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Goal

The goal of this classroom-based enterprise is to enable students with disabilities to explore their potential as entrepreneurs and develop the skills necessary to plan and operate a business with support and assistance. This opportunity will also further develop the knowledge and skills related to careers in the coffee/hospitality industry and increase work-related behaviors through guided vocational practice at our Barron Beanery Coffee Shop.  

What will be done with my students

Student interns will begin the process of opening a coffee business by surveying their potential customers to determine client interests and preferences. The interns will explore new menu options, discuss inflation, and establish new prices that will allow them to continue to make a profit, as well as determine ideal serving locations for their consumers. Interns will then create a business plan and mission statement. The interns will continue planning by conducting research, practicing comparable shopping, and making calculations to determine the cost of each item. Interns will vote in the classroom to make business-based decisions. In addition to the pre-planning portion of the entrepreneurship, the interns will learn to make coffee, serve it to customers, and make deliveries throughout the building. They will have numerous opportunities to practice social interactions and gain customer service skills. Interns will also collect and count the money, make change, write bank deposit slips, determine profits, and demonstrate numerous other financial-management concepts, procedures and strategies related to business ownership.

 

Benefits to my students

The benefits of the Barron Beanery are priceless. With this opportunity, The Barron Baristas (my students) will gain confidence, learn the importance of ethics in business, develop effective working relationships to accomplish tasks, learn intrapersonal and critical thinking skills, practice safety and good hygiene practices, improve social and communication skills, as well as improve functional academic skills. They will also create professional relationships through regular communication with their customers. All these skills will increase the likelihood of the interns obtaining and maintaining successful employment in the future.  

Budget Narrative

All of the items requested through this grant will provide the opportunity to expand our coffee business. The cart will allow us to open a new location and make more deliveries. We would like to add iced coffees to our menu and will need additional cups for that. Any profit made through this experience will be used towards Curriculum Based Instruction (CBI) trips, rewards for our interns, and offset the cost of any required supplies for the L.I.F.E. program. We will also make a donation to an organization of the interns’ choice.  

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