Like your morning coffee? How about a little cup of java after lunch? High School students and staff in the East Lycoming School District are also fans, and are lucky enough to have it available for purchase every Wednesday at the Spartan Sips Café in the Hughesville High School Library.

Spartan Sips, which is run by the Junior and Senior High School Life Skills students, opened in February of 2023 as the result of a Venture Grant awarded for the start-up costs. Students in the club are assigned different periods to clerk the shop, which is open from 8:15 to 10:30 A.M. and 12:45 to 2:55 P.M., every Wednesday. Preparations for each Wednesday are completed throughout the week. Pointing to his schedule, student, Nolan Hill says, “We each come here different periods to do the work,” and student Makenzzie Dylina explains, “We wash up everything and get the coffee and tea and the lemonade ready for the next time.” Besides regular coffee, many different flavors are offered for hot and iced, including hazelnut, vanilla and caramel. Tea flavors include raspberry, blueberry and peach, among others. Lemonade is also available in different flavors, such as watermelon, strawberry, peach, blueberry and regular lemon. Student, Haley Lauck added, “We used to sell hot cocoa, too, but we stopped that because of the warm weather coming.” Coffee costs range from $1.50 to $2.50.

The advisors are Alexis Warf, Junior High Life Skills teacher, and Laura Barondeau, High School Life Skills teacher. Robynn Mothersbaugh, paraprofessional, assists with the activities. The winning name, Spartan Sips, was submitted by Elizabeth Wolfe, grade 9, as part of the naming contest for the coffee business, which was open to the whole student body. Asked about the uniforms, gray T-shirts and black aprons with “Spartan Sips” and a coffee logo, that the students were wearing, Charles Tyson says, “They got these for all of us.” Ms. Barondeau remarked, “The Grant covered everything we needed to get started, including the wooden counter, all coffee products, and the aprons. We didn’t need to purchase anything on our own.”

Ms. Warf says, “Spartan Sips has worked out so well, and Dr. Stamm and the entire team of administrators have been very supportive throughout the entire process. In fact, Dr. Stramm was the one who first made the staff aware of the available Grants, encouraging teachers to apply.”