Helping Hands is a student-run business that has been around for 28 years, selling bakery goods as well as being involved in other projects.

The Helping Hands bakery sells breads, cookies and popcorn balls for events, such as Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and most recently, Valentine’s Day.

This year Helping Hands sold approximately 70 dozen frosted sugar cookies for Valentine’s.

“Every year, [sales] have increased because the popularity of the product is more and more every year,” instructor Jolene Windholz said. “The hardest part about that many orders are that we’re slower than a professional bakery.”

Windholz said that by this time in the year, students have become good decorators to decorate the heart-shaped cookies. Usually a dozen of the Valentine’s special frosted cookies consist of one large heart and the rest are different sizes.

The Helping Hands bakery is open every Maroon Day from 8:15 to 10:35 a.m. The 30 students in Helping Hands bake and then clean.

“The kids build good relationships while working together and learn life skills and workplace skills,” Windholz said.

22nvuong@usd489.com