In the beginning of the second quarter, the Community Based Instruction students started selling coffee in front of W Building during recess. With guidance from special education teachers, students prepare drinks, handle money, and serve customers, offering iced or hot coffee with creamer and sugar.
This project posed by Stacey Dobashi, a special education teacher, was originally a project done at her previous school, Kaimuki High School.
In the first quarter, Dobashi bought a cart and started training the CBI students on how to drive it around campus. Afterwards, she bought materials needed for the coffee. As practice, the students walked around school asking students and adults if they wanted free coffee.
After this training period, for the rest of the year they continue to drag out their coffee cart to the front of W Building to serve students wanting their coffee fix.
“When we do it during recess, it gets kind of busy, so that’s why I help them out,” Dobashi said.
Steven Jhon Bilango (c/o ‘27) got coffee from the cart once, but said that he would definitely go back again due to the excellent service from the students and teachers, and the coffee itself.
“The coffee was rich, and packed with a lot of flavor to keep me up the entire day. It’s a definite recommendation for anyone trying to stay awake for the school day,” Bilango said via messages.
Each coffee is sold for a dollar. Dobashi said this money is going to help fund the CBI students’ end of year party at Dave and Busters.
However, the purpose of this project is beyond the money. Dobashi said it helps them learn how to follow directions, improve their socialization, communication skills and vocational tasks. The students are assigned to tasks they struggle with in order to create this growth.
A student of Dobashi struggles with math, so he is assigned with the money, handling change and adding up the cost of coffee.
“This helps the kids, and also exposes the kids to the general education population,” Dobashi said.
Currently, the only class participating in this project are the CBI one students. Dobashi said the students in other classes are planning to start one of their own at the adult school.
In the CBI one classroom, students are counting and sorting the money. Bryan Tran (c/o ‘27) said he likes this project because he likes money and has learned how to count the money, along with learning addition and subtraction. Tran communicates how much money they made.
Besides counting the money back in the classroom, he pours and refills the creamer when serving the customers. Gabriella Perez is another student who is part of this project. “I like how we get to learn about money and how much we have,” Perez said.
She said she learned how to calculate change and communicate with others. During the shift, Dobashi has to remind her to speak up.
To make sure the students do not get confused with instructions, they have to repeat the same prompt. If a student is assigned to ask if someone wants creamer, they continue to ask through every shift.
The project itself has gained a lot of support from the school community. Beyond the teaching and coffee,
Dobashi said this helps the special education community with socialization.
“It helps them vocationally, getting them ready for after high school. It’s just a project that they’re constantly learning,” she said.
