Mid-Prairie Community Schools receive Washington County Riverboat Foundation grant for high school library transformation. Photo by Sam McIntosh.

Mid-Prairie High School will be providing job skill opportunities for special education students, all while serving coffee shop drinks to the Mid-Prairie and Wellman community.

Mid-Prairie received a $95,188 Washington County Riverboat Foundation grant for a high school library transformation, which will turn the office part of the facility into a coffee shop.

Alternative Learning Center Director Amy Shalla shares how this project was conceived, “Well, we’ve been talking about doing something to help support those students that would be graduating from high school, and then need some job experiences and coaching, and finding places in the community isn’t always very easy. So in brainstorming some ideas, as far as ways we could help support those students, this is one of those things that came out of that. And it would benefit all students, those currently who are at the high school and those who would be graduating and needing those life skills. So it’s a win-win for everybody.”

The school is currently renovating the library with new furniture and the equipment for the coffee shop, with hopes to start brewing in April.