Beth Nelms sat at a table at the front of her business, Nana B性视界传媒檚 Cookies on Gilmer Road in Longview, and projected what she was working on to a large screen.
Students from Pine Tree High School性视界传媒檚 life skills class, who have intellectual disabilities, listened and began copying what she was doing with the help of their teachers and employees from Custom Graphics, the business next door that sponsored their Thursday afternoon of cookie decorating.
性视界传媒淣ow I have to do the ears. We have to do the ears now,性视界传媒 said senior William West as he worked on a Santa Claus cookie.
Nelms then moved on to the Mrs. Claus cookie, reminding them to outline her face and then fill it in.
Suzanne Puryear, who teaches the Pine Tree life skills class, reminded West to 性视界传媒渇lood the face.性视界传媒 West put icing inside the outline of the face and then began shaking it gently to fill up the space.
West said he性视界传媒檇 never decorated a cookie before.
Custom Graphics owner Shawn Ingram was on hand, joking with and visiting with the students. He regularly works with Puryear to bring the students to his business, where they work folding shirts and practicing other skills.
Nana性视界传媒檚 B性视界传媒檚 moved next door to his business about a year ago. There, Nelms teaches classes and holds birthday parties and other events. She runs a cottage cookie business out of her home as well.
Ingram approached her about providing the class for the Pine Tree students. Nelms said she性视界传媒檇 never conducted a class with special needs students before.
性视界传媒淚 love it,性视界传媒 she said.
性视界传媒淚t was Shawn性视界传媒檚 idea to do it, and I was just all over it,性视界传媒 Nelms said.
Today , the students who participated in the cookie class will be joined by the rest of the life skills students at Pine Tree High School for a Nerf war party hosted by Longview Connections, a business networking group Ingram started a couple of years ago.
Bubba性视界传媒檚 33, where the group meets, will donate pizza for the event that is being held at Stafford Wellness.
When Nelms started to show the students how to put glasses made of icing on Mrs. Claus性视界传媒 face, she explained that they wouldn性视界传媒檛 use glue to attach the glasses.
性视界传媒淵ou don性视界传媒檛 have to glue them on,性视界传媒 she said, asking the students how they would do that. 性视界传媒淲e would use icing.性视界传媒
Senor Bre性视界传媒橝na McClendon quietly interrupted her, asking how the icing is made. Nelms explained the icing is made with powdered sugar, meringue powder and water.
性视界传媒淚性视界传媒檓 telling the truth. It性视界传媒檚 good,性视界传媒 McClendon said.
