Cat's Coffee Bar opens at MHS thanks to a $5K grant from the American Dairy Association

CAT'S COFFEE BAR: Mayfield students and staff don't need to go far for a good 'ole cup of Joe.
On January 25th, the Cat's Coffee Bar opened in the cafeteria of Mayfield High School thanks to a $5,000 grant from the American Dairy Association which was secured by the Mayfield Food Service Department and intern Brian Starick.
With more students in the building during breakfast hours and the challenge to get teenagers to drink more milk, the American Dairy Association awarded the... grant to Mayfield to pilot the coffee cart which is opened daily from 7 a.m. to 1:20 p.m.
"Mayfield is our pilot school to receive a grant for the coffee cart to see if other schools could have similar success," said Jan Diamond, School Wellness Manager for the American Dairy Association Mideast Division. "We want teenagers to increase their milk consumption. Adding a few ounces of milk to a cup of flavored coffee is one way to sneak it in every day."
Students can choose from four, 12 ounce coffee recipes for $2 or purchase with breakfast for $1. With a mere 60 calories a cup, sugar free syrup flavors used in the seasonal coffee drinks include white chocolate, hazelnut, French vanilla and caramel.
"Kids have a lot of choices when it comes to beverages and a glass of milk just isn't as popular as it used to be," said Mr.Starick, who is studying food and nutrition at the University of Alabama to become a registered dietician. "Milk has all of the nutrients kids and teens need to grow. Offering them breakfast at school with milk and dairy is good for them and their academic focus."
So far, the Cats Coffee Bar is selling 250 to 300 cups of coffee a day.
"It's exceeding our expectations, by far," said Mayfield Food Service Director Robin Smeal.