LAND O’ LAKES — Things are pretty sweet over at Angeline Academy of Innovation.
That’s because on Sept. 8, Sweets at Angeline — a student-run cafe in the school’s common area — had its grand opening, welcoming customers (students and faculty) to indulge in its menu of refreshing drinks, iced teas, boba teas, coffees and various snacks.
Run through the school’s Business Entrepreneurship class, under the guidance of entrepreneurship teacher Chad Mallo, the cafe is treated as a fully immersive small business, with positions from manager to server, from keeping accounting books and even ordering supplies and marketing it on social media.
“I just thought starting a business would provide students with an opportunity to experience entrepreneurship beyond textbooks and classroom assignments,” Mallo said. “It’ll expose them to actual challenges, setbacks, decisions and successes that every new business faces. The idea aligned perfectly with the curriculum taught in the Entrepreneurship program, giving students an opportunity to learn through experience rather than simulation.”
According to Mallo, it took more than three years to get to this point, with the school currently in its fourth school year. And it was actually born from one student, Rylee Kincaid, who decided to build her entrepreneurship competition project around opening the cafe. She developed the concept, built a business model and even created the cafe’s identity — by designing the logo and signage and creating a recognizable brand.
Kincaid did all that in the first year of this process. Additionally, Angeline Principal Joanne Glenn connected Kincaid with the school district’s director of food and nutrition services, Stephanie Spicknall, who provided guidance in food service operations.
In the second year, Sweets at Angeline saw Kinkaid hire the first employee, Kennady Sabo. The duo, as managers, reworked business plans, developed new operating procedures and focused on food safety and operational requirements.
In the third year, both students and Mallo earned their ServSafe Manager Certifications, while the cafe would now operate separately from the school’s cafeteria program. It allowed the cafe to not interfere with the cafeteria’s daily operations.
Then the cafe and students found a drinking oasis.
School district leaders introduced the students to the innovative beverage-making system called Botrista — a machine capable of automatically preparing customized drinks and became the first used in a Florida school. Despite finding a drink-serving process and even hiring five additional student employees, frustrating setbacks kept the cafe from opening last school year.
“They were determined to get this (cafe) open this year,” Mallo added.
Over this past summer, all five new employees earned ServSafe certifications, as well as all employees completed training on the Botrista machine. Food and Nutrition Services staff also worked alongside the students for guidance to move the cafe forward.
Finally, the student employees got to serve drinks from Sweets at Angeline, selling more than 80 drinks in the first week of operations.
It was a long journey, and Mallo couldn’t be more proud, especially as he watched his entrepreneurship students, in hairnets and plastic gloves, serve drinks to their AAI peers.
“Beyond serving beverages, Sweets at Angeline is a living classroom,” Mallo said. “They are reviewing sales trends, tracking revenue and expenses, analyzing customer preferences and using real business data to make informed decisions. This experience gives, truly, a real-world education, allowing them to live the entrepreneurial process rather than simply study it. It’s incredible the potential of students when they are empowered to lead.”
