For junior Matthew Mayberry, managing the school café has become one of the most unexpectedly meaningful parts of his high school experience. As December begins, and with National Bartender Day falling on the first Friday of the month, Mayberry said the café and its baristas offer a space where students can join together and settle in ways they don’t elsewhere in the school.

“I definitely have noticed the café providing a space where students can come to build friendships and connections,” Mayberry said. “It lets people bond or relax at school in a way that feels natural.”

Across the country, café culture is a growing part of daily life. According to U.S. labor data, 474,600 individuals work as baristas, highlighting the scale of environments built around drinks, conversation, and collaboration. At this school, students say their own café reflects that same spirit.

Junior Heather Coots, a regular at the café, said the environment itself motivates students to work and engage differently.

“Being in the café has an aesthetic feeling,” Coots said. “I think it’s better than being in the library because you get to order your favorite drinks and a cookie. It’s also a nice environment, they sometimes play music and it’s sort of relaxing if you are studying or finishing up on homework.”

Coots added that the atmosphere plays a major role in boosting productivity and reducing stress.

“Being in the cafe helps me stay focused and connected to other students. The lighting is good since it’s not too bright, instead it’s warm and calm. The environment is chill and the people are nice.”

Stacie Fowler, the business education teacher who also oversees the students working at the café, said it has noticeably influenced the way students interact.

“It’s definitely more of a relaxed feel. Students tend to sit with people they know and/or their partners/groups from class. They can easily work together at the tables while enjoying a snack or beverage.”

Fowler added that the students managing the café also gain skills that extend far beyond customer service.

“Having students run the café gives them ownership—they decide what to sell, create new drinks and set the “vibe” for the café. It encourages trial and error, it allows them to be creative and have fun. It lets them see what works and what doesn’t.”

Mayberry said students experience a wide range of benefits from having a shared space like the café. 

“The café helps students collaborate in a way that fewer other spaces in the school do,” he said. “Whether it’s TCP kids or students who come in during a class period, it creates a setting that’s less formal but still really conducive to connection and teamwork.”

Additionally, Mayberry noted that the café acts as a “third space,” a place that is neither school nor home, allowing students to inhabit the space more comfortably. According to the National Institutes of Health, third spaces are an essential part of an area’s social infrastructure, enriching social interaction, sense of self and belonging. And while the café is inside the school, it still allows students a distinct zone to unwind.

“I think the café’s an important part of the school community because it exists as a space for students and staff to relax and feel comfortable while also getting fuel for the day. We do our best to recognize that and preserve that space the best we can when we’re working,” Mayberry said.

Without the cafe, Coots said, many students would lose a key place to gather, take breaks, and recharge during the day. The space provides a reliable spot to build relationships and relaxation amid the busy school schedule.

“A lot of TCP (Transition to College Program) kids would have nowhere else to go,” Coots added. “It’s a good hangout spot to study with friends or do homework together. We even go as a class sometimes. Without it, Carmel would be really different.”