Cincinnati, Ohio, September 15, 2014 – When St. Ursula Academy students returned to school this fall, they were greeted with several healthy alternatives to a brown bag peanut butter and jelly sandwich for lunch. In addition to the Bulldog Fresh Market, the on-site daily option to purchase a fresh, healthy lunch, students now have the option to purchase a fresh fruit smoothie to complement their meal at the student-run Starbarks Smoothie Shop.
The idea for a smoothie shop on campus was first proposed by Theresa Isemann of Pierce Township ’14 who presented a business model for her Senior Capstone Project in May 2014. She met with food service managers, marketing directors, and school administration during the 2013-2014 school year to examine the feasibility of opening a student run business on campus. She determined that it could be successful if it was run correctly and, upon graduation, she passed her materials along to five returning students to carry out the plan.
Katie Habel ’15 of Hyde Park, Annie Heffernan ’15 of Bridgetown, Maddie Gervason ’16 of Loveland, Felicia White ’16 of North Avondale, and Carolyn Markley ’14 of Maineville held the grand opening of Starbarks Smoothie Shop on Friday, September 5. Students were lined up for the entire lunch break as the five young ladies went to work taking orders, collecting payment, directing lines, and making smoothies. Each day the girls mix approximately 40 smoothies as orders are placed.
Alex Reed ’17 of Madiera and Skyler Barton ’17 of Terrace Park were two of the first Starbarks customers. “We tasted the smoothies at a track practice and they were delicious! We like that they are made with all fresh fruit and we also wanted to support our friends from the track team who are helping run the business,” said Alex when asked about her first impression of the shop.
Theresa Isemann is thrilled that the hard work required for her Senior Capstone Project has been brought to life. "It was definitely a collaborative effort, and I'm so happy the girls are enjoying it. I can't wait to hear what some of the capstone projects this year are going to be."
The smoothie shop is currently open during lunch two days per week and offers Strawberry-Blueberry smoothies, and Mango-Pineapple smoothies. In the future, they hope to be open after school to provide a healthy snack option for students who participate in after school sports and activities.
To learn more about St. Ursula Academy, please visit www.saintursula.org.
St. Ursula Academy is a Catholic, college-preparatory, secondary school for young women known for academic excellence and rich tradition. St. Ursula welcomes students from more than 70 grade schools in the Greater Cincinnati area. In 2002 the Academy was recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a Blue Ribbon School. The campus, located at 1339 E. McMillan Street in East Walnut Hills has been the home of St. Ursula Academy and Convent since 1910. The class of 2014 earned college scholarships totaling more than $20-million.
Caption: Alex Reed ’17 of Madiera and Skyler Barton ’17 of Terrace Park were two of the first customers at the Grand Opening of Starbarks Smoothie Shop on the campus of St. Ursula Academy.