Friday mornings at Tinley Park High School are bringing more than a caffeine boost to staff members. Through a new student-run Coffee Cart, students in the school’s Occupations class are gaining hands-on experience in customer service, teamwork and running a workplace.

Now in its first year, the program gives 13 students the opportunity to put classroom lessons into practice. Staff members place their orders on Thursdays, and students prepare and deliver hot coffee, iced coffee and tea on Fridays. The service operates on a tips-only basis, with no set charge for drinks.

“It’s actually doing something instead of reading a paper,” said Occupations teacher Jillian McMahan. “It gives them a hands-on activity instead of a hypothetical.”

Students rotate through responsibilities each week, taking on roles such as manager, barista, runner, inventory coordinator, bakery worker and sanitation worker. With teacher supervision, they learn how each position contributes to a successful operation and how to support one another in completing orders.

Being a barista has quickly become a favorite assignment, especially when preparing iced drinks. Other students enjoy serving as manager, overseeing operations and taking on the responsibility of leading their classmates.

Beyond preparing beverages, the Coffee Cart offers opportunities to practice money handling, basic budgeting, food safety, time management and workplace communication. Students also build confidence as they interact with staff, solve problems and adapt to different responsibilities.

Staff members have enthusiastically supported the initiative, with weekly demand exceeding 35 orders and prompting the class to limit intake to keep the workload manageable.

“Staff responded really well,” McMahan said. “We had to limit intake.”

The Coffee Cart is expected to continue throughout the school year, with plans to expand student ownership as participants gain experience. During the second semester, the goal is for students to apply for their preferred positions, giving them practice pursuing a job that matches their interests and skills.

By turning a weekly coffee service into a working classroom, Tinley Park High School is helping students build practical skills for future employment and greater independence, one order at a time.