HORRY COUNTY, S.C. (WBTW) — A group of students at Carolina Forest High School have started their own business and it’s not only putting a smile on people’s faces, but also setting the students up for success once they graduate.

At Carolina Forest High School, there’s a special kind of business rolling down the hallways. It is called ‘Cool Beans Coffee’, a one-of-a-kind shop that is making a difference in the community.

  • News13 photo: Taylor Maresca
  • News13 photo: Taylor Maresca
  • News13 photo: Taylor Maresca

Randi Aubry, a special education teacher at Carolina Forest High School, said the new adventure of a coffee cart was created to help teach kids job skills, independent skills, and things like that.

“So we started the coffee cart business, which delivers coffee to teachers and staff can order coffee,” Aubry said. “And then the students make it and deliver it to teachers.”

The students are learning everything from customer service skills to teamwork to managing time and money.

Every Thursday and Friday morning, teachers are getting a special delivery of coffee and it’s not only great for the customers, but also for the students too.

I think the kids had a blast,” Aubry said. “It was so nice to see them just enthusiastic, doing something different having a responsibility. And I don’t know whose smile was bigger the students or the staff because when they knocked on the door and said delivery for cool beans, the smile on the teachers and administration’s faces were just priceless.”

Student McKayla Searfoss said there are some things you need to get under your belt before you can work at Cool Beans Coffee.

“Get the money,” Searfoss said. “And give them change, use your manners.”

Searfoss loves every part of serving her school, but she does have a favorite part.

“I like delivering coffee because I like earning money,” she said.

Randi Aubry, a special education teacher at Carolina Forest High School, said the money made from the coffee cart business goes right back into their program.

“Our goal is to transition them out into the community after high school because we’re really the last step,” Aubry said.

‘Cool Beans Coffee’ is always accepting donations that’ll go toward enhancing the coffee cart and of course enhancing the job experience for students.

If you would like to donate, you can reach out to raubry@horrycountyschools.net.

* * *

Taylor Maresca is the weekend morning anchor and morning reporter at News13. She joined the team in June 2022 after graduating from the University of Arizona. Taylor is from Houston. Follow Taylor on X, formerly Twitter, and read more of her work here.