Dora middle school students learn life skills with ‘Falcon Nest Café’
Vicki Smith, far left, with Options Pregnancy in Gainesville accepts a $400 check on behalf of Dora middle school students in the life skills class, from left, Emily Lamoreaux, Gracie Whitman and Kenneth Belcher. Tiffany Pleasant, life skills instructor, is pictured at far right.
Dora Middle School students, from left, Kenneth Belcher, Gracie Whitman and Emily Lamoreaux, delivered charcuterie boxes around the Gainesville recently. All of the money raised from the sales of the boxes went to Options Pregnancy of Gainesville, which the students are pictured in front of here. Options Pregnancy provides supplies and care for mothers in need.
The halls of Dora Middle School have been buzzing with excitement each week after the Falcon Nest Café opened its doors for business. Run entirely by the middle school life skills class, the café has become a beloved tradition among faculty and staff and an incredible hands-on learning experience for the students.
Each week, the life skills students take orders for coffees, lemonades, teas and other specialty drinks. On special occasions, they even prepare meal items to add to the menu, offered to students and staff. From brewing the perfect cup of coffee to delivering each order with a smile, the students manage every step of the process.
“Our students handle everything, from taking orders and preparing drinks to delivering and collecting payments,” said Tiffany Pleasant, the life skills teacher at Dora School. “It’s about much more than serving drinks. They’re learning responsibility, communication, teamwork and real-world job skills that will benefit them long after they leave the classroom.”
Recently, the Falcon Nest Café team took their skills beyond the school walls by organizing a special fundraiser for the Options Pregnancy Center in Gainesville. The students prepared and sold charcuterie boxes filled with meats, cheeses, fruits and other treats to those at local businesses. Every dollar raised went directly to support the center’s mission of providing supplies and care for mothers in need.
Each student even designed their own flyer to promote the fundraiser, showcasing their creativity and marketing skills. The project gave them a chance to practice customer service, budgeting, food preparation and community outreach, all while giving back to a worthy cause.
“The fundraiser was a great way for our students to see how their hard work can make a difference in the community,” Mrs. Pleasant said. “They were so proud to deliver those boxes knowing it was helping others. The students were thrilled to have raised $400 for the Pregnancy Center.”
Whether it’s serving up fresh coffee or preparing food for a fundraiser, the Falcon Nest Café is more than just a school project, it’s a place where students are brewing up success, one order at a time.