For $1, Fayetteville school project gives parents peace of mind: 'It's just changed our lives'

Students excitedly gathered behind a snack counter Friday at The School of Hope as others proclaimed, “Welcome to the Skyhawk Cafe!”

The school at 111 Burns St. is Fayetteville’s first for students with autism. It was founded seven years ago in honor of Jarred Bryan Sparks, who was diagnosed with autism and died unexpectedly at the age of 19 in 2011. Jarred’s mother, Amy Sparks, is the school’s co-founder and administrator.

Opened in late February, the Skyhawk Cafe was created to teach students responsibility, consumer math, and the one skill often lacking in children diagnosed with a condition that makes social interaction difficult — how to interact with the public. For $1 or less, customers can buy pre-packaged pastries, candy and soft drinks.

The children are in charge of it all, Sparks said.

"They get the products. They are doing inventory. They tell me what to buy. They earn their money," she said.

Cafe's inspiration

J.B. Erickson, a high school homeroom teacher and math instructor at The School of Hope, said Sparks had the idea for a cafe “a long time ago,” and during the summer, school representatives met with the owners of Miller’s Crew.

Miller’s Brew Coffee Shop is a local coffee shop at 1401 Morganton Road.

The nonprofit cafe is part of Miller’s Crew, an organization founded by former Cumberland County Schools speech pathologist Kim Molnar in 2016, and named after Molnar’s son Miller, who is autistic.

The organization provides vocational training, apprenticeships and employment opportunities for special needs adolescents and young adults.

Miller was also Sparks' student when he was in third grade.

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Erickson said the students running the cafe are part of a consumer math class taught twice a week.

“We taught them how to keep a register, how to make change,” he said.

About nine high-functioning autism students in junior high and high school work at the cafe, Sparks said.

The plan is to expand next year for moderate to low-functioning autism students, who are capable of being taught how to sort or other tasks, she said.

“And there’s some kids who would prefer not to do it because it’s very aversive to them, and that’s OK,” Sparks said. “The first year we’re not going to overwhelm people. We want them to be excited about what they’re doing, so this is really just a cool experience.”

What students are learning

Students rotate responsibilities each week, whether they’re bagging items, running the cash register or greeting customers, she said.

“They’ve been taught how to do those things, which is appropriate,” Sparks said.

Some neurotypical people already working in the customer service field could benefit from the same type of training, she said.

Carter, a 12-year-old at The School of Hope, was the greeter Friday.

“Hi, welcome to Skyhawk Cafe. This is the menu right here, and if you want to order something you can go right over there,” Carter said amid the chatter.

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Dean, a 13-year-old student, was responsible for bagging the items.

“It’s like a grocery store, just like Food Lion,” he said.

Shannon Clark watched while her 13-year-old son Liam operated the register Friday.

Clark said that when Liam enrolled at The School of Hope four years ago, he struggled to read and was bullied at his previous school.

“This has just changed his course, and look at him now,” she said. “Socially, and academically, it’s just changed our lives. We’re very blessed. We are where we’re supposed to be. He has friends, is learning to read and all these opportunities.”

The Skyhawk Cafe is open to the public from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Fridays.

Sparks said that the shop being open to the public gives the students a better opportunity to hone their social skills.

“Students need that, because they’re going to be around people all the time in their lives, and it’s not going to be just always people that they know," she said. "We’re really trying to emphasize to (the students) how to act appropriately with strangers.”

School of Hope expansions

Sparks said the Skyhawk Cafe is part of an overall expansion at The School of Hope.

The school is in the process of receiving its accreditation from Cognia, a nonprofit that accredits primary and secondary schools in the U.S.

As a first phase of its expansion, a new elementary wing in 7,200 square feet of modular units is set to be open. The wing will be named in memory of Fayetteville Nationwide Insurance business owner Mike Warren.

The second phase of expansion, Sparks said, is to add a gymnasium and sensory room for occupational therapy and physical therapy.

The third phase, which ties into the Skyhawk Cafe, is to open a life skills center called the HUB, which stands for Giving Hope and Unbelievable Beginnings for a Bright Future.

“What we’re doing is we’re preparing our children to be successful as adults,” Sparks said. “Academics are very important, but it’s just as important for some of our children to be able to know how to use a microwave and to be able to be self-sufficient and be able to care for themselves and to be able to get a job and to be able to count money.”

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Sparks said that in the future, she would like for businesses to partner with the school's high school-aged students to teach skills or provide potential jobs.

“People have to believe in our kids, and some people have written off autism,” she said. “They look at the disability instead of the ability, and it’s just not right. Every child deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. They should all be given the chance.”

Staff writer Rachael Riley can be reached at rriley@fayobserver.com or 910-486-3528.

This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Fayetteville's first autism school launches new Skyhawk Cafe