BUCKNER, Mo — A coffee shop near Kansas City is giving students a taste of how to operate and run a coffee business. Campus Grounds is a student run coffee shop put together by the Fort Osage School District and the Fort Osage Career and Technology Centers.
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"I'm more of a hands-on-person and a hands-on-learner and I love being in the workplace rather than being in a classroom," said Sidney Sullivan, senior at Fort Osage.
Sullivan and other qualifying seniors have to apply every year to be part of Campus Grounds. If they're selected students get to call all the shots and are tasked with whipping up ideas for social media, menu planning and even look at customer feedback so they can have the right blend of options.
Students also learn how to make drinks, run the cash register and select students are even paid to run the shop on Saturday and before and after school.
"It's been awesome, so far I've been loving how to make coffee, learning different recipes," said Maya Strasser, senior at Oak Grove,"in here you're actually talking to people face-to-face.
The program was founded in 2021 and involves students from four different districts including Oak Grove, Blue Springs, Fort Osage and Grain Valley. Susie Suits, Director at the Career and Technology Center at Fort Osage says the shop helps foster a stronger community with every drink they serve.
"It's a phenomenal program, it's one that students love to go to, it's their favorite class and brings a community in and so to be able to bridge that gap between community, schools and work, it's just a great environment," said Suits.
Campus Grounds is open Monday - Friday: 6:30 am - 2:00 pm and Saturday: 7 am - 2 pm.
