New store and coffee shop opens in high school

Project a group effort by students, teachers

An empty room in West Mifflin Area High School has been transformed into a store and coffee shop thanks to a team effort from students and teachers.

The store, which sells West Mifflin Titans merchandise as well as coffee and tea, officially opened Nov. 25 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

“It just took off,” said West Mifflin Principal Chad Licht, who said efforts to start a school store started last year.

Prior to the room being turned into a store, Mr. Licht said, “This was an empty room with just computers in it.”

“This was mostly generated by the students,” said district Assistant Superintendent Jeffrey Solomon. “There are so many groups coming together across the curriculum.”

All of the profits from the store will go to fund the store itself, and any leftover money will go toward students for things like scholarships.

Earlier this year, students from the school’s life skills class painted the room West Mifflin’s signature blue and gold. Students from the same class also work in the store — brewing and pouring coffee, adding whipped cream to the drinks and delivering coffee to staffers who have ordered it.

“They do so much,” said Leah Sylvis, director of pupil services for the district.

She said students from life skills classes work in the store for two periods a day. Three or four students work a shift each day with the goal of all life skills students working three shifts per week.

Life skills teacher Rich Vogtsberger said the plan is to add some food items to the menu such as bagels and fruit, and there is also a plan to cut out a window in the front of the store for walk-up coffee service.

So far, the life skills students are enjoying working at the store.

“I like meeting new people,” said freshman Clayton Lockwood.

In addition to coffee, the store has shelves of Titans merchandise such as T-shirts, hoodies, sweatpants, keychains, wristbands and license plates bearing logos penciled by students in graphic design classes.

be found on a beach boardwalk where patrons can pick a design and have it made in minutes. Students also design and make shirts for various clubs, sports or activities throughout the district.

Between all of the schools and the store, Mr. Mann said, “We are doing 500 to 1,000 shirts a week.”

“Every day we’re either pressing shirts or on the computer,” said senior Mary Betts.

“We feel like this is the tip of the iceberg,” technical education teacher Scott Mizener said about the store and how he anticipates it growing.

For now, the store is open to staff and senior students at the school and will also be open for events such as parent-teacher conferences. Down the line, Mr. Licht said, the goal is to add an online component to the store.