This is the fourth year the Patriot Balloon Factory has been taking orders and delivering balloons. Elizabeth Herzing, a Special Education Transition teacher, came up with the idea of having an in-school balloon delivery service run by the School Community Based Program. “A colleague from Blake High School had started something similar on a smaller scale so I kind of took her idea. She took me to visit them and kind of see how things ran. So, we took that idea and grew from it,” Herzing said.

The Patriot Balloon Factory is a school business that provides an opportunity for students in the SCB Program to practice their vocational skills while providing a service for the school community. Patrick Sikora is an SCB Teacher at the school; he said that they like to create real jobs for the students so when they graduate they have experience. “The Patriot Balloon Factory gives us the opportunity to actually take orders, fill them, and deliver them. These are like processes that you might be doing outside of the community as a job. So, the balloon factory gives them a sense of a real job,” Sikora said.

Each balloon cost $3 while a balloon purchased online costs $3.25. A balloon bouquet includes one printed balloon and one solid color star balloon and  is $5, or $5.50 for an online purchase. They have recently  added a “You are Awesome” text option. They are most busy around Valentine’s Day and graduation when they have special balloon orders to fill. All proceeds go toward the SCB Program Vocational Fund, helping to continue and create meaningful work opportunities for  students. The orders that are placed will be delivered to students and/or staff members during homeroom or advisory. “I think I am going to order graduation balloons for my senior friends when they come out,” sophomore Josie Spicer said. 

   The SCB students prepare the balloons by receiving an online order from the online application, which students can see all around the school on the walls with the QR code, which will send you to the online application. The application provides information on which balloon the student would like, what day they would like it to be delivered and what they would like said on it. Then, the SCB students fill the order. Working and filling orders helps them gain fine motor skills through cutting ribbon, and they practice visual skills when selecting colors.

The Patriot Balloon Factory offers an opportunity for SCB students to further involve themselves in the community. The fact that the students are supplying a service is what makes this program unique, and they enjoy doing it. “I received a birthday balloon from a friend, it was a very cute idea and it definitely brought joy to my day,” senior Jessica Lee said.