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Hello, Riverside family! This month, I’ve been thinking a lot about the small things. As so much “big” continues to happen at Riverside— the near completion of the mural, setting up a fully functional coffee operation, a regular cadence with our student entrepreneurs– it’s easy to forget about the small...and to underestimate how much attention and time the small deserves. I’m talking about a missing patch of yellow paint or ordering a needlessly complicated toilet paper holder that Wesley and Elizabeth so valiantly assemble. All of this to say– our team is learning about the little things. Here’s what our crew has been up to in April.
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Student Entrepreneurship Sessions
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We had two ambitious, multifaceted student entrepreneurship sessions this month. The first involved a major milestone for our student baristas-in-training: the arrival of the much awaited espresso machine. Our young people quickly moved from drip coffee based drinks to a more complex variety and thoroughly enjoyed the process. Not only were the students highly attentive to our trainer, Dane, they worked hard to perfect the process of making a great drink. After their espresso session, the students sat down with Hope Credit Union VP Alex Lawson to understand the basics of personal finance. They filled out applications to set up their bank accounts and asked thoughtful questions about accessing loans, how to save, and what even is a credit union?
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Our next session involved our larger Riverside family. Stephen Brown and Ms. Trina B. from Briarwood Arts Center (BAC) spoke to the students about their work transforming an abandoned building in North Jackson into a thriving and accessible space for people across the city. We talked about how to build community buy-in for Riverside so we can follow a similar trajectory.
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Afterwards, the students took their coffee-making skills and put them to the test in a high stakes simulation. Our friends took turns play-acting as either "nice" or "mean" customers while students whipped up high quality drinks. Chaos often interfered– the espresso grinder immediately broke, the students were not good at communicating with each other, orders were delayed and often incorrect, and roles were not clearly defined. As individuals, everyone understood what to do. But as a team, work was needed. The students recognized this, and over the course of the simulation, it started to click. The students self-organized, asked for help where needed, and placated customers with their natural charisma. It was stressful (in a generative way), and the kids are now more prepared for the real thing. Big thank you to all our friends who came out to participate.
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We have a dumpster! It brings us a tremendous amount of joy to be able to dispose of our trash on-site instead of having to drive it home in our trunks. We’re also working with a contractor to get cabinets built, old telephone wires pulled out, and drywall patched as we prepare for our health inspection. Hooray!
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That’s all for now! As always, thank you for being a part of the journey.
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