NOTTOWAY COUNTY, Va. -- A group of students enrolled in life skills classes at Nottoway High School is brewing up a new venture with the help of their exceptional education teacher Madeline Duffy. It was Duffy's idea to transform an empty corner classroom into the "Cougar Cafe."
The small space allows her 13 students to practice reading, math and social skills, by making delicious iced and hot coffees.
"Here we are, and we're growing every day honestly," Duffy explained.
Nyasia Merritt is one of the students serving up special "sweater weather" coffees this month.
"Y'all gonna get y'all some coffee, hot coffee, tea," said sophomore barista Nyasia Merritt. "Yeah, make your day feel better."
Preparing students like Nyasia for the future is Miss Duffy’s job.
"They work on money skills, they work on communication skills, which is a huge thing for our students," said Duffy.
And making 20 iced coffee orders a day has become a job for Kenyon Bailey.
"It’s good," he explained. "Like you've got to focus, concentrate and be serious."
The senior, who’s also studying culinary arts, hopes his experience in the bistro will help him one day become a chef.
"I know that he'll accomplish that, and he's learning all those skills, and he's adapting, and he's doing exactly what he needs to do," Duffy said.
Both Kenyon and Nyasia take their roles as coffee creators and deliverers seriously.
"The teachers just be happy," said Merritt. "Especially Mr. Hardy, we deliver his coffee. He was like, oh yeah, my coffee. Miss Painter, we went to see her yesterday. She was ready for her coffee. She was like, so excited. She was like, amazed. She was like, I did a good job.”
Teachers and administrators are already noticing a difference in the hallways since these students started their barista journeys three weeks ago.
"They acquire life skills, and at the end of the day I get a good cup of Joe," smiled Dr. Ronald Morrison.
But mom Audrey White is feeling the impact of the Cougar Cafe at home.
"Actually, I tear up a little bit because this is like something huge to her," said an emotional White.
Her 14-year-old daughter Arianna has never been able to walk or talk on her own, but the experience as the coffee card girl is bringing change to the White family.
"She goes to sleep at night," said White. "She's maturing into her own little person. I really feel good to just let her go and just be her."
Duffy is celebrating all her students can do instead of focusing on what they can't.
"I see that the kids feel accomplished," she smiled. "They get so excited to come in here every day, which is the best part to me."
Because while these students all have different needs and skills, they come to the cafe with the same goal — to deliver joy through java.
"That just makes my day," said Merritt. "I be happy."
All of the money the life skills class brings in through coffee sales will be used for them to go on field trips and participate in other community events.
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