Every morning, the aroma of coffee and hot chocolate fills the halls of Grandview. Students visit each classroom, offering an array of drinks for the low cost of one or two dollars. 

“I like ordering a hot chocolate or the drink of the month,” Junior Eli Rust, a Grandbrew usual, said. 

Grandbrew was founded in 2012 by Mr. Stef Jones to give students an opportunity to learn and practice job skills.

“It’s like working a real job. It’s always busy,” Grandbrew employee Lanyah Jones (12) said.

Grandbrew replicates roles similar to a cafe – barista, cashier, and server, which are beneficial for potential future careers. 

“Working in the coffee shop allows students to gain experience in customer service, time management, teamwork, and handling money—valuable skills for many future jobs,” Paisley Hemminger, Student Achievement Services (SAS) teacher who oversees Grandbrew said.

Skills gained from Grandbrew are useful not only for future jobs but also for the social dynamic within the Grandview community. 

“Working in a place where peers and staff regularly visit can help students form connections with others in the school, which makes them feel more integrated in the Grandview culture,” Hemminger said. “It fosters empathy, understanding, and awareness of different abilities,”

Students also get to enjoy the opportunity to get a treat in the early school mornings. 

“I order from there because it’s convenient and super close, and I love supporting them,” Rust said. 

Though many students wish Grandbrew was open more often, it is a class, so it follows the bell schedule. The Grandbrew employees have other classes to get to in addition to their job at the cafe. 

“I think a lot of students want to have it open during lunch, but it’s great to have [first period],” Freshman Danya Chybli said. 

Grandbrew is a nonprofit shop, where all proceeds go back into itself. 

“All the money we make by selling drinks goes towards buying ingredients and supplies to keep Grandbrew running,” Hemminger said.

Grandbrew cafe is constantly evolving, along with the students. 

“I love watching students grow during their time in Grandbrew. By the end of the year, students are usually able to run the whole operation without me,” Hemminger said.

After students spend time at Grandbrew, their skills can be applied to a local ice cream parlor – Howdy’s. 

“Some Grandbrew alumni have jobs at Howdy Homemade Ice Cream,” Hemminger said. “Many people with a disability feel comfortable applying to and working at Howdy Homemade Ice Cream because they know they won’t be discriminated against based on their disability,”

Howdy’s provides opportunities for applicants who may otherwise feel judged. It is a great way for people to apply their Grandbrew experiences. 

“I like the fact that [Howdy’s] helps support people with mental disabilities and give them jobs,” Rust said. “My cousin has a mental disability, I like that I can see her in a place where people love and care about her and don’t just focus on her disability.”