Intervention Specialist Michael Skrinjar at the Utica Shale Academy is proud of his students and grateful for a Best Practice Grant from the Jefferson County Educational Service Center that will help fund a student-run cafe and give them the experience of operating a small business. Skrinjar is pictured speaking during the 2025 graduation ceremony. (Submitted photo)

SALINEVILLE – One of the Jefferson County Educational Service Center’s Best Practice Grants is helping students at the Utica Shale Academy learn more life skills by starting and operating their own coffee and breakfast cafe.

Intervention Specialist Michael Skrinjar thanked JCESC for the $700 grant. The Utica Shale Academy Coffee and Breakfast Shoppe will serve as a student-managed small business, offering coffee, pastries, and breakfast items. The students will learn about budgeting, customer service, marketing, and food preparation while using math and business concepts. About 125 students at the school and 25 staff members will benefit.

He added this project was a perfect fit, since many of his students enjoy coffee and there are few options in the Utica Shale area for a cafe with a side menu.

They prepare for their careers post-graduation, when people often stop for coffee and a bite before work.

“Anything that could help them practice the adult phase of life, as much as possible in our dynamic learning environment. We’re not a traditional school. A lot of our students are here welding. They’re doing career tech, outside and working with heavy machinery and also in the industrial maintenance field,” Skrinjar said.

This is the first time Skrinjar has received the grant, but other Utica Shale Academy projects have been funded in the past.

He currently has a small kitchen area in his classroom that can be used for brewing coffee, but students have ambitions for different menu options that will allow them a venue to exercise their creativity. Some of his students are interested in building culinary skills.

“We have already a toaster oven. I just wanted to be able to have an option for kids to come in and be a little more set up for the next phase of life and different learning environments,” he said. “The idea of having something where you’re creative and that allows them to think outside the box gives them some excitement. The opportunity to serve other students and serve the staff members, they’re excited about that as well.”

Students are also looking forward to additional options since the cafe will offer variety and the chance to build new menu items. Skrinjar said this could prove an opportunity to start productive habits.

“I like that creative learning environment,” Skrinjar said. “This is something you really want, what are you going to do to get it done? What do we need to do? What are the steps?”

Skrinjar has observed more communication and peer-to-peer interaction as the students develop options. He said the project could reinforce a culture of service.

The grant dollars will go to the purchase of a Ratio Six coffee machine, an electric tabletop griddle for breakfast items, and other equipment. The coffee beans are being donated by a local coffee shop owner. The cafe is designed to be sustainable through sales, maintenance and donations.

“I want them to use the resources that they have within the budget to make it work,” he said. “It gives kids a little bit of variety each day. What are they going to be able to prepare? What do they have the resources for? What can they do and what can they provide? The menu may be different day-in day-out, which keeps it fresh for the students and those who are purchasing.”

Skrinjar said possible future options include opening the cafe to the public should someone want to stop in.

He plans to continue to grow the cafe leading to Christmas break.

“We’re just definitely appreciative of the opportunity. It gives our students a great opportunity for the students to build the skills that they’re learning, and they’re preparing themselves for the next phase of life,” Skrinjar said.

He said everything the academy does is focused on practical learning, and this cafe will be no exception. Later on, some students may want to start their own small businesses.

“It gives us an opportunity to take all those types of things that they’re learning and then work with it every day to apply them, and then also be able to evaluate day-in day-out how they’re doing with those skills or order to make something thrive. A lot of fun goes into it,” Skrinjar said.

Skrinjar said he looks forward to seeing his students take pride in their cafe and keep it going year after year.