On Wednesday morning, just hours before the student-run Mill Café was scheduled to open, a burst pipe caused a temporary water shutdown. Crews quickly responded to the situation and began cleaning up, but it was yet another test for the students managing the café.
Bethany Kelly, program coordinator, sees these challenges as part of the learning process. “When something unexpected happens, the key is to stay calm and take it step-by-step,” Kelly explained. “Today, I walked the students through what happened, what we’re doing to fix it, and helped them work through any questions.”
The Mill Café is run by six students and is part of Hickman Mills’ new Real World Learning Center. The café’s grand opening was set for 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, following a month-long soft opening to iron out any operational challenges. As part of the CORE program, the café offers hands-on experience in managing a business, with students learning everything from menu creation to product ordering and food service operations.
Syerra Funderburke, a senior, said the experience has taught her valuable real-world skills she never expected to gain. “I learned a lot about problem-solving and how much it really takes to run a business. I had no idea how much work went into it,” Funderburke said. “These are skills I can use for the rest of my life.”
Students working at the café are paid $16 an hour and also earn high school class credit. Andrew Smithson, one of the CORE teachers, emphasized the importance of patience when ordering and the significance of seeing students’ work have a direct impact on the community.
“It’s powerful for students to see how their work is reflected in the real world,” Smithson said. “When they can see the tangible results of what they’ve learned, it makes everything more meaningful. It’s a reminder of how valuable these lessons are.”
The Mill Café, which offers a selection of food and coffee from The Roasterie, is open to the public from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
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