Have you checked out Vanguard’s new Coffee Cart? Well if you haven’t you definitely should. The cart has a wide range of beverages they sell including coffee, hot chocolate, and flavored tea.
Hot drinks not your thing? Coffee cart volunteers are currently working on an iced coffee drink to add to their menu. Prices won’t empty your wallet either. They charge only $2.00 for their steamy drinks.
If you bring a coffee mug from home or if you purchase one from them you can get your beverage for only $1.00! Bringing a coffee mug from home or purchasing one from them for($3.00) is a part of an effort to “go green” and help the planet. “I feel like we're really making a difference.” said Brian Thompson.
In addition to that you’ll be helping support a good cause. Every cent they earn will be donated to a local charity. Most recently they donated $100.00 to the The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Light The Night Walk on September 26.
The money will help raise funds for cancer research and patient services. The Coffee Cart is run by two of Vanguard’s finest, Adam Peterson(Team O’ Brien) and Brian Thompson(Team DeMeo). Adam and Brian showed much interest in running and getting the cart off the ground.
A Vanguard student Lisa Loeffler is one of the coffee cart’s most frequent customers and she agrees that the coffee cart is the place to be. She likes how it’s right there in the tech center, accessible to everyone in our school. She also adds, “I love it!, Brian and Adam are really nice.”
With all the hype the Vanguard coffee cart has brought your probably wondering whose bright idea this all was. It turns out that a lot of people had the idea for a coffee cart and were inspired by the success of Rolling Meadows High school’s Coffee Cart, Brewhaha.
Mr. Gustafson and Mr. Koralik were interested in starting a coffee cart years ago. They both saw the value of having a coffee cart in our school as a service learning site and also as a way of teaching students how to run a business.
So why didn’t they start a cart then? The answer is pretty simple. Forest View’s Central Administration continuously said no because of all the hazards that could possibly happen when a business is run by students, according to Mr. Gustafson. “It’s sort of a safety precaution I guess you could say,” he also added.
Despite all this turmoil, the coffee cart is up and running and its creators are already thinking about expansion. They would like to branch off into other parts of the building as a way of fundraising and providing the district employees with gourmet coffee.
Dr. Koralik also thinks that the cart will give us good “PR” (public relations). “We need to keep reminding people that we’re here,” he also stated. Another person involved in this whole “coffee cart business” is Ms.McCann. Ms.McCann joined the Vanguard staff only last year but it seems that when she arrived the coffee cart idea finally came to life after it being put on hold for so long. Ms McCann loved the idea of having a coffee cart and jokes that after seeing the cart just sitting in the tech center she didn’t want it to be “lonely” any more.
She took action and with the help of staff and students created a Coffee Cart class at the end of last school year. The class planned everything out from what kind of coffee to use to where our coffee cart would be. The class researched the coffee business including testing out recipes and taking trips to local coffee houses in our local area.
Ms. McCann said she believes that having a student-run business like the coffee cart is a motivating and engaging real life experience that students can take part in. Not only that it’s a way of getting involved in our school and shows a sense of school spirit through out.
When asked how she felt about the cart’s recent success she said ,“I’m excited and proud! It’s still in its early stages and now we’re planning on decorating the cart, finding a name, and maybe even getting business cards. She loves the idea of donating all its profits to local charites. “We’re doing something bigger than ourselves,” McCann added.
After hearing from all the teachers I decided to get the “big man in charge”, Mr. O’Brien’s opinion. He thinks of the coffee cart as being yet another opportunity to stand out and be different from traditional high schools. He hopes to see the coffee cart and its surrounding area as a calm and peaceful place where students can read, relax and maybe even have class. He adds, “I’d be willing to purchase comfy couches and chairs for the cause.”
Coffee cart hours are:
Monday thru Friday
7:30 am to 8:00 am
10-11 am
12-1:45 pmNikki Harper
Editor in Chief
