To the joy of teachers and staff, Linganore High School (LHS) Learning for Life program (L4L) distributes coffee, hot chocolate or tea through the Kindness Coffee Cart.
The coffee cart has been around for several years with a variety of different names, such as ‘Coffee Cart Express’ in year 24’, and Brew Crew in year 23’. The Kindness Coffee Cart is available every day, but services are limited to staff members who place their order by 7:40 a.m. The cost for a beverage is a single dollar, and L4L students deliver during the first block.
The main purpose of the Kindness Coffee Cart is to offer a warm beverage with a smile every morning from the Learning for Life students. The students, who learn vocational skills as well as communication skills by working the coffee cart, have increasingly improved their social skills.
The Kindness Coffee Cart organizer, Patrica Aburto, works as a staff member for the LFL program. She mentioned how much the coffee cart means to her students.
“My students love working the coffee cart,” Aburto said. “They love delivering and talking with the staff they deliver to.”
Aburto expressed that the operation of the coffee cart was all about the kids and how impactful this little act of service has been to really shape them.
“My favorite part is honestly just watching my students interact and put smiles on the faces of our customers,” Aburto said.
When customers are happy, Aburto explains she is equally gleeful in return.
The daily coffee cart menu offers different flavors to choose from, depending on the season and what is available. They have the widest selection of tea flavors to choose from that will come with honey. As for coffee, they usually carry mocha coffee and hazelnut creamer to go with any coffee flavor. When it comes to holidays or special occasions, the Kindness Coffee Cart will usually provide festive flavors such peppermint for Christmas or even mint mocha for Saint Patrick’s Day.
Lisa Martinazzi, an instructional assistant at LHS, enjoys ordering from the coffee cart weekly. Usually once a week she receives a coffee or occasionally a tea from the Kindness Coffee Cart.
“The Kindness Coffee Cart is a convenience for days I’m running late and still want a cup of coffee close by and it’s a great way to start by morning talking to the Learning for Life kids that pass everything out,” said Martinazzi.
The students themselves love to interact with happy teachers ready for their order and the social experience and life skills that it provides. If you are a Linganore staff member, support the coffee cart, pay a dollar, and put a smile on a kid’s face.
