Grand Rapids High School Launches Student Coffee Shop

Forest Hills Eastern High School students with autism are gaining job skills by operating a new campus coffee shop.

Updated on Oct. 28, 2026 in Autism

Grand Rapids High School Launches Student Coffee Shop

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Forest Hills Eastern High School in Grand Rapids now operates a student-run coffee shop staffed by six students with autism. The program provides participants with opportunities to develop essential job, social, and practical skills.

Why it matters

This initiative offers a hands-on environment for students to master workplace tasks and improve social interactions. The program aims to foster independence and career readiness for students with autism.

The Coffee Nest operates three days a week to serve school staff. Rowster Coffee provided a donation of 500 pounds of coffee to support the shop's ongoing operations.

The players

Forest Hills Eastern High School

This is a secondary school located in Forest Hills, Michigan, that hosts the Coffee Nest program.

Rowster Coffee

A local coffee company that supported the school initiative by donating 500 pounds of coffee.

Stephanie Braun

She is the educator who initiated the development of the coffee shop program last winter.

The details

Students learned their roles through videos, presentations, and step-by-step task guides used during the first month of school. The shop, which currently serves staff, utilizes repeated practice and hands-on instruction to help students work independently.

Stephanie Braun began brainstorming the coffee shop idea last winter.
The program received a grant during the spring.
Students participated in job task instruction during the first month of school.

Health Landscape

The Coffee Nest extends the transition planning requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act by providing direct vocational experience in a school setting. This program bridges the gap between classroom instruction and real-world workplace expectations for students with autism.

The program provides students with autism a structured environment to build workplace confidence and social skills. These practical experiences help participants refine the specific abilities needed for future employment.

The takeaway

Hands-on vocational programs can successfully integrate students with autism into school life while teaching vital independence skills. Implementing repeated practice and clear task guides helps students bridge the gap between learning and performing a job.