Warsaw Community Schools

WARSAW, IN - Multilingual students at Jefferson Elementary are combining entrepreneurship, service and hands-on learning through a new initiative called Brewing Kindness: Students Connecting Learning and Service. The project centers around Jefferson’s student-run coffee shop, Happy Beans, and was funded through a Warsaw Education Foundation Red Apple Grantawarded to Jefferson Multilingual Language Teacher Kelly Basalo.

Through the project, students will design, market and help launch a custom Spartan Blend coffee in partnership with Generous Coffee Company. Proceeds from the Spartan Blend will support Jefferson families through the Happy Beans Kindness Fund, allowing students to see firsthand how their work can positively impact their own school community.

Teachers recently participated in a coffee tasting to help determine which roast will become the official Spartan Blend. “On Monday we got to host a coffee tasting for the teachers at Jefferson,” shared Tyler Silveus of Generous Coffee Company. “We walked through a few different profiles so they could find the one that really felt like their coffee. The goal was simple: help them choose the Spartan Blend their school will proudly sell. It’s always fun blending coffee with community to raise funds and make an impact in people’s lives.”

Students will also take an active role in the creative and business aspects of the project. Steven Kuhn and his marketing students from the Warsaw Area Career Center (WACC) will visit Jefferson to work with students on developing a mission statement for the Happy Beans program. Following that collaboration, Andrea Miller and her graphic design students at the WACC will partner with Jefferson students to begin designing the Spartan Blend coffee label.

Once design concepts are created, the Jefferson community will have the opportunity to vote on their favorite label, allowing students and staff to help select the final design for the Spartan Blend.

The project is designed to provide meaningful real-world learning experiences. Students will explore marketing strategies, contribute to promotional efforts and continue building customer service skills through their work with Happy Beans.

“I’ve watched my students gain so much confidence speaking through our Happy Beans coffee cart this year,” said Kelly Basalo, Jefferson Multilingual Language Teacher. “Since our Multilingual department is focusing on writing, I wanted to give them the opportunity to help market the coffee cart and practice meaningful, real-world writing for an authentic audience. The Spartan Blend is a great way to do that while also supporting our Kindness Fund, allowing students to give back to the community.”

The initiative builds on the success of the Happy Beans program, which gives students authentic experience in teamwork, communication and entrepreneurship. Teachers have already seen positive impacts on student confidence and leadership. Recently, one student gained valuable experience delivering coffee orders during a “DoorDash-style” service, helping build independence and self-confidence. Through projects like Happy Beans, Jefferson students are learning that their ideas, creativity and hard work can make a real difference in their school community.

“We live in a generous community that gives in so many ways,” said Courtney Sale, Executive Director of the Warsaw Education Foundation. “Their time, energy and compassion is palpable in so many things we are all a part of in this community. When we receive funds for the Warsaw Education Foundation, it helps supplement and enhance the resources available to the school district, allowing our kids to experience opportunities like this every day.”

This initiative was funded through a Warsaw Education Foundation Red Apple Grant. To learn more about how the foundation supports students and educators across Warsaw Community Schools, or to invest in similar WCS projects, visit Warsaw Ed Foundation.

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Photo Provided: Kelly Basalo, Jefferson Multilingual Language Teacher, with Cora West and Tyler Silveus of Generous Coffee Company.