While it might be the norm for middle and high schoolers to hang out in courtyards and cafeterias between classes, you'll find students at Lakeland Christian School in the campus coffee shop — and they're not just sipping on drinks, they're making them.

The coffee shop, also known as Restore, is part of the school's RISE Institute, which stands for Research, Innovation, STEM Learning + Entrepreneurship. The experiential learning program allows students to take electives in everything from entrepreneurial leadership to robotics, then apply them by joining school-based competition teams or creating products to sell to fellow students and staff.

Everything you see for sale in the RISE Institute has been created by students — from candy and cups to sweatshirts and soap. | Photo by LALtoday

"Our goal is to teach kids agency," said Jenna O'Brien, the institute's Director of Entrepreneurship. "Teaching them that they have the ability to do hard things and solve problems all on their own."

O'Brien is no stranger to entrepreneurship — you might recognize her as the founder of Lakeland-based brands like Twenty Seven and Color Theory Tea. Now, she's using the skills she's learned in her own life to equip the next generation.

Students in RISE get hands-on mentoring and experience in things like financial literacy, law, branding, marketing, product development, and inventory management. Read a few of the program's case studies to see for yourself how they're putting their skills to use.

How many schools do you know have a lip gloss filler for students to freely use to support their business endeavors? | Photo by LALtoday

Beyond teaching students the basics of business, RISE also acts a third place for them. O'Brien shared that students not actively working in the coffee shop or on a project can be found mingling with friends + checking out new products — sometimes even lining up well in advance to get their hands on new "drops" from their peers. We're told the Valentine's Day drop sold out in three minutes, so it's safe to say, they really do mean business.

Community members can get in on the fun at the institute's Spring Expo, set to happen at the end of April.