Helen Keller once said, “One can never consent to creep when one feels an impulse to soar.” The students at Helen Keller School of Alabama (HKS) have celebrated their latest impulse to soar with the grand opening of Wake Up Café, a student-run coffee shop featuring Community Coffee, both hot and iced, as well as live plants and crafts. 

Students participating in the HKS Emerging Eagles program, a program designed for students aged 18 to 21 who have completed their high school academic requirements and are transitioning into adulthood, are working at the café. Through their work in the café, students receive job coaching and learn workplace skills related to the food industry; a little morning boost with a big impact on the future! 

Wake Up Café took orders for the first time on September 18 with a soft opening to prepare for the Grand Opening later that week. The café officially opened its doors on September 22 giving students, faculty, and staff from across Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB) access to freshly brewed coffee, seasonal plants and crafts, and complimentary doughnuts to celebrate the café’s grand opening. 

“We are thrilled with the Emerging Eagles and the opening of the Wake Up Café,” said Jeanna Chandler, Principal, Helen Keller School of Alabama. “Students and staff are working together to provide a quality service to the AIDB family. They have plans to expand the menu adding additional coffee flavors as well as sweet treats. The future is looking bright at HKS!”