The life skills support classroom at Whitehall-Coplay Middle School follows a curriculum structured on functional skills students need. These skills include hygiene, social skills, math and reading to go along with other skills used in daily life. Former Zephyr graduate-turned instructor Mike Rile teaches the students of the life skills class on a daily basis and decided it was time for them as a class to branch out of the authentic classroom setting and take what they have learned into a different setting.

Introducing the L.S.S. Coffee Shop.

Open from 7 a.m. to noon Fridays, the L.S.S. Coffee Shop prides itself on being “Coffee by Zephyrs, for Zephyrs.”

“The students in my class are truly learning what it is like to have not only a job, but also a responsibility,” Rile said. “They are practicing their reading skills by reading the items that we have for sale on our menu to the customers. They are practicing their math skills by making change and adding and subtracting. Even on our CBIs (Community Based Instructions), the students work on functional math by finding what the best deal is for an item by using the price and dividing by the amount of ounces or objects that they would get, normally coming to the conclusion that the best deal is not always the cheapest item ticketed.”

CBIs operate much like field trips. Every other week the class goes to places such as grocery stores and restaurants. During the trip, the students locate items, compare prices and purchase items with exact change or the next dollar up.

Since the coffee shop opened after spring break, the class’s CBIs have focused on maintaining their supply for the store. Coffee, creamers, sugar, cups and other items have become the regular necessities.

“This really has allowed for our program to become more intertwined,” Rile stated. “The students are not only working on these skills, but they are also learning to read a work schedule. Each shift is broken up into 30 minutes with two students working each shift. Each shift has a student responsible for making the coffee and the other responsible for making change. My students care so much for their business and their responsibilities that I will receive phone calls from parents if their child is sick, where the student will be asking for someone to cover their shifts that morning.”

All of this would not be possible, though, without the help and support of Whitehall-Coplay Middle School’s staff and faculty.

“The school has been extremely supportive of our coffee shop from the very beginning. Many of the teachers, para-educators, secretaries, maintenance staff, building administrators and district administrators have donated items to help build our shop and supply it. It truly has been a rewarding experience for everyone and one that will continue on for years to come,” said Rile, adding, “Principal Pete Bugbee said that one of the best things to see is the hard work that the students are putting in for their business and the growing support of the faculty and staff. The students are getting to know more of the staff, and more of the staff is getting to know our students. It is a very beneficial relationship for everyone.”

Recently the students were able to raise enough funds to purchase a cash register for the business. They, as a group, felt a cash register should be something they should save for and were able to do so within just a few weeks of being open.

Next up on the saving list will be that of coffee shop brand T-shirts. The students hope to expand the shop in new ways, which may include cooking breakfast food to be sold along with the coffee and snacks the shop currently sells.

The students also plan to open up a bank account for the shop since the students want to practice the responsibilities of using an ATM, as well as running both a checking and savings account.

When asked if they believed the shop would be a mainstay at Whitehall-Coplay Middle School, the students said, “We will be open for business for a very long time because we love doing it, and we love our customers.”

Some even hope to take the skills learned here and start something similar with their continued education at Whitehall High School.

It seems nothing can hold back the brave band of roasters from the L.S.S. Coffee Shop.