Coffee is an essential part of the daily routine of a busy individual. From oat-milk vanilla lattes to dark-roast coffees, Plant High School students and personnel are not exempt from that.  

But that is when Pawbucks Coffee, a coffee stand that is run by Ms. Medina, ESE students, and Madison Pope, comes in place. Pawbucks is open daily periods 1-6 selling fraps, iced and hot coffees, teas, and hot chocolates by the cafeteria.  

Pawbucks is part of the ESE program helping deliver and make drinks for the Plant High School staff and students using communication skills since 2019.  

In this interview with Madison Pope, the junior student in charge of the Pawbucks Coffee, it was discussed everything students should know about the coffee stand. 

-How did you end up running pawbucks? 

“I started my sophomore year, because Vendela Busbee was running it, and was a senior, and she trained me. So from there I took over and started doing some of the coffee runs, the chalk board, and social media page, and figuring it out with the help of Ms. Medina,”  

“Right now I am the only student involved in it, but the ESE program does almost all of the work, so all credit goes to them. And Medina runs it fully, so I just do the behind the scenes, and right now it is not fully a club yet, but I am trying to get more students involved,” Pope said.  

-What is the ultimate goal of pawbucks? 

“We do it as a way for the ESE program to be able to work and interact with students. And the money funds Best Buddies and Special Olympics, so this way we are able to do football games, and those extra events for the Best Buddies members. Mainly, the Pawbucks Coffee goal is to allow everyone to get involved in the Plant Community,” Pope said.   

-Who makes the coffee? 

“Ms. Medina makes the coffee. We get the coffee from local places, but all of the money comes out of what we make at Plant, and we don’t have like programs to give us discounts. However, Ms. Medina gets all of the orders in and makes the coffee with her own students,” Pope said.  

-Are there any new changes coming up in Pawbucks?  

“I am now trying to get some more freshman, sophomore, and junior involvement because I will be graduating this year, so I am looking for students who could take it over and continue running it. Also, I am trying to see if we could get some treats approved, like food and snacks, but that is still to be determined,” Pope said.  

-What cause does the money go towards to? 

“All of the money we make goes to the Special Olympics and the Best Buddies program at Plant,” Pope said.  

-How many ESE students are involved? 

“The whole program is involved, so it is different students each day, but Karly and Anna are some of the students who often help running it,” Pope said.  

-Do you still have the punch cards? What are the methods of payments you accept? 

“We have punch cards that students can purchase at MyPaymentsPlus, so students can get coffee efficiently, and then we accept cash,” Pope said.  

-Who does the board? 

“I do the chalkboard each month, as well as monthly rotating flavors. And sometimes I get help from Anna Easterly, another senior, but I am always there supervising,” Pope said.  

If there is an interest in joining the Pawbucks crew, and being part in making a difference at Plant, directly message Pawbucks Coffee on Instagram.  

“Full credit goes to Ms. Medina and the students involved, because they are really what keep the Pawbucks Coffee running,” Pope said.  

To purchase punch cards: https://www.mypaymentsplus.com/welcome 

Watch the Best Buddies Special Olympics Documentary: Best Buddies Special Olympics Documentary – Zoe Beck – 2020 Tampa Bay Student Film Competition Entry