Part 2 – The Heart
If you walk through the halls of Miami Springs High during the morning rush, there’s a specific scent that hits you before you even reach your locker. For most of us, it’s a quick breakfast, but for Ms. Fumero, it’s a way to turn our school into a home. While we’re mostly focused on getting our food before the bell rings, Ms. Fumero is actually using the menu as a way to bring everyone together.
She sees the tostada stand as a tool for inclusion, focusing on the students working behind the counter just as much as the ones buying the food.
“Although Cuban bread and coffee is such a small integrated part of our culture… the process of making and selling is to help our students with disabilities get a hands-on experience of daily life and social skills,” she explained.
Perhaps the most “Latin” part of this whole operation isn’t the food itself, but the heart behind it. In many of our households, food is how we show love, and Ms. Fumero is bringing that exact energy to the school. It’s about making sure nobody is left out. “The delicious feeling of hot warm foods hitting their mouth and knowing they have food regardless of if they can afford it or not… it’s a good Latin American tradition and I’m proud to be the reason for the outcome,” she told me. At Miami Springs High, she’s proving that a simple piece of Cuban bread can actually build a stronger community.