“We have to learn how to be self-sufficient.”

This is the sentiment that Thomas Hunter Middle School teacher Michelle Williams expressed, especially with the suddenness of the COVID-19 pandemic and the effect it had on children.

Williams is bringing the Family and Consumer Sciences class to THMS as an elective for students to learn practical skills like preparing and cooking a meal, sewing, creating a budget and much more.

“All children need to know basic skills to survive,” she said.

According to the Virginia Department of Education, this program facilitates “student progress toward a set of unifying goals in the areas of academic achievement, cultural and environmental issues, health and safety, individual and family relations, leadership and workplace ethics, and application of technology.”

Through this course, Williams will also introduce students to a variety of career paths and show them different educational routes they can take, such as bachelor’s degrees, trade...