Students Open Wilde Lake Cafe

By Stephanie Bing

Wilde Lake High School will leave its paw print on the business community of Columbia this month when a new cafè opens in the Wilde Lake Shopping Center.

Seniors Alex Stanley, Andy Chung and Seth Miller are heading the unique student run operation. The cafe is most unusual because it is one of the few enterprises statewide that is affiliated with a school but is located outside of the school building itself. The staff is strictly volunteer and consists of only teenagers. Although the cafe is specifically associated with Wilde Lake High School, it is open to any county high school students who want to be volunteers or customers. "It's a good way for NHS [National Honors Society] members to get their [community service] hours," said Miller.

Although the cafè is still under construction (courtesy of Williamsburg Builders), there are already strategies in place for the upcoming opening. Plans for entertainment, advertisement and the menu have been finalized. Schools bands and those willing to sing karaoke are expected to perform, and the Wilde Lake newspaper anticipates conducting round table discussions in the evenings. To inspire the community's enthusiasm, a pep rally at the end of the school year will be held to inform the public and excite their interest for the cafè's opening. In addition to coffee, the Wilde Lake Cafè will sell hot dogs, Bagel Bin bagels, sandwiches from David's Natural Market and candy.

Even out of such a large student body, finding replacements who meet the criteria to fill the shoes of entrepreneurs Miller, Stanley and Chung has been difficult. Stanley and the coordinator, teacher Cindy Drummund, evaluated each candidate during interviews and made a decision from there. Because both Stanley and Miller are planning to major in business and have pursued their interest with auxiliary classes at Hickory Ridge Community Center and Howard Community College, they were ideal candidates to help organize and run the cafè. Stanley even took an extra accounting class to strengthen his business savvy.

In addition to teacher Dr. Bazilla, from whom the idea originated, Drummond and the students, those responsible for the successful execution of this endeavor include Career Connections, Williamsburg Builders and Columbia Management, Inc.

When asked why Columbia Management provided both their assistance and a store to an inexperienced group of hopeful entrepreneurs, Liz Buckley, the marketing manager, said, "It was an opportunity to help good kids and demonstrate to the community that today's kids are good...the only ones you hear about are the bad ones."