We are Summit's 9th grade: innovative and creative entrepreneurs with a passion for coffee and giving back to the world.

For nearly a decade, Summit’s 9th-grade students have visited and volunteered at the breathtaking cloud forest of Costa Rica. Unable to travel due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the class of 2021 found a new and delicious way to support the cloud forest: The Summit Coffee Project. The challenge of running a small business was passed on to the Class of 2022. After several months of preparation, we once again roast, grind, package, and sell single-origin, small-batch coffee from around the world.

The Santa Elena Cloud Forest in Costa Rica receives nearly a quarter of the proceeds from the coffee we sell. Aside from creativity and fun, this experience teaches students entrepreneurship skills like advertising, marketing, sales, and finance. We also learn life skills, like leadership, and practical skills like roasting and grinding tasty coffee. With no previous business experience, we have encountered some roadblocks. At first, we struggled to organize jobs and workflow. As the challenges come, we are ready to brainstorm ideas to overcome them. Our product has received high praise. We hope you'll try a bag!