November 2021
The Omniscient
Northwood Gets Its Very Own Cafe:
BY ETHAN WESTMORELAND GRAPHIC EDITOR Northwood is opening its very own cafe this semester, The Charger Bean Express. “We are partnering with Ms.Adloo [Northwood’s Media Specialist] to basically turn the library into a miniature version of a Barnes and Noble,” said Foods and Nutrition teacher Xavier Patterson (Chef X), who is the coordinator of The Charger Bean Express. The cafe operates out of the Media Center before and after school for both students and faculty and then out of room 504 during the day exclusively for school staff. The cafe, which will sell coffees, teas, pastries and parfaits, will be countered and catered by Chef X’s Foods II students. Instead of purchasing The Charger Bean Express’ confections with cash or credit, a punch card system is used. You can buy a punch card through School Cash (chatham.schoolcashonline.com) for either 10 or 20 dollars which will get you a corresponding five or 10-item punch card. Your card can be collected at the front office. Everything on the menu is priced at $2.00-- or one card punch -- making it a much cheaper alternative to the morning drinks and breakfasts many students pick up from local fast food restaurants before school. A place to get coffee, a staple beverage of overworked students, in the media center–a spot that many already consider a safe space to relax and do work–is an attractive option for Northwood scholars.
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“I’m very excited because it’s something to do during the day, somewhere to spend that extra time before first period,” senior Aiden Vigus said. And some students are just plain amazed. “Dude, that’s sick!” Senior Noah Vick said. The Charger Bean Express has also been a big hit with school staff. “I think it’s great… I highly recommend the pumpkin muffins,” English teacher Phyllis Bazzari said. “It was one of the best muffins I’ve ever had,” English teacher Rachel Donnald said. “Eating breakfast is very important; when I skip breakfast, I feel lethargic. But eating that muffin, I had the energy I needed to get through a long day of teaching.” “It kind of feels like kismet,” Media Specialist Kelsey Adloo said. “I had been thinking it would be really great to have a coffee shop in the library maybe once a month for teachers. And it turns out I was kind of thinking small… Chef X came to me and asked if he could open the cafe in the library, so he had a very similar idea, but he wanted to have it every day for students and teachers, so he was dreaming bigger than I had. I think it would be a really good way to give students and staff that extra space to connect and relax at school.”
