Students at Sacred Heart Academy used to arrive on their campus, located at 3175 Lexington Road, with a cup of Starbucks in hand to begin the day, said school principal, Dr. Tim Adams.
Since the fall of 2023, the high school students, along with faculty and staff, have been getting their morning cup on campus — and feeling confident that their money is supporting some good causes, Dr. Adams said in a recent interview.
“Heine Brothers at Sacred Heart Academy” is a student-run coffee shop located inside the school. It sells a selection of beverages from the local Heine Brothers’ menu, and is open to students and staff three times during a typical school day — before school, after school and following lunch.
The shop, which provides part-time jobs for students, also contributes a portion of its proceeds to charitable organizations.
It opened in 2023 through a partnership with Heine Brothers Coffee — a regional brand based in Louisville. The company helped the student-run shop “get off the ground” and trained the student employees, said Dr. Adams.
The company also supported the school’s interest in supporting charities, he added.
About 25% of the shop’s profit is donated to various charitable initiatives, said Dr. Adams. In the past two years, the shop has donated approximately $4,000 to several efforts, such as flood and hurricane relief, a Christmas gift drive and a Hand in Hand Ministries house-building project in Belize.
In addition to supporting service, the shop is also building career skills in its student workers — and has helped students build connections for summer jobs, Dr. Adams said.
Catherine Miller, a senior, began working at the Sacred Heart location when it opened, she said in a recent interview.
The convenience of working before and during the school day allowed her to continue to participate in extracurriculars — which would have been unlikely if she had sought a part-time job elsewhere, she said.
Miller used her employment experience to obtain a summer job at a local Heine Brothers location, she said, adding, “I now work there on the weekends to get money for college.”
The shop currently employs eight upperclassmen, said Dr. Adams.
“For many of the students, it’s their first job,” he said, noting the shop offers them a “safe space” to build skills such as navigating conflict and learning from their mistakes.
As the current student manager of the shop, Miller said she’s accepted additional responsibilities — such as managing inventory — and experienced a boost in her leadership skills as she’s learned how to stay organized and delegate tasks.
The job has also expanded her social circle, helping her build connections with other employees and consistent customers, she said. “I’ve formed relationships with people I would have never talked to.”
The student workers have had some fun, too, said Dr. Adams.
“It’s fun to see them get into it,” he said. They’ve promoted their items on an Instagram account for the shop, and have invented new drinks, he added.
Last year, the students created a limited edition drink menu inspired by the school’s play, “The Little Mermaid,” he said. “They did that organically; they are super creative.”
Recognizing the coffee shop’s success, Dr. Adams said he sees other opportunities on the horizon.
He’s looking into creating an entrepreneurial class that functions alongside the shop, he said.
He’s also hoping to further engage the students in the shop’s charitable aim by collaborating with service opportunities students are spearheading, he said.
“We have done a lot of good things, but I think we can do a lot more,” he added.
I’d love to see more entrepreneurship taught in our Catholic schools. This is such a creative way to meet a need, equip students with practical skills, and build the Kingdom. A great example of faithful innovation!