It is more than likely that students at Kilbourne have seen one of its best programs, Brewing Independence, or better known to students as the coffee cart, and its staff rolling around the school and brightening everyone’s day on a Wednesday or Friday morning. 

While the Coffee Cart alone is a fun tradition that sets Kilbourne apart and brings an added element of fun to our school, it is part of something bigger that brings more meaning and purpose to the staff and students who participate. 

This week The Ravine had the pleasure of sitting down with Brewing Independence advisors Trina Williams and Kim Oates to hear a little more about their program and what it means to them and the students. 

Both Kim Oates and Trina Williams are district employees who serve as “transition coaches”, which means they assist students as they prepare to transition into life after high school. This can be done through teaching life-skills, job placements, personalized plans, or real-world employment opportunities, like Brewing Independence. 

Brewing Independence is, in their words, “An in-school coffee subscription service for teachers and staff. They sign up for it and pay $40 a semester and then two times a week, on Wednesdays and Fridays, we go out.”

They include various students in the Brewing Independence but the program is primarily worked by students in their Daily Living classes. 

Throughout the week, Oates and Williams go out into the community to various places in order to provide their students with the chance to “Learn job skills in a real world-type setting”, as Ms. Oates put it. They travel all over the community with their students, working at the Bristol, Tomatillos, and second semester even getting to travel to Thorsons Greenhouse to provide their students with a variety of opportunities for hands-on learning or job skills they can apply in the real world. 

Brewing Independence is a unique and fairly recent addition to their program, something they rolled out in January of 2024. They wanted not only a new way for their students to grow but also a way to better incorporate even more students into their classes and projects. 

Engineering students designed and built their cart, Reach Club members regularly helped with the cart and this fall football season, players assisted them during rounds on Friday mornings. They encourage more student involvement from anyone who is available during their open periods. 

Brewing Independence provides a connection for their students who tend to stay around the Daily Living classes more and the rest of the student body who often don’t get too many opportunities to connect. It’s a beautiful example of all that comes from a simple step towards inclusivity. 

We asked both women what they would say is the best part of Brewing Independence, and their answers were amazing. 

Ms. Williams said, It truly is the support of the community embracing the daily living students.”, to which Ms. Oates added, “A lot of times [other students] don’t really even come down here. And the kids don’t often get out to other classes and intermingle. So this is a great opportunity to do exactly that.” They went on to say, “We’re all Kilbourne. We are part of the school.” 

Brewing Independence has already served as a bridge to encourage more student interactions and it is wonderful to see the program’s goals of giving job opportunities and promoting social interactions already coming to fruition.

Ms. Oates and Ms. Williams gave us a short statement of encouragement to families of students with any learning differences. 

They shared, “Remember that your child’s diverse strengths and perspectives can greatly enrich their experiences. With the right support and encouragement, they will not only thrive, but can also inspire others. Each step forward and sometimes backwards is a victory on their path to success.”

This statement beautifully sums up everything that Brewing Independence stands for not only for the students directly-involved, but also for the students and staff whose days are brightened by the Brewing Independence team. This program is an amazing opportunity for kids to learn job-skills, to acclimate to the routine of having a daily clock-in job or to develop social skills, but I think most of all Brewing Independence is a fantastic program in the way it effortlessly connects all of Kilbourne and finds a way to remind us that we are all Kilbourne and that we are united under that.

It’s important to recognize that Brewing Independence wouldn’t be able to thrive like it does without the dedication of Ms. Williams and Oates. Their commitment to their students and to our district is inspiring, and Kilbourne is grateful to have two teachers who so wholeheartedly care for the school.

Thanks to their leadership and their students’ work, Kilbourne is a better place. Not only because our teachers are more caffeinated and thriving off of their morning coffee, but because we are able to connect with each other, no matter what area of the school you learn in or what classes you take. We are able to appreciate each other’s differences and realize that our strength as a school and community has always and will always come from celebrating them. 

Thank you Brewing Independence for all you do for Kilbourne, you make our school better and we appreciate you!