HENRICO COUNTY, Va. -- Before the Coronavirus shutdown local schools, special education teacher Meghan Hyatt found a fun way to teach her students about math, money, and more -- Gator Coffee House.
“Teachers make the orders; they pay with money. The kids get to count the money, fill the orders, and then they get to deliver it," Ms. Hyatt said. "I was talking to a few people and I've seen blogs about doing it at an elementary school. And I just thought it would be so much fun for them."
Gator House Coffee is much more than a great way to wake up at Gayton Elementary.
"I don't think I would have made it as far as I have without all the character skills that my parents and my teachers taught me," Ms. Hyatt said. “It's a really important thing for them to learn and it's real-world experience that they can take into a job one day. "
Hyatt saids she originally wanted to be a web designer, but after working part time as a substitute teacher, she fell in love with the job. She went back to school to become a special ed teacher.
Principal Kirk Eggleston said Hyatt’s upbeat attitude and the coffee program have the kids learning and smiling, and the teachers happy too.
"It's a win-win. Because the teachers are getting coffee in the morning, they're excited!," he said.
"I love the small breakthroughs that we make and the small victories," Hyatt said. “I think that's what life's all about. It's great to celebrate the big things, but sometimes it's just the little things like saying hello to somebody and making their day."
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The little things… and a little coffee… are Building Better Minds.
