Throughout the morning periods, the coffee cart makes its way through the school to visit classrooms and sell food and drinks to students. Though their interactions may be brief, some of the interactions between the coffee cart kids and the students buying from them stand out.
Coffee cart shout outs are awarded to those students who show kindness and gratitude at the coffee cart. Whether it is to the coffee cart kids or their peers, students who go above and beyond at the cart have a chance to receive a shout out.
“[Shout outs are awarded] as an opportunity to recognize those kids that don’t always get the recognition for doing the right things,” teacher Travis Young said. “I think, in today’s society, a lot of emphasis is placed on students and younger kids for what they’re doing wrong or bad, and we should slow down and take an opportunity to recognize those that are doing the right thing.”
“I got it for kindness and actually showing interest in the kids and what’s going on with their lives,” said senior Nevaeh Kruskie, who received a shout out in November.
Originally, the goal was to be giving shout outs once a week. However, depending on the number of people nominated, that isn’t always possible.
“We can only give shout outs as often as kids are nominated,” Young said. “If there’s extra kids in one week, we will happily nominate two in one week. In some weeks, if there’s no nominations come forward, then we don’t have any for that week.”
An email is sent out to principals and teachers when the shout outs are selected, letting them know who received the shout out. Usually, the person who was shouted out receives the news through one of their teachers.
“Multiple teachers saw me in the hallway and pulled me in to let me read the email off of their computer,” said freshman Adrielle McNeal, who received a shout out.
The students who receive shout outs are decided by the coffee cart adults. They’re always on the lookout for students showing kindness and gratitude.
“Showing kindness, interacting with our students on the cart is a big [reason for receiving a shout out] and asking questions. Being genuinely interested in what is going on in their lives is a great way for us to recognize you as a person that’s doing a little bit extra,” Young said.
“I got a shout out because I bought my entire biology class coffee and whatever they wanted for like a week straight,” McNeal said.
Students who receive shout outs are also nominated for another prize at the end of the month.
“We nominate the names weekly and then at the end of the month, and of the names that are nominated one gets selected for the big prize,” Young said.
