The Alabama Institute for Deaf and Blind (AIDB) is widely recognized for its limitless spirit and commitment to excellence. What might surprise many is how AIDB nurtures a thriving culinary and entrepreneurial culture, offering students and consumers opportunities to learn, grow and savor delicious cuisine right on campus.
INDEPENDENT LIVING SKILLS
A home-cooked meal is more than just nourishment—it is a vital life skill, especially for teenagers transitioning into adulthood. At the Alabama School for the Blind (ASB), students gain hands-on experience in meal planning, shopping and cooking, equipping them with independence and confidence for the future.
High school students living within ASB spend evenings developing their independent living skills. Students learn that cooking begins long before they pull out a frying pan or turn on a stove! They learn the importance of planning meals, making grocery lists and going grocery shopping. As online grocery ordering became more widely available, Independent Living Skills Instructors have also taught students how to use their technology to place online grocery orders, combining living skills with assistive technology.
Each week, students plan the menu of meals they will be enjoying. “Our dorm is split into two groups,” explained Jerri Alverson, Junior, ASB. “Each day, one group is responsible for cooking a meal from that week’s menu.”
This school year, students have learned how to cook beef tips with green beans, ribs with mac & cheese and collard greens, pork chops with buttered potatoes and California-style mixed vegetables and more! “So far, my favorite meal has been Zamyre’s chicken,” commented Abby Theiss, Junior, ASB. “It was so good!”
SILENT PERK
From the sweet scent of loaded teas to the rich aroma of freshly-brewed coffee, Silent Perk has become a hub where students hone valuable skills in customer service, teamwork and time management, preparing them for real-world careers. Run by students from the Alabama School for the Deaf (ASD), Silent Perk offers a rotating menu of loaded teas and iced coffee. After orders come in, students create the drinks and then deliver the orders directly to teachers and staff in their classroom or office “I have learned a lot about customer service,” commented Keith Young, Senior, ASD. “This experience is designed to mimic a real-world job. We are busy while working and have to manage our time effectively. It is preparing me for my career after high school.”
“We have gotten really busy,” agreed Kamora McCurdy, Senior, ASD. “It has been a learning experience but we have gotten faster at making the drinks and delivering the orders.”
Keith's Recommendation: The Pookie, a raspberry-flavored loaded tea
Kamora's Recommendation: The Caramel and Vanilla Iced Coffee
GENTRY CAFÉ
From bacon sizzling on the griddle during breakfast to the savory smells of popcorn during morning break, Gentry Café is an essential eatery for students and staff at AIDB’s E. H. Gentry Facility (EHG). Gentry Café is run by students in EHG’s Business Enterprise Program (BEP), a program that trains and prepares individuals who are Blind for self-employment opportunities in the vending and food-service industry.
Centrally located on campus, Gentry Café allows BEP students to learn and practice their culinary skills and safe food handling methods. It also allows students to develop key customer service skills such as stocking, purchasing/managing inventory and operating a cash register.
“Gentry Café stays busy but it is a ‘good’ busy," commented BEP graduate Curtis Holman. “Part of the reason I wanted to participate in this program is because I want to find meaningful work and I want that work to be fulfilling. This program provides a pathway towards my desired career and once I complete the program, there is a lot of upward mobility available.”
Curtis' Recommendation: The Croissant and Toaster Breakfast Sandwiches
WAKE UP CAFÉ
Wake Up Café has been fueling the campus of Helen Keller School of Alabama (HKS) since 2023. Conveniently located on the HKS campus, Wake Up Café is a student-run coffee shop that features Community Coffee, both hot and iced, in a variety of delicious flavors.
The café is powered by students taking part in Emerging Eagles, a program designed for students aged 18 to 21 who have completed their high school academic requirements and are transitioning into adulthood. One of the program's many goals is to increase each student’s self-determination skills so that they can be as independent as possible and live a life that brings them joy. 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 their future!
“Working in the café has been good,” said Paris Kennie, Student, HKS. “My favorite part is taking orders and learning what our customers like.” Fellow student, Malachi Clark, agreed saying, “The coffee is delicious. We’re busy [at the café]. I enjoy making, and smelling, the coffee.”
Paris' Recommendation: The Hot Chocolate
Malachi's Recommendation: The Iced Caramel and the Iced Mocha Coffees
Each of these programs represents the heart of AIDB’s mission: empowering students to achieve their fullest potential. Whether it is mastering the art of a perfect cup of coffee, learning to cook a family dinner or running a bustling café, AIDB students gain skills that set them up for a lifetime of limitless success.
