New coffee shop inside Hackettstown High School offers students tools needed for future success in workforce
HACKETTSTOWN, N.J. -- A new coffee shop opened in New Jersey on Tuesday in an unexpected place, and its serving a special group of young adults with ingredients for success.
Welcome to Tigers Cafe, a freshly brewed business located at Hackettstown High School.
"We just had our grand opening," student Ashley Morgan said.
Morgan sells coffee to school staff.
"I've learned different job skills, money skills, interacting with customers," Morgan said.
The effort started with a coffee cart, but with the help of their teachers, the students opened up the shop.
"They've really gained confidence by really creating their own business," teacher Casey Kucinski said.
A ribbon cutting with the town's mayor and police on Tuesday marked the shop's official opening.
"Just to see the smiles on their face and knowing what an actual opening of a business means to them, I think that helps them transition into the workforce," Lt. Darren Tynan said.
That's what it's all about. Kyle Sosnovik, the school's principal, said the shop is part of the school's special education program, providing 18- to 21-year-old transitions students with "community based instruction."
"We identify students that may need some support socially, as they go through, and what we do is we build the program that gives them structured learning experiences here in the school and then outside in the community," Sosnovik said.
They get to apply the skills they learn at the shop in the morning at local businesses, where they work in the afternoon.
"After I work here, I work at Starbucks. It's really fun," student Ellie Figueroa said.
"All of these businesses will provide our students with a job after they graduate our program. They'll provide them with insurance," Hackettstown School District transition coordinator Angela Antoniello-Mammana said.
"We are giving these kids a chance to make sure that when they leave our building they'll be able to succeed in whatever job or path they choose," added Hackettstown Activing Superintendent Debra Grigoletti.
The principal said all the money from sales at the shop will be funneled back into the program to give more students the experience.
The shop was able to open with funds from the district and board of education. Any leftover money made will be donated to a charity of the students' choice. It is not open to the public and strictly for staff at the school.