The Halo Café: A New Recipe for Learning

At the heart of Saint Catherine Center, a new medium of learning has emerged—The Halo Café, a food cart run by the students of Mr. Jim’s class. But this isn’t just any café; it is a dynamic classroom project where students learn and practice essential life skills each step of the way.

“It’s a fun way to practice real-life skills in a controlled and comfortable environment,” said Jim Winebrenner. From creating a menu to setting prices, collecting orders and shopping to gather ingredients and supplies, every aspect serves as a lesson in practical skills.

The weeks before opening day, preparations were in full swing. Some students assembled bags complete with coffee K-Cups, cream, sugar, and stirrers. Others sorted the orders into piles and tallied the totals.

After weeks of anticipation and preparation, the grand opening of the Halo Café arrived on Friday, March 8th. The kitchen and hallways were busy as each student prepared for their job. Ian, Keona, and Anna aided staff members cooking breakfast orders. They gathered the eggs, cheese and rolls, then labeled the completed orders. “Order up!” staff and students exclaimed as they placed a completed order on the cart for delivery.

Bradley, Frank, Ian, Luke, Melissa, and Nyah helped complete the orders by making the coffee and putting the premade coffee accompaniments with each order. Finally, the students split into two groups for delivery, receiving payment, and providing change. With each transaction, the student’s confidence soared; their abilities validated by each satisfied customer. “I like the Halo Café, I had a ham, egg and cheese sandwich and coffee. It tasted good, I would order again,” said Abby, an Adult Program participant and happy customer.

The Halo Café not only served coffee, but brewed a sense of community and self- assurance. Here’s to honing in on each skill one cup at a time. Next up, lunch is on the menu!