra Flores, 11, admits she was feeling nervous.

"It's the first time I have ever done it," she said. "It's busy."

Still, Robyn Cordell and other customers were very understanding of their server's inexperience. She praised the level of service.

"It's fabulous," said Cordell, a fourth-grade teacher from Manor Hill. "They are doing a great job. A-pluses!"

While some students said their tasks weren't that hard, others said it was tougher than they thought it would be.

"It's harder because you have to go back and back for drinks," 10-year-old Marquesa Pakenas said. "I am tired and hungry from the smell of the food. I wanted to eat after, which was a big mistake."

Sabina Gebis admits it probably would have been a good idea to eat before serving up a bunch of delicious meals.

"I didn't eat before I came," the 10-year-old said. "But since my brother had this really good grilled cheese, I just took a bite."

Random sampling of the food aside, parents said the evening was a good learning experience for their children.

"They've had a lot of fun doing this," parent Sherri Spontak said, "but it's been a lot of hard work, too."