Starting this spring, Rock Ridge High School will bring back the ‘Coffee with a cause’ program to support and build participating students’ experience in the CAST program. CAST stands out for “Communities and Schools Together,” a post-high school program for students who have graduated from LCPS with an Applied Studies Diploma, where students have identified disability that comes under IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act). This ensures them free appropriate public education where they can receive special education services. 

Special Education Teacher Catherine Moran believes that the CAST program is important for students. “CAST was created over 15 years ago to fill a critical gap helping young adults with disabilities gain real-world skills and experiences that prepare them for life after high school,” Moran said. “Our main goal is to create a bridge between school and adulthood through career exploration, community-based instruction, and hands-on learning. It has grown into seven programs—four based in high schools and three in community locations.”

Recently, the CAST program has brought back its coffee cart to not only serve caffeine but also enhance various aspects of workplace skills. Having real-life experience in managing businesses to develop their independent skills for real-world jobs. Moran is proud to have the CAST bringing back the coffee cart program. “Launching the Phoenix Phuel Coffee Shop has been transformational,” Moran said. “It gives our students entrepreneurial experience in a real-world setting while teaching transferable skills like customer service, money management, time-on-task, teamwork, and more. Every member of our CAST team has contributed ideas and input, and we’ve used generative AI to help fill knowledge gaps and plan operations, opening doors for future employment.”

Loudoun County Public School Special Education Supervisor Jenna Arndt thinks that CAST not only helps them build business skills but also supports them in becoming more independent. “CAST is important because some students require additional practice before they are ready to exit school to live and work as independently as possible,” Arndt said. “CAST provides students with the additional instruction and practice they need to be able to navigate life after high school in a more productive and positive way.”

As the coffee program builds up skills and an independent environment for students to learn, it empowers them to take control of their own skills and development. From researching to having their own reasonable price for coffee and having professional interviews for applying for jobs in the program, mostly all of the work was done independently by students. 

Rock Ridge teacher assistant  Jessica Grantham thinks that independent work will really support students later in their lives.  “[Students] researched [the prices and food items] for the coffee cart,” Grantham said. “[They] also had some experience working at a coffee cart, and a couple of them work at a coffee shop. They’ve been through every step of the process, and they’ve been involved in it from the very beginning. They’ve even got down to designing, for example, having ideas] for what they are going to wear for shirts. They’ve taken the idea, and they’ve run with it. And that’s what I think makes us really want to do it because they’re very excited about it, and they’re the ones that are kinda pushing for it.”

Graphic designer of the CAST coffee program Adam Saadawi believes that the coffee cart not only helps students but also offers a small,sweet action towards staff and teachers. “It’s like an act of service, like a form of kindness towards the teachers to help give them the energy because they always have to have long, hard working days,” Saadawi said. 

As the Coffee Cart plans to be successful, the CAST program has already proven to be successful. “The true achievements lie in the growth of our students,” Moran said. “Like those who speak up for the first time in a job meeting, the one who navigates public transit independently, or the one who leads a team meeting in the coffee shop. These moments are the heartbeat of CAST and why we do what we do.”

With other skills and developments, CAST continues to celebrate the small achievements made by students. “[The biggest achievement], honestly, is just them going on the interviews, is such a big thing. And we celebrate even those small victories, because everything is a big step,” Grantham said. “Also just seeing them go through programs and them wanting to succeed [is a great achievement].”

When the coffee cart opens, it will be located at the concession stand in the main hallway for staff and students.