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Boardman Beanery teaches life skills to special education students
BOARDMAN
On Friday mornings, you won’t find Glenwood Junior High School teachers getting their caffeine fix at Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts.
Starting this semester, staff can get coffee each Friday inside Glenwood at Boardman Beanery, a coffee shop operated by special-education students in seventh and eighth grades.
Intervention specialist Elissa Wooten came up with the idea when she saw a teacher’s post about a similar project on Pinterest, a social media web and mobile application company.
The Boardman Beanery has all the trappings of a commercial coffee spot. You can add flavor to your beverage, get a biscotti with your coffee and have your order delivered.
“They’ve even got punch cards,” said communications coordinator Amy Radinovic.
The program aims to prepare students for the workforce by teaching such skills as customer service and budgeting.
The students who work at the Beanery take orders, operate the cash register and deliver drink orders.
Until the opening of the Beanery, opportunities like these were limited to high-school students.
“We have a rich history of work-study programming, but this is taking things to the next level, because it’s in the building, said Director of Students Services Mark Zura.
“We’ve established partnerships with work-study sites for the older students but now we’re able to do it with seventh- and eighth-grade students,” he added.
The student participants are already eager to apply their work experience in their job searches.
“Some kids are 14, 15 years old looking to get jobs, so at least they’ll have a little bit of experience. Some of them ask, ‘Can we use you as a reference?’” said intervention specialist Nancy Zaitzew. “We’re like, ‘Absolutely!’”
Glenwood staff members are equally as excited about the new project.
“This saves me time, so I don’t have to wait in line at Dunkin’. And [the students are] so sweet. It’s service with a smile,” said Tessa Kamenitsa, eighth-grade inclusion teacher.
Superintendent Tim Saxton also raved about his order.
“Let me tell you what, the coffee’s really good. And, I’m a coffee snob,” Saxton said.
“It’s a win-win for everyone,” Zaitzew said.