Beloit Public Library Foundation awarded $700 in scholarships to two graduating seniors working at Blender Café to pursue their post-high school degrees. Both students are soon-to-be graduates of The Lincoln Academy who have worked at the café as part of a partnership between the library and TLA.
Rafael Ramos, son of Adriana Ramos, received a $500 Crew Member Scholarship. Ramos participated in National Honor Society, e-Sports, and Gaming Club while at The Lincoln Academy. He will be attending Blackhawk Technical College in the fall where he plans to study Web Software Development.
“I’ve gained valuable work experience interacting with different types of people and now have more confidence when speaking to others,” Ramos said. When asked what he will miss most about his time at The Blender Café, he said, “Mainly the nice people – whether it was a random guest, frequent guest, or library staff.”
Ava Guadarrama, daughter of Amber and Carlos Jurado, received a $200 Crew Member Scholarship. Guadarrama participated in cheerleading, softball and Scholar Council while at The Lincoln Academy. She will be attending Carroll University in Waukesha, Wisconsin, in the fall where she will study Diagnostic Medical Sonography.
“I plan to use my degree to make a positive impact in healthcare. I want to provide accurate and compassionate patient care.” For Guadarrama, the most meaningful experience working at Blender Café was the variety and creativity it provided. “I’ve gained confidence in working with customers, and I liked being able to be creative and try new things.”
These scholarships were determined by the students’ reliability, quality of work, professional growth, leadership abilities, customer service skills, and teamwork. Dollar amounts also were based upon hours of service.
Blender Café opened in June of 2017 as a unique partnership between Beloit Public Library, Beloit Memorial High School, and Kerry, highlighting what can happen when municipalities, school districts, and corporations work toward a common goal. It has since evolved to partner with other agencies such as The Lincoln Academy.
The full-service restaurant offers customers coffee drinks, smoothies, sandwiches, soups, salads, and baked goods while providing student/scholar workers with on-the-job experience as well as class credit.
