America's First Barista Training Program!

From Cheryl W. Vilardo, Vice Principle of Niagara Falls High School

This program has had a tremendously positive impact on the students who have worked in the first cohort. We purposely picked students who are not naturally engaged in school in the traditional way and who have struggled with attendance, coursework, and/or discipline in the past. For these students, absenteeism is down (for example, one student has increased his attendance at school by 55% compared to the first quarter of last year), academic success is up (nearly all students are passing all core academic classes), and none of the students involved have had a major discipline issue so far this year.

More importantly, we see these students feeling connected to school and proud of their work. They have learned to speak to adults when taking coffee orders, have learned to work together even with people who are not their friends, and walk around the building happy.

Perhaps the most telling point of success is that all 8 students showed up to work at this fall’s musical, which required them to get transportation back to the building in the evening and volunteer two hours of their time for three consecutive nights.

Regardless of where life takes them, these transferable skills will be with them throughout the rest of their lives.