Brighton Your Day Café: Brewing Skills and Smiles

Brighton High School staff members don’t need to travel far to buy a cup of coffee in the morning. The school’s very own Brighton Your Day Café is staffed by members of Sara Schron-Metz’s Functional Skills class.
 
The café is a unique educational program that offers students invaluable life skills and a sense of community. Under the guidance of Mrs. Metz and teaching assistants Nancy O'Hora and Amy Schrlau, students run the café, learning the intricacies of operating a business while fostering interpersonal skills.
 
“Students are guided through a multi-step process of putting together the coffee pots, picking out the coffee for the week, and bubbling hot water or tea and hot chocolate," Mrs. Metz said. “After that, they go into the school store where they plug in the coffee machines. The skills they gain from the café are numerous and wonderful to watch unfold.”
 
While the café primarily serves the teachers in the building, they have traveled to other school buildings as well. Students enjoy visiting their old schools and seeing former teachers. BHS teachers can place orders online or visit the café. The café offers a variety of coffee flavors and snacks, which change weekly based on student choices.
 
“I’m a daily delivery customer, and one of the things I enjoy most is the surprise of seeing which student will bring my order each day,” BHS special education teacher Cassie Pruitt said. “Each delivery is more than just a coffee or tea, it is an opportunity for students to practice essential life skills like greeting others, making eye contact, organizing orders, and navigating the building independently. These are real-world skills that will support them in future employment and beyond. These interactions happen out in the open. General education students and staff see meaningful, positive connections between teachers and life skills students that might otherwise go unnoticed.”
 
The 2025-26 Phase II Capital Project includes plans to upgrade the 12:1:4 classroom. It will create a dedicated space for the Brighton Your Day Café with a walk-up ordering window for staff and students. Staff and students are excited about the new space.
 
“The café doesn’t just serve drinks — it serves as a bridge, promoting visibility, inclusion, and a stronger sense of community at BHS,” Mrs. Pruitt said.