Oskaloosa Schools is launching Oskaloosa Spirit Cafe, an initiative aimed at providing vocational opportunities and promoting inclusivity within the community. The cafe, which will open to the public in the summer, was originally conceived to provide essential job skills to students with disabilities, and now welcomes a range of students from diverse backgrounds to help everyone pursue higher-level skills, a news release said. Through partnerships with agencies like Iowa Vocational Rehabilitation Services, Spirit Cafe is also serving adults in the community who have disabilities by providing opportunities to launch their own businesses, sell products or offer services within the cafe. The artwork inside the cafe was designed by students in Oskaloosa High School’s entrepreneurship in the arts class. For photos of Spirit Cafe and the artwork on display, visit this link. For more information, Oskaloosa High School teacher Sarah DeRonde can be contacted at sderonde@oskycsd.org.
