CINCINNATI — In College Hill, Sleepy Bee Cafe is bustling. High school student Destinee Johnson is keeping the coffee coming.
“Very, very busy,” she said. “It’s going pretty good.”
Johnson and three of her classmates are keeping business moving. From manning the counter to bussing the tables, they are in full control of the operation.
But none of them actually work there. They’re part of a Cincinnati Public Schools pre-employment program for individuals with disabilities.
Madelaine Solimini is their teacher. She’s an intervention specialist with the Project Life Program.
“It can be nerve-wracking to start your first job, especially if you don't know what you want to do,” she said. “Getting that career exploration now I think is success in itself.”
Students rotate through different industries for a few hours each week to gain relevant work experience. The school district says it is always looking for more partners.
Sleepy Bee Cafe is a new partner, and the Aiken High School students started working there earlier this year. The cafe isn’t actually open on Tuesdays, but it runs a smaller service of coffee and pastries for the benefit of the students.
General Manager Julie Sunderland said she’s ready to hire any of them upon graduation, citing their enthusiasm and determination.
The program gives “them the skills of coming in, clocking in, looking for their side work, doing their actual jobs, checking in with the manager,” she said.
“They've done all the steps now in a really safe environment, and now are ready to sort of go somewhere else,” Sunderland said.
According to new data last month from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 37.1% of adults ages 16 to 64 with a disability were employed last year.
“It's a growth model on both sides. It wasn't just us giving to them and them taking. We learned a ton about the model of this restaurant, and how we want to work with the people that work here,” Sunderland said.
Student Brandon Davis said at first he was nervous.
“Right now, I’ve got out all my fears,” Davis said.
He said his favorite part is cleaning up because it reminds him of the top-notch job he does at home.
Tuesday was the final pop-up at Sleepy Bee for the semester. More than 30 people showed up, and the students served each and every one of them.
“My teammates got a lot of energy, so we can handle that,” said Davis.
