SCRANTON -- Sometimes the best lessons are learned outside of the classroom. High School students in Lackawanna County learned a lot when they started working in their school's cafeteria.
"I just wanted to help out the lunch ladies because I see what they do in the back, I`m really grateful for what they do," said Brandon Ortiz, a senior at Scranton High School.
Ortiz is one of a growing self-made group of students at the Career Technology Center of Lackawanna County. They forgo their lunch break to help out the school's cafeteria workers, who have had staffing shortages.
"They always say thank you, they`re grateful, they tell me I don`t have to come every day but I`m just there for them," Ortiz added.
Its became part of the routine for Culinary Arts students at the CTC, others have followed suit.
"Well, my friend and I were sitting at the lunch table and we see a friend, he was just doing it all by himself so we decided to come out and help," added Kaiona Nelson, a junior at Scranton High School.
It all started with just a few student volunteers in the Culinary Arts program. But, as their peers started seeing them working, more and more students got out of their seats and into the kitchen.
"To be honest with you, now, we have more and more volunteering because they think it`s a neat thing to do, I guess it`s neat to be nice," said Culinary Arts student Steven Anania.
Anania said the volunteers have become better students, that hard work and appreciation are some of the toughest lessons to learn.
We asked them what they have learned from the experience.
Ortiz said, "character, really, because of how everyone acts."
"How to build a friendship and teamwork and everything because you`re working with different people," Nelson added.
The things you can learn, if you're willing to get your hands dirty.