They design greeting cards to order, market them with their customers in mind, fill orders with speed and provide contact-free delivery right to your door. If it seems too good to be true, it’s not. It is Paper Pastries, the three-year-old greeting card business run by students and staff of the high school’s RISE program.

RISE stands for Ready for Independence, Success, and Employment. The supportive high school program offers a curriculum with a focus on key concepts and skills students will need for maximum independence in work, home, and community after high school.

The students sell the cards to high school students and staff and sometimes fill special orders from other groups affiliated with the school. This year, they have a rotating display set up in the faculty room so busy teachers and staff have access to greeting cards on demand. RISE teachers have also set up an online ordering system around major holidays for individuals who want to buy cards in bulk.

Through Paper Pastries, the RISE students, who have received in-person instruction daily this pandemic year, have learned how to manage inventory for large orders, create new designs and deliver to customers using a variety of contact-free delivery options.

And despite the pandemic, the business — which is run out of a classroom — has managed to create and deliver hundreds of winter and holiday themed cards this year, including Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day cards. Each card is hand-stamped, making the Paper Pastries greeting cards extra special.

The student-run business got its start in 2018 with seasonal greeting cards made available to students and staff around major holidays. The demand for the cards has been brisk and the business has expanded to include all-occasion cards that are sold throughout the school year.

Next, this entrepreneurial group will be looking to expand the business with custom vinyl products that could be available at the high school as soon as next year.

We look forward to seeing their new designs and congratulate Paper Pastries on its success!