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School coffee shop good to the last drop
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Rubino Sign Company donated a sign to the Spartan Cup that will help get the word out to Boardman students and teachers. Assisting in hanging the sign on Jan. 25 were student workers Nate Fabian (left), Ashley Garver, Alex Asimakopoulos, Julie Olbrych, and Cecelia Collins (right).
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The student staff of the Spartan Cup changes each morning shift every Tuesday and Friday. During the Jan. 25 early shift, business teacher Laura Pfahler (left) posed with student workers Cecelia Collins, Amane Ali, Jessica Detko, Elizabeth Bond, Maya Condori, and Stephanie Tieu (right).
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Neighbors | Sarah Foor .At the tail end of a busy Jan. 25 Spartan Cup morning, the girls of the Cup gave service with a smile to one of their last customers.
By SARAH FOOR
Boardman High School students aren’t “Runnin’ on Dunkin” quite as much as they used to. These days, they spend their weekday mornings sipping from the Spartan Cup instead.
Late last year, business teacher Laura Pfahler encouraged her students to think about the challenge of running a small business. As a result of hard work and community support, the Spartan Cup became reality. The school coffee shop was organized and is staffed by students.
“Dunkin Donuts is right down the street, and every morning, there is a line of high-schoolers looping twice around the building,” Pfahler said. “It seemed to occur to my class and I all at the same time — why not coffee?”
Instead of waiting in line at a coffee chain store, Boardman students can now visit Spartan Cup headquarters in the cafeteria, from 7 to 7:40 a.m. before first period classes. In buying the moderately-priced cup of Joe, students and teachers are supporting an increasingly autonomous and successful small business.
“We wouldn’t be here without community support,” admitted Pfahler. “Great Garage Doors helped us get Spartan Cup shirts and aprons, Team Office gave us a register and Marlowe’s Coffee helps us with our coffee and syrups. We wouldn’t be this viable business without that help.”
Through the project, the students are learning every facet of running a small business — marketing, promotions, entrepreneurship, and how to balance a budget. After clearing start-up costs and a few early bumps in the road, the Spartan Cup made its first profit in early January.
Their profits at the end of the year will be donated to a local philanthropic organization.
Student worker Maya Condori said the project has helped bring her out of her shell.
“I’ve become more social and learned how to work in a team. I think both are important in a successful business.”
Cecelia Collins has gained some confidence. It was suggested that her skills could help her work at a local coffee shop. But she has bigger plans.
“The next coffee shop I work at, I won’t be serving drinks. I’ll own the shop, and a few more, too,” she said with a smile.