New Restaurant Designed To Give Students An Advantage
Oskaloosa, Iowa – We stopped by the Oskaloosa Spirit Cafe, where Big Ed’s BBQ was located on the south side of the Oskaloosa Square.Once inside, we spoke with Sarah DeRonde, a teacher with the Oskaloosa School District.
The initiative focuses on equipping these students with practical, employable skills through hands-on experience, particularly in a student-operated restaurant.
This program aims to enhance job sustainability within the community and provides management and culinary arts training to its participants.
Plans are underway to establish a store area to support adults with special needs by promoting their goods and facilitating job opportunities. By collaborating with local businesses to fill staffing needs, the program is setting a new standard for community engagement and employment sustainability for individuals with special needs.
Getting to this point even has been a herculean effort, and DeRonde shared how the project went from what was thought a couple of gallons of paint to a complete retrofit of the space.
The brunch cafe has yet to be opened to the public and will open with invitation-only soft openings, where the menu will be set, and the staff will have ample opportunity to gain needed skills.