At Cleveland Middle School and Cleveland High School, students are learning more than academics — they’re learning how to run real businesses, serve their community, and gain confidence through hands-on experiences. Two of the most exciting ventures are the CMS Tiger Roar and More Store and the CHS Kool Kids Koffee Kart.

CMS Tiger Roar and More Store

Each week, the Tiger Roar and More Store provides drinks and snacks to middle school staff. Students handle the entire process — from taking orders to preparing drinks, balancing accounts, and delivering with a smile.

The workflow is a well-oiled machine: some students handle coffee brewing and food prep, while others organize order forms, set out drinks and snacks, double-check orders, and make deliveries. Teams push carts down each hallway, with one student responsible for collecting money and giving change while others hand off the orders.

Beyond their weekly routine, the Roar and More Store is branching out into new projects. They’ve sold handmade lanyards, bookmarks, and other items at a community fair, supported the library with cookie sales, and are planning future holiday treat bags and even philanthropic efforts like Angel Trees or gift-giving for local elderly residents.

Through it all, students are practicing real-world skills: business math, pricing and profit margins, customer service, teamwork, food safety, recipe math, time management, and leadership. The ultimate goal is to instill workplace confidence while giving students meaningful opportunities to connect with others and give back to their community.

CHS Kool Kids Koffee Kart

At the high school, the Kool Kids Koffee Kart brings coffee and energy teas directly to students and staff. Orders are taken on Tuesdays during breakfast, lunch, and breaks, with deliveries made every Wednesday morning.

The process starts with a monthly planning session where students taste and vote on new flavors, then design advertising visuals to boost sales. On order day, students prepare drinks during first hour, load the carts, and deliver directly to second-hour classrooms. Afterward, they balance money, complete deposit forms, and reflect as a group on what went well and what could improve.

This student-led business is teaching valuable lessons in money management, customer service, advertising, time management, and teamwork. Students also gather feedback from their peers to improve the business week by week. Recently, the group decided to purchase a Sonic-style ice machine, using their own cost-benefit analysis to calculate savings over time compared to weekly ice purchases.

More Than a Business

Both the Roar and More Store and the Kool Kids Koffee Kart are more than just school projects. They are living classrooms where students build life skills, gain independence, and create meaningful connections with their peers and teachers. From financial literacy to leadership, from creativity to customer service, these ventures are helping students prepare for life beyond school — while bringing joy (and coffee!) to our campuses.

A HUGE SHOUTOUT TO OUR AMAZING TEACHERS AND PARA-PROFESSIONALS THAT MAKE THIS A REALITY FOR OUR STUDENTS!