In the classrooms of North Bullitt High School, students are applying real-world skills to run their own coffee shop. “This started as a way to help students get a work experience certificate. They have to get 40 hours of hands-on learning a year,” says teacher Victoria Mason. “We focus on work skills and life skills here to help them transition and be as independent as possible.” The shop is called “Bean Fryers,” and students help sell coffee, tea, smoothies, and hot cocoa. Students like Landon, Xavier, Michelle, Alex, and Elliot are not only responsible for making the drinks, but also delivering the orders to their teachers. “They love making the drinks, but they also love walking around the school and meeting new people,” says teacher Casey Sanders. According to Mason, the program is expanding quickly. “Last year, we probably got five to seven orders. Since fall started, we've been getting closer to 15 orders a week. Students like Elliott take every order seriously. “When you serve coffee, you have to serve it with a happy face, so you can show that you're happy and that you love serving coffee,” Elliott said. In addition to learning customer service, the students say they learned other skills, like time management, communication and the math of counting tips. Alex Mason loves being part of the community, telling WLKY, “The best thing is that our teachers include us.” “I hope that as many of our students as possible can go out and get part-time jobs, like supported employment, but more than that, I want them to have a community when they leave North,” Mason said. Money raised will go to the school's “Best Buddies” program, which helps put on events for students with special needs.
In the classrooms of North Bullitt High School, students are putting their hands-on skills to use by running their own coffee shop.
“This started as a way to help students complete a work experience certificate, which requires them to complete 40 hours of practical learning per year,” teacher Victoria Mason said. “We focus on job skills and life skills here to prepare students for the transition and help them be as independent as possible.”
The store is called Bean Fryers, and students help sell coffee, tea, smoothies and hot cocoa.
Students including Landon, Xavier, Michelle, Alex and Elliot are not only responsible for making the drinks but also delivering the orders to the teachers.
“The students love making the drinks, but they also love walking around the school and meeting new people,” teacher Casey Sanders said.
Mason said the program has expanded quickly, going from “probably five to seven orders last year to, by the fall, closer to 15 orders a week.”
Students like Elliot take each order seriously.
“We have to serve coffee with a happy face to show our customers that we're happy and that we love serving coffee,” Elliott said.
In addition to learning customer service, the students say they learned other skills, such as time management, communication and the math required to count tips.
Alex loves being part of the community, telling WLKY, “The best part is the teachers include us.”
“We want as many of our students as possible to go out into the workforce and get part-time work, like supported employment, but more than that, we want them to have built a community when they leave North,” Mason said.
Funds raised will benefit the school's “Best Buddies” program, which helps organize events for students with special needs.