Recently, the Warrior Bookstore has made a sudden reappearance and reopened. The school store is loved by many North Atlanta students, as it offers snacks, candies, and other school-related supplies to all students during lunch hours. The store has been closed for a short while, but after recently opening back up, NAHS students have been far from disappointing in their turnout.

More formally referred to as the Warrior Book Store, students have opted for simplicity in dubbing it the ‘School Store.’ The store is run by the special education course students, along with special education instructor Sarah Rhodes. The purpose of the school store is to not only provide the students of North Atlanta with affordable goodies, but also to help the special needs students gain real-world experience. Oftentimes, after graduating high school, it is hard for these students to find a job, with about 80% of adults with learning disabilities finding themselves jobless or lacking the needed experience to pursue a job. Those with special needs are often seen as a liability or risk by recruiters who may be hesitant to hire those with an intellectual disability. This is why, in the school store, these students can gain experience working behind a counter. They’re able to learn useful skills that’ll benefit them in the future and when applying for a job. They often take charge behind the counter with collecting the money and returning any change, providing said students with their specified choice of a snack, and even stocking the shelves. “I think it’s a great idea,” said junior Kennedy Marable. “It opens up possibilities for gaining employability and social skills and opens doors for opportunities later in life. They’re gaining real-life experience that can be applied in the future while running the school store, and I love how our school provides inclusive opportunities like this.”

Given the store’s return from hiatus, students seem to be enthralled that it’s now reopened. When the drinks in the vending machine fail to meet their demanding hunger, students seemingly prefer to stop by to purchase a sweet or savory snack. Although the Warrior Book Store offers products other than snacks, most of its revenue comes from those buying food goods. It serves especially beneficial for students who don’t bring lunches to school, or are just looking for a quick sweet bite! “I would say visiting the school store serves as a highlight of my day. It’s a quick and easy transaction, offers snacks for relatively cheap, and makes my stomach happy afterward,” said junior Diana Mansouri.

Although the times the store is open have been inconsistent as of recently, students don’t seem to mind all that much. They are just happy to see it in session whenever they can. The Warrior Book Store serves as a place students can buy products for themselves to utilize and enjoy, while also providing those who work there with outside experience in developing employability skills. What’s not to love about the school store?