StarKids Cafe Isla

19/08/2026

¡Feliz lunes! ☀️

La mejor manera de empezar la semana es con un café en mano y con propósito en el corazón.

Pasá por el Star Kids Café esta semana y tomá tu café sabiendo que cada sorbo apoya el desarrollo de nuestros estudiantes.

Te esperamos de lunes a viernes de 8:00 a 14:00. ☕💛

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Happy Monday! ☀️

The best way to start the week is with a coffee in hand and purpose in your heart.

Stop by Star Kids Café this week and enjoy your coffee knowing that every sip supports our students' development.

We'll see you Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM. ☕💛

💛

16/08/2026

The spirit of the Competent Learner Model alive and thriving at Starkids Cafe at Isla Mujeres! Read below:

During a recent trip to Isla Mujeres, Mexico, a small island just east of Cancún, I spent a morning at a remarkable café that blends hospitality with heartfelt education. The StarKids Cafe Isla is not just a restaurant; it’s a learning environment where young adults ages 15–23 with special abilities develop essential social and functional life skills.

Star Kids Café operates as part of a nonprofit program that extends opportunities for graduates of the Little Yellow School House. Once students reach age 15, they can continue learning through this hands-on, functional skills training program designed to foster independence and confidence.

Throughout the morning, I watched the young adults engage in many parts of the café’s operation—keeping the outdoor dining area tidy, setting tables, greeting and seating guests, taking orders, preparing drinks, and serving meals. Their teacher, Noelle, provided gentle guidance and supportive prompts when needed, always following up with genuine praise and positive reinforcement that lit up their faces with smiles and nods of pride.

I couldn’t help but think of the and how beautifully these learners were demonstrating repertoires related to social and functional skill development. When challenges arose—like unfolding a tricky serving stand or finding the right words to communicate—they demonstrated perseverance and problem-solving skills, essential skills as participators in completing the job's tasks.

Visiting Star Kids Café was an unforgettable reminder of the power of meaningful, supported learning experiences. I look forward to returning to see how the program continues to flourish—and, of course, to enjoy more of the island’s most delicious food and drinks.

Rae-Ann Arevalo
Director of Staff Development

Rae-Ann is both a certified CLM Coach and a CLM Coordinator. Her expertise is supporting parents and caregivers as well as classroom teachers to learn to implement the CLM in a reinforcing way. You can find out more about her on her coaching page: https://elearningstoreinc.com/meet-rae-ann-arevalo-certified-clm-coach/

**Photos used with permission

16/08/2026

¿Ya conocés el Star Kids Café? ☕✨

Más que un café, es un programa de entrenamiento real donde nuestros estudiantes aprenden habilidades del entorno laboral: tomar pedidos, servir comida y relacionarse con los clientes.

Cada café que pedís, cada desayuno que disfrutás, apoya directamente el desarrollo de nuestros estudiantes.

Visitanos de lunes a viernes de 8:00 a 14:00 y sé parte de este proyecto educativo tan especial.

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Have you visited Star Kids Café yet? ☕✨

More than a café, it is a real training program where our students learn workplace skills: taking orders, serving food, and connecting with customers.

Every coffee you order, every breakfast you enjoy, directly supports our students' development.

Visit us Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 2:00 PM and be part of this very special educational project.

💛

29/07/2026

If you have visited Star Kids Café, chances are Dani was the one who served you. 💛

Dany was one of our very first servers when this project began, and he is still learning and growing with us in this educational space.

Today we want to celebrate a huge milestone: Dani completed his secondary education and received his certificate.

Thank you to him for his commitment, his smile, and his dedication in every shift. And thank you to his family for supporting him every step of the way.

Congratulations, Dani. Star Kids Café is so proud of you. 💛💙

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Si has visitado el Star Kids Café, es muy probable que Dani te haya atendido. 💛

Dani fue uno de nuestros primeros meseros cuando este proyecto comenzó, y hoy sigue aprendiendo y creciendo con nosotros en este espacio educativo.

