BEF invested $10,000 to provide students in the special education program at Aloha with authentic opportunities to build interpersonal, vocational, and collaborative skills through meaningful, real-world experiences. The project provided functional life skills in a hands-on environment while supporting social-emotional growth and self-advocacy.
To support Coffee Caboose, students received hands-on training for how to run a coffee shop. This included mastering the use ofan espresso machine, learning milk frothing techniques, and practicing drink design.
A cornerstone of the program was the daily drink delivery service, when students delivered beverage orders to staff during the school mornings. This routine offered students meaningful experience on time management and customer service.
By the end of the year, the student baristas were independently preparing drinks. Beyond these skills, they were able to connect with the general education students, and social barriers were broken when everyone wanted to be involved with The Coffee Caboose.
