08/18/2026
We had a great time decorating a UTHS Football Tree to be raffled off to support Pete’s Pour & More. Below is a summary of the program so you know what we are raising money to support! Stop in and buy your tickets at Dona Vita and watch for other ways to support this great program!!
Friday Coffee & Drink Cart
Helping Students Build Real-World Skills One Cup at a Time
Petes Pour &More, the Friday Coffee & Drink Cart has quickly become one of the most anticipated activities in our classroom. Last year was our inaugural year, and it was an overwhelming success. Not only did our students gain valuable life and job-readiness skills, but they also enjoyed providing a service that was appreciated by our school staff.
Each Friday, students prepare and operate a mobile drink cart that serves teachers and staff throughout the building. Drinks are sold for $1 each, making the program affordable while allowing students to learn basic business concepts.
How the Program Works
Students are actively involved in every step of the process. They:
* Collect drink orders from staff members.
* Brew coffee and prepare beverages.
* Follow recipes to make hot coffee, hot chocolate, tea, iced coffee, and specialty drinks.
* Mix and prepare beverages to order.
* Deliver drinks to teachers and collect payment.
* Offer additional "on-the-go" sales using the mobile drink cart.
* Clean and sanitize all equipment and work areas.
* Inventory supplies and help determine what needs to be restocked.
* Count earnings and compare weekly income to expenses using graphs and charts.
Expanding Our Menu
This year, we hope to expand our offerings to include:
* Hot coffee with a variety of flavored syrups
* Iced coffee with flavored syrup options
* Hot chocolate
* Hot tea
* Monthly specialty "Loaded Waters" created and prepared by the students
* Seasonal and fun featured drinks
These additions will provide students with even more opportunities to practice following recipes, measuring ingredients, customer service, and adapting to customer preferences.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
The Coffee & Drink Cart provides meaningful, hands-on learning experiences that cannot be replicated through worksheets alone. Students develop important life and employability skills including:
* Responsibility
* Teamwork
* Communication and manners
* Customer service
* Food safety and proper sanitation
* Following multi-step directions
* Measuring and recipe reading
* Money management and counting cash
* Budgeting and understanding profit versus cost
* Problem-solving
* Time management
* Pride in their work
The confidence our students gain from successfully running this business is invaluable. They look forward to Coffee Cart Fridays each week and take great pride in serving our school community.
Financial Need
Although we saved the profits from last year's Coffee Cart to help launch this year's program, our current funds are not enough to fully stock the expanded menu we hope to offer.
We are seeking financial assistance or donations to help purchase supplies such as:
* Coffee
* Flavored syrups
* Hot chocolate
* Tea
* Loaded Water ingredients
* Cups, lids, sleeves, and straws
* Creamers and sweeteners
* Ice and other beverage supplies
* Cleaning and sanitation products
Every donation directly supports our students and allows them to continue learning through this authentic work experience.
Looking Ahead
Our goal is for the Coffee & Drink Cart to become self-sustaining. By carefully tracking our expenses and profits, students learn how a small business operates while working toward a meaningful goal.
This year, the students hope to earn enough profit to celebrate their hard work by treating their classmates to a special reward, such as a pizza lunch, ice cream social, or another fun end-of-year celebration.
We are incredibly grateful for any financial support or donations that help make this program possible.
Your generosity provides much more than coffee, it provides our students with confidence, independence, practical life skills, and real-world experiences that will benefit them for years to come.
Thank you for investing in our students and helping them succeed, one cup at a time!