Hoy queremos celebrar un logro enorme: Dani concluyó su secundaria y recibió su certificado.

Gracias a él por su compromiso, su sonrisa y su dedicación en cada turno. Y gracias a su familia por acompañarlo en cada paso de este camino.

Felicidades, Dani. El Star Kids Café está muy orgulloso de ti. 💛💙

21/07/2026

Yes, we’re OPEN! ☕

Even though the street in front of StarKids Cafe Isla is temporarily under construction, we’re open and serving as usual.

You can still access the café, enjoy your favorite coffee, breakfast, or lunch, and continue supporting our mission.

Thank you for your patience and for choosing to visit us. We can’t wait to see you!

📍 Monday to Friday
🕗 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM

little yellow school house

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Sí, estamos ABIERTOS! ☕

Aunque la calle frente a Star Kids Café se encuentra en obras, seguimos brindando servicio en nuestro horario habitual.

Puedes visitarnos, disfrutar de tu café, desayuno o comida favorita y seguir apoyando nuestra misión.

Agradecemos mucho tu paciencia y esperamos verte muy pronto.

📍 Lunes a viernes
🕗 8:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

16/07/2026

14/07/2026

Behind every coffee served, every order taken, and every smile at the counter, there is a team that shows up every day with dedication, patience, and heart. ☕💛
We are beyond grateful to share that thanks to the generosity of Help A Special Child (HASC), all the little yellow school house volunteers, and every donor who believes in our mission, our Star Kids Café staff received a well-deserved bonus as we close this school year.
This is so much more than financial support. It is a recognition of the people who walk alongside our students every single day, helping them grow, learn, and build confidence in a real workplace environment.
To our team: thank you for everything you pour into this project. You make Star Kids Café what it is. 🌟
And to HASC, our incredible LYSH volunteers, and every donor who makes this possible: from our students, our staff, and our entire community, thank you. 💙
With gratitude,
Star Kids Cafe's Team

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Detrás de cada café servido, cada pedido tomado y cada sonrisa en el mostrador, hay un equipo que llega cada día con dedicación, paciencia y mucho corazón. ☕💛
Estamos muy felices de compartir que, gracias a la generosidad de Help A Special Child (HASC), todos los voluntarios de LYSH y cada donante que cree en nuestra misión, el personal de Star Kids Café recibió un bono muy merecido al cerrar este ciclo escolar.
Esto es mucho más que un apoyo económico. Es un reconocimiento a las personas que acompañan a nuestros estudiantes cada día, ayudándolos a crecer, aprender y ganar confianza en un entorno de trabajo real.
A nuestro equipo: gracias por todo lo que entregan a este proyecto. Ustedes hacen que Star Kids Café sea lo que es. 🌟
Y a HASC, nuestros increíbles voluntarios de LYSH y cada donante que hace esto posible: de parte de nuestros estudiantes, nuestro personal y toda nuestra comunidad, gracias. 💙
Con gratitud,
El equipo de StarKids Cafe Isla

04/07/2026

Star Kids Café would not exist without the incredible generosity and vision of people like Steve, Lindell Upp Lehrer, and the entire Help A Special Child (HASC) family. 💛
Your belief in our students, in their potential, and in this project has made everything possible. Every coffee served, every skill learned, every smile at the counter exists because you chose to invest in these young people.
From the bottom of our hearts, thank you. You are part of our story, always. ☕🌟
With love and gratitude,
Star Kids Café's team 💛
little yellow school house
Star Kids Café no existiría sin la generosidad y la visión de personas como Lindell, Steve Lehrer y toda la familia de Help A Special Child (HASC). 💛
Su confianza en nuestros estudiantes, en su potencial y en este proyecto lo ha hecho todo posible. Cada café servido, cada habilidad aprendida, cada sonrisa en el mostrador existe porque eligieron invertir en estos jóvenes.
De todo corazón, gracias. Son parte de nuestra historia, siempre. ☕🌟
Con todo nuestro cariño y gratitud,
El equipo de Star Kids Café 💛