Welcome to our Student Voices Blog—a platform where students will share their experiences, reflections, and insights from participating in our programs. Through articles, photos, and creative content, students will document their journey, providing a unique perspective on the impact of project-based learning and community engagement. Stay tuned for authentic stories that highlight the growth, challenges, and achievements of our young leaders.
By Skylar Sousa
Hey, I’m Skylar — I’m 19 and a manager at Rise and Thrive Refreshments. I was promoted to this position because I stuck around, earned people’s trust, and honestly just proved I could handle the responsibilities of the job. When I first started managing, I noticed right away that we didn’t really have any systems in place. Everything was kind of all over the place, and it made working in the kitchen way more stressful than it needed to be. Especially with new menu items, more people working around the pond, and just more going on in general — we had to get more organized. For me personally, it was important too because I have OCD, and when things are clean and structured, it helps me feel a lot less overwhelmed. So, I started doing some research on things that could help, like a receipt printer and an order screen. I looked into how much it would cost, how much we’d actually use it, and how long it would take to make that money back. It wasn’t cheap, but it was definitely needed. We tested everything first — and yeah, it gave us some trouble at the beginning — but we figured it out. Everyone on the team was part of the process. We all talked about it, gave input, and once we got the equipment, I trained people how to use it. We’re still working on getting full training in place, but things are already way smoother. Now we have way more speed, better accuracy — we don’t have to remember orders off the top of our heads anymore — and overall, way less stress. One of the funniest moments was when one of my coworkers made the first-ever steak and cheese and called it the “Marcquis and Cheese.” That kind of stuff makes working here fun. Being a manager has definitely come with more responsibility — like closing the store, counting the drawer, checking freezer and fridge temps and I’ve really enjoyed it. It’s helped me grow, and mentally I feel a lot more confident and in control. I’m excited to keep adding more to the menu and finding ways to make our kitchen even better and connect more with the community . This is just the beginning.