School: Horizons High
Class: Leadership
Instructor: Lara Caldwell
Client: Library Aide/Coffee Shop Manager
Problem: How can we redesign a school coffee shop to make it more appealing to students while meeting health and nutrition guidelines?
Summary
In this Community-Centered Project, students partnered with the school’s library aide and coffee shop manager to revitalize an underused coffee shop while aligning with the district’s new “smart snack” nutritional guidelines. Students developed a comprehensive research plan, consulting with the SMSD dietician, school nurse, cafeteria manager, interior design teacher, and music teacher to gather expertise on food compliance, layout, and atmosphere. They conducted both virtual and physical fieldwork, using the “smart snack” calculator and sampling compliant foods to identify appealing options for students. Based on their findings, students redesigned the shop’s space, menu, signage, and promotional materials. Their final presentation included a detailed summary of their research and proposed changes, some of which have already been implemented, with more pending.
Takeaways
Students challenges included not getting the answers they wanted and poor communication from some professionals, along with unclear roles within the team. Some challenges the teacher faced were keeping the momentum, individual team member accountability, and unclear learning objectives in the beginning.
Advice
Start small. In-building projects are great for client communication and student buy-in—that helps! Plus, you can include all aspects of an outside client and still hit all the skills.
Standards/Learning Targets
Essential real-world skills—including project planning and management, research and plan refinement, and proactive engagement. They practiced clear communication and collaborative problem-solving while building resilience and perseverance through challenges. By working with an actual client and talking with industry experts, students practiced adaptability and refinement of their plan.