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Twice a week, about 15 Poe Middle School students turn beverage orders into hands-on lessons in communication, money management, motor skills, and workplace responsibility.
The student-operated Poe Coffee Cart began in November under Renee Ruggles, a teacher in the school’s program for students with multiple disabilities. Staff members place orders, and students prepare and deliver coffee and hot cocoa throughout the school.
On a cold February morning, five students divided the work. Sebastian washed dishes, Ana and Abi handled deliveries, and two classmates prepared drinks by scooping coffee grounds and stamping Poe Ravens branding onto cup sleeves. Students rotate among the assignments to gain experience with different jobs.
During deliveries, Ana uses animal associations to identify the beverage pitchers. A thin, flat spout reminds her of a bird’s beak and indicates hot water for cocoa, while the longer, thicker spout on the coffee pitcher makes her think of an elephant.
Band director Zachary Gomez became a first-time customer, paying with a $2 bill. Abi, who uses a wheelchair and sometimes communicates through a vocal device, accepted the money and placed it in the cashbox. Ana then handed Gomez his black coffee.
The program’s tasks are adapted for students with mobility challenges. An apron can be tied around the back of a wheelchair, for example, while supplies can be placed on lower surfaces within easier reach.
Ruggles said building the program required hours outside school. She applied for grants, created materials, found donated items through Buy Nothing, searched thrift stores and Dollar Tree, and consulted online teaching groups.
Regular customer Katherine Augustine, also a Poe band director, said having coffee delivered is a welcome convenience because teachers cannot leave in the middle of a lesson. During one visit, Ana showed Augustine where she had circled the order on the menu, then marked another circle on her loyalty card after Abi accepted payment.
Augustine called the delivery a “wonderful treat” and said she enjoys supporting the students and seeing their excitement.
Ruggles developed the idea while talking with other multiple disabilities teachers about strengthening students’ functional abilities. Beyond preparing and selling drinks, the work encourages social interaction, professionalism, and confidence by connecting participants with people they might not otherwise meet at school.
Teacher Ragan Wright said the changes were already evident after four months. Students have improved at recognizing different forms of currency and have grown more comfortable approaching members of the Poe community.
Wright said students who were initially shy about speaking with teachers in the hallways are now eager to introduce themselves. Some have even developed fist-bump routines with people around the school.
Ruggles, whose adult children include a son with autism and another who faced learning disabilities, said she understands the value of lessons that foster independence and self-assurance. Students take pride in wearing badges identifying them as coffee cart workers, she said, while their classmates and school employees get to see their capabilities in a positive setting.